Illinois Science and Technology Coalition’s Post

Mark your calendars! 🗓️ Exciting opportunities await as Nobellum's 2024 cohort applications open on March 30th. Join our waitlist to get updates first! The Nobellum Innovator Program will increase the presence of Black Innovators in STEM, providing training on business foundations, technology tools and access to skilled industry professionals. Your journey to innovation begins here. #Nobellum2024 🚀✨ Join our waitlist by clicking the link in the comments.   #nobellum2024 #nobellum #blackexcellence #blackentrepreneurship #blackinnovator #torontostartup #startupaccelerator #BISSummit #startupculture #torontoaccelerator  #nobelluminnovator

Founders “speed dating” is a great way to organically connect with like-minded individuals, says Kelvin Kuok, founder at Young Leaders Collective. He recently attended a potluck-style event for founders and shares how he got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries. “It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.” What is the most effective networking strategy you have ever used? Share your experience in the comments below or write a post from your profile using this link. https://lnkd.in/exK5UUTC hashtag #IOTD hashtag #entrepreneurs hashtag #networking Kelvin Kuok Kelvin Kuok • 1st • 1st I help youths discover their potential and thrive as highly effective leaders | Founder and Managing Director at Young Leaders Collective I help youths discover their potential and thrive as highly effective leaders | Founder and Managing Director at Young Leaders Collective 3d • 3d • 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 "𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠"? This concept was new to me until yesterday, and I must say it was a fantastic experience at 100club’s founders networking event. Each participant brought a dish for a potluck! 🍱 What stood out to me was how this format allowed everyone to mix around and eventually gravitate towards those with more synergy. It's a brilliant way to organically connect with like-minded individuals who share similar visions.💡 Throughout the event, I got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries—everyone is impacting the world in their own way. It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.💪🏼 I had the chance to share about my work in Young Leaders Collective and was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response. The highlight for me was meeting another founder in the education industry and we are in the midst of joining forces to amplify our impact on youth empowerment! Thank you everyone for this wonderful gathering! On another note, I am seeking collaborations with nonprofits to bring youth mentoring to underserved communities. If you or someone you know aligns with this vision, feel free to drop me a DM! We are changing the world, one youth at a time.

Founders “speed dating” is a great way to organically connect with like-minded individuals, says Kelvin Kuok, founder at Young Leaders Collective. He recently attended a potluck-style event for founders and shares how he got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries. “It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.” What is the most effective networking strategy you have ever used? Share your experience in the comments below or write a post from your profile using this link. https://lnkd.in/exK5UUTC hashtag #IOTD hashtag #entrepreneurs hashtag #networking Kelvin Kuok Kelvin Kuok • 1st • 1st I help youths discover their potential and thrive as highly effective leaders | Founder and Managing Director at Young Leaders Collective I help youths discover their potential and thrive as highly effective leaders | Founder and Managing Director at Young Leaders Collective 3d • 3d • 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 "𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠"? This concept was new to me until yesterday, and I must say it was a fantastic experience at 100club’s founders networking event. Each participant brought a dish for a potluck! 🍱 What stood out to me was how this format allowed everyone to mix around and eventually gravitate towards those with more synergy. It's a brilliant way to organically connect with like-minded individuals who share similar visions.💡 Throughout the event, I got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries—everyone is impacting the world in their own way. It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.💪🏼 I had the chance to share about my work in Young Leaders Collective and was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response. The highlight for me was meeting another founder in the education industry and we are in the midst of joining forces to amplify our impact on youth empowerment! Thank you everyone for this wonderful gathering! On another note, I am seeking collaborations with nonprofits to bring youth mentoring to underserved communities. If you or someone you know aligns with this vision, feel free to drop me a DM! We are changing the world, one youth at a time.

