Envolve USA 2019 Winners Announced

November 22, 2019

Envolve Entrepreneurship, in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2019, announces the winners of the third cycle of its entrepreneurship competition, the Envolve Award USA, which targets start-up and early-stage businesses. Winners stand to receive business funding, mentorship and a range of support services. Envolve is a 501(c)(3) organization that connects start-up and early-stage entrepreneurs with business development resources.

Envolve is a global entrepreneurship support organization that seeks to cultivate the next generation of business leaders through the provision of education, resources and regional awards. It strives for a global society in which entrepreneurs across all communities—especially the underserved—can start, prosper and grow. In particular, the organization is committed to cultivating the entrepreneurship ecosystem; by ensuring business support, services and access to capital are more readily available to diverse entrepreneurs. Since its formation, numerous individuals and organizations have stepped forward to assist Envolve in its aims.

The annual competition, formerly known as the American Entrepreneurship Award, initially focused on the Bronx and Miami-Dade. Envolve has now expanded its award participation regions to embrace New York City, Washington DC, Miami-Dade County, Charleston, Flint, Detroit, Atlanta, and Baltimore. Envolve targets communities that are traditionally overlooked by conventional vehicles of investment, are lacking in entrepreneurship education, and are falling behind in overall economic development. Since 2016, the team has engaged with more than 3,000 entrepreneurs and declared sixteen winners spanning ten business sectors. Past winners of the global award program such as US-based companies, Court Buddy, Ginjan Bros., Re-Nuble, Major Marketplace, and Sustainable Snacks, as well as Greek companies, Blueground, Rtsafe, and Anassa Organics, are just a few of the dynamic companies contributing to local economies. This year, Envolve is proud to introduce 14 new American companies into the global Envolve Award family.

“We’re proud to share this new group of exceptional founders and companies we strongly believe in. Here are 14 diverse startups across eight cities working hard to realize their entrepreneurial dream and we’re looking forward to helping them unlock even more potential. Not only is it exciting to provide startup and working capital, but one of our main goals is to increase access to opportunities in an inclusive manner. This group is no exception and we have much in store,” said Envolve’s CEO, Christopher R. Upperman on the newest cohort of winners.

Each cycle, a panel of judges selects winners from hundreds of entrants on the basis of business plans that exhibit innovation, sustainability, and financial prudence while accruing revenue and driving job creation predominantly in the company’s own locality. Entries are accepted from individuals or groups with no previous business experience or in the early start-up phase.

Winning companies from the recent competition are:

Atlanta, Georgia

Film Connx (www.filmconnx.org): A job marketplace for the film industry that connects studios, networks, and corporate brands to local vetted crew.

Totem Agency (www.my-totem.com): A visual content platform that combines digital development, management tools, and platform network integrations for a seamless content creation experience.

Observe (www.getobserve.com): A platform that gives students, professionals, and individuals a place to test-drive their future and share knowledge, helping people make more informed career decisions.

 

Detroit & Flint, Michigan

Gaddis Gaming (www.gaddisgaming.com): Specializes in manufacturing tabletop game-related products to promote social game playing experiences.

NuBoxZ (www.nuboxz.com): Facilitates peer-to-peer transactions in the online marketplace in a safe and convenient way through automated kiosks and lockers that process digital payments.

Trinhydral: A social venture company that provides mobile water purifier units that filter water and are compact, cost-efficient and durable.

 

Washington, DC

SportsMarkit (www.sportsmarkit.com): A platform for operating and supporting sports programs.

 

Baltimore, MD

MoJoe Brewing Co. (www.mojoebrewing.com): Their soon-to-be-launched Mojoe™ mobile brewer is a rechargeable travel mug-sized portable coffee maker that brews fresh coffee and tea on the go via car outlet, or wall socket.

 

Charleston, SC

C.E.E.P., LLC: Charleston’s Elite Event Planning LLC is a Southern event and catering company combining nostalgia with Southern fusion of cultured flavors.

 

Miami Dade County

GovLia (www.govlia.com): A business-to-government marketplace designed to increase transparency, accessibility and simplify how small and diverse businesses sell to state and local governments.

Zaytouna (www.zaytounafoods.com): A conscience-driven enterprise whose mission is to help women from Syria resettle in South Florida by creating permanent employment in the packaged food and catering preparation sectors.

ARVISL Future (www.savrfuture.com): A technology company that creates location-based augmented reality and virtual reality gamification experiences with integrated “Cost Per Traffic™” footfall marketing metrics.

 

New York City

Lit.Bar (www.thelitbar.com): The only indie bookstore in the Bronx, whose mission is to create a haven that inspires reading, and increases intellectual visibility in the Bronx

Mott Haven Bar & Grill (www.motthavenbar.com): A gastropub in the Bronx that is also a venue for artists and regularly hosts women empowerment and information sessions.

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