On Monday, May 23rd, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, opened her Las Vegas visit with a roundtable discussion with Rep. Horsford, SBA Pacific Regional Administrator Elmy Bermejo, SBA Nevada Director Saul Ramos, local leaders & business owners, and NV Grow Director Kevin Raiford/staff, Blackstone LaunchPad champion NuLife Kicks, Pastadesso, & other clients/entrepreneurs to discuss leveraging equity and access, and to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster.

In recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, Administrator Guzman and Rep. Horsford also visited AAPI-owned Sun’s Thai Food, a local family business that benefitted from a PPP loan that helped sustain their operations during the height of the pandemic. At the Sun’s Thai Restaurant, they were greeted with traditional Thai dance, lots of deliciously prepared authentic Thai food, and were serenaded by one of the NV Grow staff member, Gabriel Interrante, who is a promising musician.

PRESS OFFICE

Release Date: May 20, 2022 Release Number: MA22-26 www.sba.gov/news Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram

LAS VEGAS – On May 23, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, will visit Las Vegas. Administrator Guzman will participate in roundtable discussions with Rep. Horsford, Rep. Titus, local leaders, and local business owners to discuss increasing equity and access to opportunities to help uplift and support underserved and disadvantaged small businesses. In recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, Administrator Guzman and Rep. Horsford will visit AAPI-owned Sun’s Thai Food, a local family business that benefitted from a PPP loan that helped sustain their operations during the height of the pandemic. Administrator Guzman will meet with Andrea Vigil, COO of Allegiant Electric, LLC, to congratulate her on her recent award, 2022 Nevada Small Business Person of the Year. With the help of the SBA, Andrea was able to utilize two PPP loans, an EIDL loan, and skills learned through SBA’s Emerging Leaders Initiative to sustain her business during the pandemic and thrive in a male-dominated industry. Administrator Guzman and Rep. Dina Titus will meet with Maria Davila, owner of Rika Arepa Express, a local minority-owned small business that received Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). A Women’s Small Business Roundtable discussion will be held with Administrator Guzman and Rep. Dina Titus and local women-owned small businesses to discuss how to increase access to capital and resources to start or grow their businesses. Media are invited to attend open press events, but must RSVP by 5:00 PM PT on Sunday, May 22, 2022, for credentialing and further information. Las Vegas Stops Las Vegas, NV – May 23, 2022 WHAT:  Roundtable Discussion with Rep. Steve Horsford, local leaders, and local small business owners WHEN: 12:10 PM WHERE: 690 W Lake Mead Blvd, North Las Vegas, NV WHO: Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration Rep. Steve Horsford Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy State Senator Dina Neal Elmy Bermejo, SBA Region 9 Administrator Saul Ramos, SBA NV District Director Local Small Business Owners WHAT: AAPI Business Visit with Rep. Steve Horsford WHEN: 1:40 PM WHERE: Sun’s Thai Food, 4941 W. Craig Rd, Las Vegas, NV, 89130 WHO: Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration Rep. Steve Horsford Elmy Bermejo, SBA Region 9 Administrator Saul Ramos, SBA NV District Director Local Small Business Owners WHAT: Business Visit with Nevada’s Small Business Person of the Year WHEN: 2:40 PM WHERE: Allegiant Electric, LLC, 2480 N Decatur Blvd #115, Las Vegas, NV 89108 WHO: Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration WHAT: Small Business Visit to Rika Arepa Express WHEN: 3:30 PM WHERE: 3650 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89121 WHO:  Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration Rep. Dina Titus Elmy Bermejo SBA Region 9 Administrator Saul Ramos SBA NV District Director WHAT: Women’s Small Business Roundtable WHEN: 5:30 PM WHERE:  Caesars Palace, 3570 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 WHO: Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration Rep. Dina Titus Small Business Leaders   MEDIA RSVP: Please RSVP to Miryam Barajas at [email protected] with a reporter’s name and press outlet. Administrator Guzman will be joined by Elmy Bermejo, Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Region IX, who oversees the agency’s programs and services in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Guam. ###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

College of Southern Nevada’s NuLife Kicks snatched first place in the Blackstone Student Pitch Competition Startup Grind Global 2o22.

The Blackstone LaunchPad network makes entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills accessible and relevant for all college students to help them build thriving companies and careers.

To view the entire announcement of the winners, click HERE.

“Bringin’ Dead Kicks Back To Life” captured the hearts and minds of the Blackstone LaunchPad judges. College of Southern Nevada’s (CSN) NuLife Kicks is the Grand Champion of the Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competitions at the StartUp Grind Global 2022.  Akeem & Marquee Anifowoshe triumphantly beat over 130 nominations and 28 student teams from 24 schools that were selected as semi-finalists in the 2022 Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competition.  They competed as one of five finalists that pitched live on April 12, 2022 for a chance to win a total of over $50,000 in prize money and in-kind prizes on the main stage of the Startup Grind Global Conference in Silicon Valley. The competition also included a virtual People’s Choice Award, with online voting.

Nominated and mentored by Professor Kevin Raiford, CSN Blackstone LaunchPad Campus Director, and Professor Maria Schellhase, CSN Blackstone Academic Champion, NuLife Kicks represented to be the TOP candidate for the pitch competition based on four criteria: Innovation, Business Model and Viability, Team, and Pitch Quality.

