NEW ORLEANS (January 12, 2016) — PowerMoves.NOLA, an initiative to increase the number of venture-backed, high-growth and high-tech companies led by entrepreneurs of color, announced its 2016 Fellows today. The Fellowship is made possible with the support of Chevron, PowerMoves.NOLA’s Founding Sponsor. The program provides supports for early-stage startups, including access to a advisors, mentors, experts, and investors. The Fellows also receive investment capital and free office space during their fellowship year at the PowerMoves.NOLA headquarters in New Orleans.
“The Fellowship is a key component of PowerMovesNOLA’s work to build a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem that is representative of our diversity,” said Earl Robinson, the CEO of PowerMoves.NOLA. “I would like to congratulate all the entrepreneurs who were selected for this highly-competitive program.”
To reinforce New Orleans’ position as a national center for inclusive entrepreneurship, eligible applicants commit to having a C-level executive and 25% or more of their full time employees live in the city for at least a year.
“The caliber of entrepreneurs in this fellowship class is truly impressive, and we look forward to working with them this year to grow their businesses,” said Leslie Jacobs, the president of the New Orleans Startup Fund and founder of PowerMoves.NOLA. “These entrepreneurs are indicative of the quality of talent that is out there, and the fellowship is about giving them resources and access to even the playing field and help them succeed.”
Chevron’s support of PowerMoves.NOLA as Founding Sponsor and sponsor of the Fellowship program is part of the energy company’s efforts to support community partners making investments in programs that promote self-sufficiency, job growth and economic development. Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico business unit is based in Covington, LA.
“Chevron believes that economic opportunity should be extended to as many people as possible, and that companies should be reflective of the diverse communities they serve,” said Chevron Gulf of Mexico Vice President Mike Illanne. “We’re pleased to support the 2016 class of Fellows - and PowerMoves.NOLA as it provides these entrepreneurs with access to capital, thought leaders and mentors. Through this initiative and others, Chevron hopes to help to build a more diverse entrepreneur community in the Crescent City.”
PowerMoves.NOLA began in 2014 to position New Orleans as a hub for entrepreneurs of color. Since then, it has rapidly grown to become a national initiative, assisting 100 companies from across the country secure more than $27 million in capital commitments. In addition to the Fellowship sponsored by Chevron, PowerMoves’ activities include a National Conference, PowerUp Boot Camp, pitch and showcase events, investment capital, mentorship, and ecosystem enrichment. Participation in PowerMoves.NOLA helps entrepreneurs refine their business models and market strategies, as well as connect them with advisers and capital to launch and scale their businesses.
The 2016 Fellows are:
InstaFunds
InstaFunds is a mobile-based platform that focuses on creating financial organization, discipline, and resources. Instafunds gives users a place to track bills and transactions, create budgets, and much more. Since launching in 2013, InstaFunds has been ranked several times as a top finance app in the Apple AppStore and has been named one of the top money organizing apps available for download by numerous reputable resources. InstaFunds’ founder Sheena Allen moved to New Orleans to become a PowerMoves.NOLA fellow.
More at InstaFunds.co.
Prosquire
ProSquire is a software platform developed by Michelle Craig and Jade Brown Russell, New Orleans attorneys and co-founders of the law firm, Transcendent Legal. ProSquire provides the technology necessary to manage large firm case load. It provides legal project management on a web-based system. Prosquire co-founder, Michelle Craig, will be the PowerMoves.NOLA fellow.
More at http://my.transcendentlegal.com/.
Quarrio
Quarrio is a software company with business intelligence solutions for enterprise customers. Quarrio will launch its first product using proprietary software that creates a user-friendly interface for Salesforce. With this, Salesforce users can now query, perform analytics, and generate reports on their sales data using natural language (plain English). Quarrio’s founder is KG Charles Harris, a former investment banker and seasoned entrepreneur who pitched in PowerMoves.NOLA’s 2015 conference and relocated to New Orleans to become a PowerMoves.NOLA fellow.
More at http://quarrio.com/.
Smart Coos
Smart Coos is a web-based platform where parents get live language sessions for their littlest learner. Smart Coos provides children, newborns to age 16, the opportunity to learn a language with a combination of live-language sessions and its unique use of technology to reinforce the learning language. Educators use Smart Coos to teach students English as a Second Language or a foreign language. Parents using Smart Coos are able to prepare their children for a 21st century classroom where the need to communicate in a foreign language only grows. Smart Coos’ founder, Mirta Desir, participated in 4.0 Schools accelerator program and was selected as a Camelback Ventures Fellow before becoming a PowerMoves.NOLA fellow.
More at http://smartcoos.com.
Wedocracy
Wedocracy is an all-purpose website and application for managing weddings, including invitations, travel, gift registries, and everything in between. The founders are Uchechi Kalu Jacobson & Peter Jacobson, a husband-wife team from the Bay Area in Calif. who moved to New Orleans. Wedocracy participated in PowerMoves.NOLA’s PowerUP boot camp in July 2015 prior to becoming a PowerMoves.NOLA fellow.
More at http://www.wedocracy.com/.
Past Fellows include, GoToInterview, Munivestor, Million Dollar Scholar, and MySelfie Live. Learn more about the 2016 fellows at http://www.powermovesnola.org/powermovesnola-fellows/.