It is a grassroots program aimed at closing the wealth gap.“We learned a significant disparity in the amount of funding that venture capital firms invested in entrepreneurs of color. So in 2019, actually there were 136 and a half billion dollars that went to entrepreneurs in general and only 1% of that went to African Americans,” Evangelina Figeueroa said.Figeueroa is the director of operations of the Abercrumbie Group that started the program in 2012. This Young Entrepreneur pitch competition is a program that teaches young people business and wealth-building strategies. Dominic Thomas is just one of the teenagers who signed up for the program.“My desire to become an entrepreneur started when I was younger. I think it was second grade, I started selling stickers to my classmates and reselling shoes at a young age. I just found that as a way to make money when I was younger without a job,” Thomas said.The program will provide a paid internship, with the young people working in teams to pitch business ideas that provide solutions for real company problems and attend a few sessions during Black Tech Week.The young entrepreneur program takes place the week of July 15.The actual pitch competition will happen on July 19 at the Cincinnati USA regional chamber downtown.For additional information on the program, click here.

CINCINNATI —

It is a grassroots program aimed at closing the wealth gap.

“We learned a significant disparity in the amount of funding that venture capital firms invested in entrepreneurs of color. So in 2019, actually there were 136 and a half billion dollars that went to entrepreneurs in general and only 1% of that went to African Americans,” Evangelina Figeueroa said.

Figeueroa is the director of operations of the Abercrumbie Group that started the program in 2012. This Young Entrepreneur pitch competition is a program that teaches young people business and wealth-building strategies. Dominic Thomas is just one of the teenagers who signed up for the program.

“My desire to become an entrepreneur started when I was younger. I think it was second grade, I started selling stickers to my classmates and reselling shoes at a young age. I just found that as a way to make money when I was younger without a job,” Thomas said.

The program will provide a paid internship, with the young people working in teams to pitch business ideas that provide solutions for real company problems and attend a few sessions during Black Tech Week.

The young entrepreneur program takes place the week of July 15.

The actual pitch competition will happen on July 19 at the Cincinnati USA regional chamber downtown.

For additional information on the program, click here.