NuLife Kicks is revolutionizing the way you maintain your kicks! Get rid of outdated methods of sneaker cleaning like the washing machine and concentrated solutions. The NuShoe Element solutions are chemically engineered for specific results on specific materials. Clean your kicks with precision using the NuShoe Element Tools.

They are now offering Sneaker Restoration Training! Learn to restore sneakers like the professionals. Start or grow a sneaker restoration business using Nu Methods, Nu Solutions and Nu Tools. Their trainings are created for all skill levels and include Signature NuShoe Element training kits. Open Enrollment is open now! Click HERE for NuLife Kicks Website.

Click HERE for the full article and video

The AAPI Heritage Month is normally celebrated in May; however, due to semester ending, graduation ceremony, and being a shorter academic month in May, CSN celebrates AAPI Heritage Month in April. Join us in opening the AAPI Heritage Month with a unique experience of learning a Chado Urasenke Japanese Tea Ceremony this Thursday, April 7th, at 12PM-1PM, via Microsoft TEAMS. See flyer.

Lauren Sochi Deutsch, a licensed instructor of the Urasenke School of Chado, the way of tea, will guide us inside a traditional tea room where a host will prepare a bowl of tea for a guest. While there is a precise choreography to this elevated experience of hospitality, it is profoundly simple and poetic.

 

March 23, 2022

This message was communicated to the Blackstone LaunchPad Network.

This year was by far the strongest field we have seen in the over 10 years of the LaunchPad’s network and that is in large part to your efforts to cultivate entrepreneurship on your campuses.

Unfortunately, some very tough decisions had to be made. However, we are thrilled to announce the five finalist teams that will be going on to pitch live on Startup Grind’s stage on April 12:

Bonsai, Shashank Kumar, UT Dallas

AI-powered agent that automates and assists customer support teams

 Mindsets & Milestones, Diondraya Taylor, UCLA

Digital curriculum and resources to develop entrepreneurial skills in young girls

 NuLife Kicks, Akeem and Marquee Anifowoshe, College of Southern Nevada

Helps maintain and restore sneakers with eco-friendly cleaning solutions and provides training on restoration techniques

 SPORA, Andrea Paz Lacavex, UC Santa Cruz

Uses Green Gravel technique to restore kelp forests

 StaffOnTap, Kayla Foley, Cornell

Technology platform that connects understaffed nursing homes with temporary nurses

Finalist decisions have been communicated to all teams that participated in the semifinal round.

28 Student Teams Selected as Annual Pitch Competition Semi-Finalists

This article is from: https://www.blackstonelaunchpad.org/blog/2022-pitch-competition-semi-finalists/

March 16, 2022

Five finalists will be chosen to pitch live in Silicon Valley for a chance to win a total of over $50,000 in prizes.

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From over 130 nominations, 28 student teams from 24 schools have been selected as semi-finalists in the 2022 Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competition. They will compete to be one of five finalists pitching for a chance to win a total of over $50,000 in prize money and in-kind prizes.

Nominated by Campus Directors from across the network, these students represent the top candidates based on four criteria: Innovation, Business Model and Viability, Team, and Pitch Quality.

Over the next several weeks, the semi-finalists teams will pitch live to Blackstone LaunchPad judges, who will select the finalists. After receiving ongoing mentoring support from Blackstone Ambassadors, the finalists will pitch live on April 12, on the main stage of the Startup Grind Global Conference in Silicon Valley. The competition will also include a virtual People’s Choice Award, with online voting starting soon, so stay tuned!

With nearly half of the students led by a woman founder and nearly three-quarters led by a student who identifies as BIPOC, the cohort of semifinalists is one of the most diverse groups to participate in a LaunchPad signature program. They demonstrate diversity of industry focus as well, with companies running the gamut from Zuk Fitness, which provides specialized workouts tailored to wheelchair users, to Culturally Kreative, a publishing company aiming to diversify the children’s book industry. More than five of the student founders previously participated in the Blackstone LaunchPad Fellowship, a program geared towards helping earlier stage founders.

Last year’s first place winner was Marla Beyer, founder of pediatric mental-healthcare platform Hopscotch. Read about the other 2021 winners here.

Meet the 2022 LaunchPad Pitch Competition Semifinalists:

T4 Movement	UT San Antonio
Algeon Materials	UC San Diego
AllergFree	UT Southwestern
Bonsai	UT Dallas
Clocr	UT Austin
CoStudy	New York University
Culturally Kreative	Spelman College
EthosSphere	Cornell University
EV Motorworks	University at Albany
FutrDoc	UT Rio Grande Valley
Highlights DR	UT Permian Basin
Illumenar	Syracuse University
KovaDx	UC Berkeley
Middlemen	UC San Diego
Mindset & Milestones	UC Los Angeles
Nailerz	CUNY City College
Nex Generation Quantum	CUNY Baruch
Nile Hair	University of Southern California
NuLife Kicks	College of Southern Nevada
OYA	UC Los Angeles
REVCORP PC	UT El Paso
Sentrify	University at Bufffalo
Spikepen	UC Irvine
SPORA	UC Santa Cruz
StaffOnTap	Cornell University
The Giddy Thrifter	University of Montana
The Next Step	CUNY Brooklyn College
Zuk Fitness	University of Southern California