Albert Ng | Illinois

Clipp, Inc.

Clipp, Inc. specializes in providing automation and AI tools to food ingredient suppliers, aiming to streamline manual tasks that typically consume a significant portion of workers’ time, often up to 60-70%. With a mission to reduce food waste and make food more affordable, Clipp, Inc. offers solutions that not only optimize operational efficiency but also contribute to poverty reduction and foster innovation in gastronomy. The venture has already demonstrated impactful results, such as saving a pilot ice cream supplier $40,000 in labor costs and enabling investments in larger storage facilities to prevent spoilage. To date, the venture also works with four other restaurants and has raised $160,000 in capital.

Candice Jurick | Indiana

Roam EV

Roam EV is pioneering a solution to address the complexities of Electric Vehicle (EV) ownership, aiming to alleviate range anxiety and streamline the consumer experience. Through initiatives like the Roam EV car club, which offers member events, discounts, and infrastructure updates, the venture fosters a supportive community for newcomers and enthusiasts alike, easing their transition into the EV Revolution. To date, the venture has raised $5,000 to support its initiatives and has launched its website.

Chamieka Osuya | Wisconsin

The Snack Sack

The Snack Sack operates on a peer-to-peer mutual aid model, directing contributions to address immediate needs among families affected by systemic racial oppression, spanning food, housing, medical, and other insecurities while incorporating eco-friendly sourcing of supplies and zero-waste distribution practices. By lifting families out of poverty and helping them access basic needs, the venture supports sustainable communities. Their mission revolves around offering wraparound community-based services, delivering financial assistance, essential life supplies, and moments of joy through direct giving and mutual aid. In its first year, the venture raised and distributed $2.2 million to support numerous families. In 2023, they experienced a 34% increase in mutual aid distribution.

Dominque Edwards | Indiana

Walker Street Park Community Garden

The Walker Street Park Community Garden addresses food apartheid in Michigan City’s Eastport neighborhood by providing access to fresh, healthy produce to community members. The venture evaluates its impact by measuring food distribution and gathering resident feedback, ensuring continued success in meeting the neighborhood’s needs for fresh food. Since 2020, the garden has raised $50,000 in capital, distributed over 1,000 pounds of food per growing season, with a recent increase to 3,000 pounds in 2023, strengthening the community’s access to nutritious options.

Jordan Karim | Illinois

Flora & Noor

Flora & Noor is pioneering the skincare industry with its focus on underrepresented consumers, offering halal-certified products with sustainable, plant-based formulas tailored for melanin-rich skin and chronic skin conditions. Founded by a research chemist and pharmaceutical skincare consultant, the brand addresses the lack of clean, inclusive skincare options. Flora & Noor provides alcohol-free, cruelty-free products suitable for Muslims and others seeking halal options. To date, the venture has raised $100,000 in capital, been featured in Forbes, and launched its products in Ulta Beauty to continue offering products that cater to diverse skin types and concerns, while promoting clean, ethical practices.

Katie Haghighi | Minnesota

FR8

FR8 is at the forefront of addressing the global textile waste crisis by diverting clothing from landfills and promoting local circulation through its circular fashion platform. By offering clothing upcycling services, FR8 aims to disrupt consumer purchasing behavior, reduce overconsumption of synthetic fibers, and foster accessibility to sustainable fashion. To date, the venture has raised $5,000 in capital, circulated over 1,500 pounds of clothes locally, and currently works with 40 customers.

Reamonn Soto | Illinois

Sensatek Propulsion Technology, Inc

Sensatek enhances wind energy competitiveness with intelligent sensors improving turbine uptime and cutting CO2 emissions. The venture’s impact extends to societal benefits such as reducing respiratory diseases by replacing fossil fuel-based electricity, fostering academia-industry partnerships, promoting STEM education and workforce diversity, and enhancing public scientific literacy. To date, the venture has raised $165,000 in investments from mHUB Energy and Climate Tech Accelerator, private investors, and forging partnerships with industry leaders like Siemens Energy, NextEra Energy Resources, and Invenergy.

Shatoia Robinson | Wisconsin

Ready to Roll

Ready To Roll, a community-driven initiative in Milwaukee’s East Side, addresses chronic diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension by offering locally sourced vegan and vegetarian food options. By prioritizing job creation and economic vitality, they employ locals and partner with nearby businesses, contributing to the reduction of unemployment rates and strengthening ties within the community. They aim to decrease sick leave due to cardiovascular problems and lower the risk of Diabetes-related issues by promoting vegan and vegetarian diets. To date, the venture has raised $12,000 in capital.

Tayyaba Ali | Illinois
Christian Guerrero | Illinois

Tikal Industries

Tikal Industries aims to revolutionize industrial water management through their smart water management platform, INTI, designed to optimize water-energy nexus operations. By leveraging proprietary sensors like Lumen and SilverFish, they provide real-time data insights, asset management, and process efficiency monitoring for industrial stakeholders. By piloting solutions and assessing metrics such as water usage reduction, economic savings, compliance rate, and environmental impact, Tikal aims to empower industries to achieve profitable and sustainable water management practices, ensuring a resilient and resource-efficient future. To date, the venture has raised $175,000 to support its efforts.

Wasiu Adesope | Illinois

Green Energy Justice Cooperative (GEJC)

The Green Energy Justice Cooperative (GEJC) addresses energy poverty and lack of access to clean energy for low- and moderate-income households in the Greater Chicago area through a member-owned clean energy cooperative model. By allowing members to own a stake in clean energy infrastructure, GEJC enables them to reduce energy costs and build equity. To date, the venture has raised $420,000 in capital from funders including the US Department of Energy and the Community Power Accelerator, and won the 2023 Illinois Shines competition from the Illinois Power Agency to advance its mission of creating equitable access to clean energy.