Founders “speed dating” is a great way to organically connect with like-minded individuals, says Kelvin Kuok, founder at Young Leaders Collective. He recently attended a potluck-style event for founders and shares how he got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries. “It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.” What is the most effective networking strategy you have ever used? Share your experience in the comments below or write a post from your profile using this link. https://lnkd.in/exK5UUTC hashtag #IOTD hashtag #entrepreneurs hashtag #networking Kelvin Kuok Kelvin Kuok • 1st • 1st I help youths discover their potential and thrive as highly effective leaders | Founder and Managing Director at Young Leaders Collective I help youths discover their potential and thrive as highly effective leaders | Founder and Managing Director at Young Leaders Collective 3d • 3d • 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 "𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠"? This concept was new to me until yesterday, and I must say it was a fantastic experience at 100club’s founders networking event. Each participant brought a dish for a potluck! 🍱 What stood out to me was how this format allowed everyone to mix around and eventually gravitate towards those with more synergy. It's a brilliant way to organically connect with like-minded individuals who share similar visions.💡 Throughout the event, I got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries—everyone is impacting the world in their own way. It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.💪🏼 I had the chance to share about my work in Young Leaders Collective and was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response. The highlight for me was meeting another founder in the education industry and we are in the midst of joining forces to amplify our impact on youth empowerment! Thank you everyone for this wonderful gathering! On another note, I am seeking collaborations with nonprofits to bring youth mentoring to underserved communities. If you or someone you know aligns with this vision, feel free to drop me a DM! We are changing the world, one youth at a time.

It's been an incredible journey since our inception four years ago, as our team has tirelessly designed and executed impactful programs within our community. Today, we're introducing the newly reimagined Social Change Fund United (SCFU)! While our commitment to underserved communities of color remains unwavering, we're shifting gears to prioritize economic sustainability as a cornerstone of our mission. 🔍 Vision: Collectively empower and drive impact by championing equity in entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation for Black and Brown communities. 🎯 Mission: Collectively empower and drive impact by championing equity in entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation for Black and Brown communities. Our renewed focus brings forth four key initiatives: 1️⃣ SCFU Legacy: Providing funding and resources to Black and Brown-owned small businesses to fuel their growth. 2️⃣ SCFU We Got Next: Equipping Black and Brown youth with entrepreneurial skills to become the next generation of business leaders. 3️⃣ SCFU Rebound: Offering opportunities and support for justice-involved individuals to reenter the workforce. 4️⃣ SCFU Champion: Increasing voter turnout and engagement, particularly during crucial election cycles. #ItTakesAVillage

56 It is not just the number points that #AtlantaHawks point guard, Trae Young 🥶🏀 scored vs. the Trailblazers in January 2022 (his career high), it is also the number of #cleantech #startups that we currently have in #Georgia! Check out the “living” list on our website (link👇). The reason we say “living”, is that this is just a starting point. Perhaps we missed a startup or two in this first publication (let us know if you we did, we have a form on the website), and most certainly this list will grow thanks to programs like Georgia Tech CREATE-X, ATDC Sustainability Catalyst, Fusen World and the #CoxCleantechAccelerator. We endeavor to actively curate this list as a way to raise awareness of the hustling teams of innovators in our community so that they get our full support. Stay tuned 📺. Startups alone do not make a robust innovation ecosystem. Much like Startup Atlanta, we will bring awareness to the wealth of resources available statewide for cleantech #innovators through a number of lists, databases, and tools in the months to come. Lastly, thanks to the long list of contributors to this list and its publication.

Founders “speed dating” is a great way to organically connect with like-minded individuals, says Kelvin Kuok, founder at Young Leaders Collective. He recently attended a potluck-style event for founders and shares how he got to hear so many inspiring stories from people in different industries. “It was a powerful reminder of the collective strength within our varied pursuits.” What is the most effective networking strategy you have ever used? Share your experience in the comments below or write a post from your profile using this link. https://lnkd.in/exK5UUTC  #IOTD #entrepreneurs #networking

speed: dating: founders:

