New Voices Fund

Operator of a burger restaurant chain intended to provide vegan meals to communities that would have otherwise never had these options. The company offers a variety of plant-based burgers along with sides and drinks, enabling people to enjoy vegan fast food.

Young King Hair Care is a Georgia-based brand specializing in natural hair care products designed specifically for boys with textured hair. The brand aims to empower young males by encouraging them to embrace and celebrate their unique hair. Its product line includes a leave-in conditioner, an essential oils blend, and a curling cream, all formulated with plant-based ingredients such as shea butter, marshmallow root, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, and argan oil. These products are free from harmful chemicals like phthalates, sulfates, and parabens, promoting healthy hair growth and enhancing the confidence of multicultural boys. Young King Hair Care is committed to redefining young male grooming through quality, safe, and effective hair care solutions.

NaturAll Club is a Philadelphia-based company founded in 2015 that specializes in hair care treatment products. Offering a range of items such as shampoo, conditioner, serum, and oil, the company focuses on using natural, safe, and non-toxic ingredients like avocado pulp, bananas, and coconut cream. NaturAll Club operates primarily through an online subscription model, providing freshly-made products that cater to the needs of its customers. In addition to its product line, the company is dedicated to fostering a community among individuals with kinky and curly hair, offering informative resources, hosting meet-ups, and creating online platforms for support and education in natural hair care.

Bitwise Industries Inc. is a technology ecosystem company based in Fresno, California, founded in 2013. It aims to advance the local technology landscape by focusing on education, software development, and collaborative workspaces. Through its Geekwise Academy, Bitwise offers accelerated coding programs designed to equip individuals of all backgrounds with essential technology skills, particularly targeting marginalized groups. The company also operates Shift3 Technologies, a custom software development firm that pairs experienced professionals with entry-level programmers to create software solutions. Additionally, Bitwise provides physical spaces for technologists and technology companies, including collaborative work environments and tech venues, fostering a community for innovation and growth. New projects, such as Bitwise|41 and Bitwise State Center Warehouse, are currently under development to further enhance its offerings.

Sweeten is a home renovation platform founded in 2011 by trained architects, aimed at transforming the $320 billion residential renovation industry. The platform connects homeowners and small business owners with local general contractors for various renovation needs, including architecture and interior design. By facilitating these connections, Sweeten supports users throughout their renovation projects, ensuring a smoother and more trustworthy experience. With nearly $900 million in renovation deals posted, the company has gained recognition as a leading marketplace that empowers individuals to undertake their home improvement projects with confidence. Sweeten has been featured in notable publications, highlighting its impact on the renovation landscape.

Squad is a social tech platform to help people grow and strengthen their connections across all of their different communities. Squad’s mission and foundation has always been rooted in cultivating strong community. Starting out as a passion project, Squad was created to host unique intimate event experiences among young professionals. After launching in NYC, the community grew astronomically, garnering a high demand and an infectious buzz from cities around the world. With plans to expand globally, our analytics showed the average Squad member was under three pillars: the young Millennial or Gen-Z, the college-educated professional, and the seekers of a safe space to share experiences beyond social media. ‍ In 2019, in order to fuel expansion, Squad decided to build a big business concept based on these three pillars. They complemented the community experience with an innovative mobile app, expanding its reach beyond New York City. Today, we are proud to have an awesome community of entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, financiers, musicians, techies, creatives and other individuals who are such incredibly dope human beings.

Beauty Bakerie Cosmetics Brand, Inc. is a cosmetics manufacturer based in San Diego, California, specializing in a diverse range of beauty products. Founded in 2011, the company offers items such as liquid lipsticks, setting powders, illuminating products, and various eye makeup, all formulated to be vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and gluten-free. Beauty Bakerie sells its products through a robust online platform and in over 1,000 retail locations globally, including major retailers like ULTA, Nordstrom, and Target. With a strong social media presence, the brand has garnered over 1 million followers and has been recognized by numerous prestigious publications. The company is led by founder Cashmere, who drives the brand's creative vision and product development. Beauty Bakerie has experienced significant growth, being recognized as San Diego's fastest-growing private company between 2015 and 2017, and continues to expand its impact in the cosmetics industry.

Healthy Roots is a toy company that utilizes a doll, book and app to teach natural hair care to young girls of color. Our dolls come in different skin tones, facial features and hair textures to represent the diversity of the african diaspora. Our dolls hair can be styled in a variety of ways with the guidance of the Big Book of Hair. The big Book of Hair is an illustrated manual to natural hair care. Our app allows users to track their hair health and get curated content for their specific hair needs based on data they input. All three products culminate to the perfect teaching tool for children in a language they understand.