NEW ORLEANS, July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Friday, the
nation's leading entrepreneurs of color tied the bow on a three-day
conference that opened the door to a premier network of advisors,
experts, and investors in a series of pitch contests, panels, and
showcase events. This reality-changing annual event took place in
New Orleans on July 1-3, 2015, coinciding with ESSENCE Festival®
presented by Coca-Cola®.
"Entrepreneurs of color do not typically have access to deep
pools of capital, and this week was all about convening the
nation's best and brightest and presenting opportunities for them
to access the resources they need to succeed," said Earl Robinson, the president of
PowerMoves.NOLA.
The national conference is part of PowerMoves.NOLA's ongoing
effort to increase the number of America's venture-backed,
minority-founded companies in high-tech and high-growth sectors.
This national conference was made possible through the generous
support of Chevron as Founding Sponsor and Morgan Stanley as
Presenting Sponsor.
"We are pleased with the success of this year's PowerMoves.NOLA,
and congratulate all of the participating entrepreneurs on their
achievements. As Founding Sponsor, we are committed to
PowerMoves.NOLA's efforts to promote economic inclusion and expand
access to economic opportunity," said Chevron Gulf of Mexico
General Manager of Public Affairs Sakari Morrison.
PowerMoves.NOLA featured a number of events designed to provide
resources to entrepreneurs of color, including:
Entergy Angel Pitch
San Francisco-based Ntensify won $25,000 for its service that provides branded
merchandise stores as additional revenue streams for mobile app
developers.
Morgan Stanley Series A Pitch
Atlanta-based startup Partpic won $25,000 for its enterprise software solution that
simplifies the search and purchase process of replacement parts
using visual recognition technology.
PowerMoves Alumni Panel
This panel featured
former PowerMoves.NOLA Pitch and Demo Day participants discussing
their experiences scaling their startups and raising capital as
entrepreneurs of color.
Morgan Stanley FinTech Showcase
This
invitation-only showcase featured five entrepreneurs in the
financial technology field presenting their business models to a
select group of investors and industry leaders.
PowerUp Demo Day presented by IBERIABANK
Twenty
early-stage tech entrepreneurs of color culminated their 6-week
boot camp at the PowerUp Demo Day. Callr won the $15,000 cash prize to help take their startup to
the next level. Callr is a new technology that makes calling in to
conference calls easy. It makes remembering a conference number or
passcode a relic of the past.
Big Break Power Pitch
Four consumer-focused
startups competed at the 2015 ESSENCE Festival® presented by
Coca-Cola® for the chance to get their "Big Break." Flat Out of
Heels won the $25,000 cash prize and
exposure to investors and business leaders. Flat Out of Heels are
the solution to stiletto sore feet. The rollable flats are stylish,
comfortable, durable and compact enough to fit in a small clutch
purse. Placed in venues like airports, nightclubs, malls, and
hotels, where many women are wearing heels, Flat Out of Heels
vending machines make it convenient to get emergency shoes when
needed. The Big Break Power Pitch was moderated by Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Global Wealth
Management, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan
Stanley.
"The caliber of the entrepreneurs PowerMoves.NOLA convenes is
truly impressive, and Morgan Stanley was honored to sponsor the
national conference and provide some of the nation's best and
brightest entrepreneurs of color a platform to put their businesses
on center stage in front of premier investors, advisors, and peer
networks," said Carla Harris, Vice
Chairman, Global Wealth Management, Managing Director and Senior
Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is a
PowerMoves.NOLA presenting sponsor, and Harris, along with
Nicole Irvin, Head of Technology
Execution and Vice President of Morgan Stanley's West Coast
Technology Investment Banking Division, served as judges in the
Morgan Stanley Series A Pitch competition. Harris also moderated
the Morgan Stanley FinTech Showcase.
This second annual PowerMoves.NOLA national conference marked
the initiative's first year in existence. Founded by New Orleans businesswoman Leslie Jacobs, PowerMoves.NOLA is expanding with
programs in cities across the U.S.
"I am truly inspired by the creativity and talent seen here this
week, and it makes me very hopeful for the future of our country,"
said Jacobs. "We look forward to showcasing and working with even
more entrepreneurs this coming year, as part of our mission to
increase the number of minority-founded, venture-backed companies
in the United States."
ABOUT POWERMOVES.NOLA
PowerMoves.NOLA is a
national initiative to deploy innovative ideas, fresh approaches,
and an overall commitment to equity and diversity as a growth
strategy to address the generational obstacles that prevent
minority entrepreneurship. Leveraging the thriving entrepreneurial
ecosystem, resources, and culture of New
Orleans, PowerMoves.NOLA's mission is to increase the
number of venture-backed minority-founded companies locally and
nationally.
PowerMoves.NOLA is made possible through the generous support
of its sponsors including Chevron as Founding Sponsor and Morgan
Stanley as the Presenting Sponsor. Other major sponsors include
Entergy, IBERIABANK, Liberty Bank,
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and ESSENCE Festival®
presented by Coca-Cola®.
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SOURCE PowerMoves.NOLA