FAMU and Other HBCUs Endorse Pharrell Williams' Multi-Million Dollar 'Black Ambition' Entrepreneur Initiative
|
Posted By: Kennedy Williams on December 06, 2020 Music superstar Pharrell Williams is working to help Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs develop startup companies in tech, design, health care, and consumer product services through what he is calling "Black Ambition." Williams created this non-profit initiative to help combat the "long-standing barriers to success" people of color often face in this country. In the press release discussing the program, Williams said, "With Black Ambition, the goal is to help strengthen the pipeline of talented entrepreneurs and close the opportunity and wealth gaps derived from limited access to capital and resources." Through the program, two prize competitions will benefit those who chose to are selected to participate. Both the Black Ambition HBCU Prize and the Black Ambition Prize will offer participants mentorship and money to support their businesses. The Black Ambition HBCU competition has a grand prize of up to $250,000 and several smaller awards. Teams participating in this competition must include at least one current HBCU student that identifies as Black or Hispanic and one recent alum that has graduated within the last two years. Several HBCUs have expressed their support and excitement for the new initiative, including Norfolk State University and Florida A & M University. When discussing the program during a virtual news conference with Pharrell, FAMU President Larry Robinson said, "We are ready for this initiative. We have a long history of entrepreneurship at Florida A&M University. This is the right place." The second Black Ambition Prize will also offer an array of prizes to help identify and support up and coming companies in a range of different fields. This larger competition, however, has a grand prize of up to $1 million. The two competitions are slated to take place next summer and will allow teams to present in front of judges and investors to get prizes, mentorship, and feedback. For more info about this initiative and how to apply, check out www.blackambitionprize.com. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest News
 |
Promote the Vote Fund: Ensuring Every Voice Is Heard in Michigan 28 April 2026
Promote the Vote Fund, a Ford grantee, is a coalition of partner organizations leading these efforts. The organization works across the ideological spectrum to support voting rights for Michiganders ...more
Hija Chang • 80 Views • May 3rd, 2026 |
 |
Temple to open medical campus in Atlantic CityBoth Temple and the Katz School of Medicine are guided by the belief that education and healthcare open doors and transform communities, and that is exactly what we have accomplished in Pennsylvania,” ...more
Hija Chang • 87 Views • May 3rd, 2026 |
 |
Apartheid’s legacy and the rise of xenophobia in South Africa todayPhoto: An image showing a South African township street with closed small shops owned by African migrants, police presence in the background, and community members walking past with tense expressions. ...more
Joel Savage • 321 Views • April 30th, 2026 |
 |
James Artissen, Big Gipp & DJ Burn One - Just Another DayAcclaimed Grammy-Nominated singer-songwriter James Artissen teams up with Southern hip-hop rapper Big Gipp, and respected producer DJ Burn One for their latest release, “Just Another Day.” The record ...more
Lenell Johnson • 204 Views • April 28th, 2026 |
 |
PROPEL Center Launches Future of Tech Innovation Challenge to Spotlight HBCU Talent & Shape the Next Generation of AI LeadersPROPEL Center, the global HBCU technology and innovation hub committed to strengthening the future Black talent pipeline, announced the launch of the Future of Tech Innovation Challenge, a national co ...more
Crystal Willis • 254 Views • April 27th, 2026 |
Popular News
 |
North Carolina HBCU Unity DayShaw University - Elizabeth City State University - Johnson C. Smith University - Fayetteville State University - Livingstone College - North Carolina A&T State University - North Carolina Central Uni ...more
Reginald Culpepper • 108,205 Views • August 8th, 2016 |