The SXSW Conference (March 8-15 in Austin) includes hundreds of forward-thinking panels and presentations, plus scores of unforgettable Featured Speakers and Keynotes. Read these LinkedIn posts to better understand the breadth and depth of content options at this year's event. In honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday, this week we highlight the many DEI-related sessions at SXSW 2024. Today's edition of this series focuses on five sessions from the Tech Industry and Startup tracks that tackle tough DEI questions. 1) Building America’s Premiere Black Tech Ecosystem: Attend this session to learn about Detroit’s abundance of Black tech talent, from EVs to chips to those solving global, critical challenges with tech, from clean air to special education to voter turnout. https://lnkd.in/g-Y_mvrS 2) DEI in Tech: Restoring Commitments During Challenging Times: This panel of leaders from various backgrounds and expertises will discuss the business advantage of DEI and the dire need to protect these programs, as well as the risk of falling behind. They will also discuss proven strategies to design effective programs that move the needle and thrive through challenging times. https://lnkd.in/gFgRM869 3) How Female Entrepreneurs Can Dominate Tomorrow’s Startups: Women haven’t had the opportunity to learn from generations of female founders. Instead, they’re writing a new script for how to lead in the boardroom and run companies. Today’s female founders are more relatable and authentic -- bolstering a new era of unconventional leadership. This panel explores the opportunistic dynamics of when women rule businesses. https://lnkd.in/girug5j9 4) Money Talks: How Arian Simone’s Fearless Fund Amplifies Women: In this solo presentation, Arian Simone will cover the ins and outs of the startup world and explain how her Fearless Fund supports the efforts of women as well as other traditionally under-represented entrepreneurs. https://lnkd.in/gkgBPncg 5) On The Margins: Building The Future Of Digital Products: This session features leaders from organizations addressing product equity at scale, each with their own perspective on the ways forward. https://lnkd.in/gypFzq2B See the Tech Industry track lineup at this link https://lnkd.in/gmr7TNqD See the Startups track lineup at this link https://lnkd.in/gS4UExzc #sxsw, #sxsw2024, #startup, #startupjourney, #entrepreneurship, #founder, #founders, #DEI, #DEIB, #diversity, #diversityandinclusion, #inclusion, #inclusivetech, Quentin Messer, Jr. CEcD, MICHIGAN STRATEGIC FUND, Alexa Turnage, Black Tech Saturdays, Johnnie Turnage, Iesha (O'Deneal) Berry, Paria Rajai, Erin L. Thomas, PhD, Emil Yeargin, Fearless Fund, Arian Simone, Ayeshah Abuelhiga, Dionne Laslo-Baker, PhD, Shontay Lundy, Timothy Bardlavens, Benjamin Earl Evans, Shreya Singh Hernández, #mlk

This morning's Mukilteo Foundation Breakfast offered more than just coffee and conversation—it presented a defining moment in our journey towards equity. In this photograph stands me, the first Director of Equity, alongside Mary Williams, the current Director. As I walked into the room, there was an unmistakable shift in energy; a noticeable chitter and chatter echoed through the space, seemingly in response to my arrival. It was hard to tell whether my presence served as an unexpected surprise or if it elicited a sense of discomfort among some of the attendees. However, as I sashayed my way through the crowd and sat next to Mary, I wondered if the discomfort I sensed around me was likely rooted in the unaddressed biases and prejudices that linger like unwelcome shadows in even the most progressive circles. There's a palpable weight to the air, heavy with the internalized superiority and white fragility that some, knowingly or unknowingly, carry with them. It's in the inadvertent glances—those that look right through me, a testament to a recognition yet to be extended as if my years of service and dedication had rendered me invisible to them. I can't help but ponder whether there's an underlying fear gripping some when they see two women of color occupying spaces and actively supporting one another in a united front for equity. Is the break from tradition or the unearthing of deep-seated biases that cause such a stir? The sight of us together, bound by shared purpose and vision, challenges the foundations upon which certain leadership expectations have been built. Our alliance disrupts the narrative, compounding the threat to the existing order, and poses the question—what about our camaraderie incites this discomfort? Is it the strength of our bond, the power of our united voice, or perhaps the undeniable evidence that change is not only coming, it's already here? Nonetheless, it was clear that my commitment to keep showing up at these events is not about those in the room but rather for the students of the Mukilteo School District. This work is bigger than any one person. Equity is everyone's responsibility. The road we travel is long, and the work is never truly done. Still, together, we can build a foundation robust enough to uplift the coming generations into a world where equity extends beyond the aspirational and is embedded within the very fabric of every institution, from the individual level to systemic policies. #equityineducation #EquityInAction #supportingeachother