Blackstone LaunchPad Hosts 2025 Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition
Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad is hosting its 4th annual Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition as part of the University’s Black History Month celebration on Friday, February 7, 2025 from 12 to 2:30 pm in Bird Library’s Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (room 114). The event will include a panel discussion featuring Black entrepreneurs who will answer questions about their entrepreneurial experience and provide advice to attendees on how to grow their business. The discussion will be followed by a business competition that is open to all student teams across campus. The business competition will have an Ideas track for startups and one for mature ventures. Winners in both tacks are eligible for cash prizes.
This year’s Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition is being organized by LaunchPad student entrepreneurs Anthony J. Thomas G’24 (School of Information Studies) and Fatim Cisse G’25 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamic), this year’s Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Innovation Scholars. "We'd love to see a strong campus turnout to support businesses of color!” said Cisse. “This time, this space, is needed and your presence at this event is needed, too."
This year’s panelists/judges include:
- Neil Adams ’24 is founder of a successful social media management business called Brand Launch Media that he built while an undergraduate working in the LaunchPad.
- Justin Diaz ’24 continues to develop his venture, Eco Bamboo Living, which he founded while a LaunchPad student. After graduation, he also created a home improvement and construction company.
- Tyrin Fernandes ’20 is founder of a mushroom bacon company and biotech company and is a LaunchPad alum.
- ana gil specializes in video production, event planning consultation, corporate and personal branding headshots, high school senior portraits and event photography.
- Jacqueline Grant ’84, founder and CEO of The Management Academy, LLC and TrainTheTrades, LLC, brings a unique blend of project management, marketing and psychological insight skills to optimize her clients’ strategic planning for profitability.
- John Henry is cofounder and co-CEO of LOOP, an AI-powered insurance company. Henry is a serial entrepreneur and cofounder of the first incubator in Harlem and Harlem Capital, an early-stage, diversity-focused Venture Capital firm.
- Natalie Hewitt ’84 is an independent human resources solutions consultant specializing in assessing human resource strategy, processes and requirements to recommend the best approach to process reengineering, systems design and technology implementations.
- Brianna Howard G’21, a LaunchPad alum, is founder of Faithful Works, which offers virtual assistant and grant consulting services to nonprofits, small business owners and startup companies.
- Dr. Chantz Miles is an entrepreneur in residence and visiting assistant professor at St. John Fisher University.
- Damaris (Koi) Munyua G’22, a LaunchPad alum, launched her marketing agency, Koi and Company, specializing in copywriting, graphic design and website design.
- Phahsa Ras is co-Founder of UMi, the world’s first Conscious Attention Economy, at the forefront of pioneering the new Phygital World. The company is navigating this transition and creating economic opportunities for entrepreneurs of the future by focusing and advancing the concept of data sovereignty.
- Ana Catalina (Katy) Rodriguez Botello is a diversity and social impact professional who currently serves as the Global Social Impact Sr. Manager at Marsh McLennan.
- Suli is founder and CEO of BYSULI, a design fashion brand that authentically mirrors his journey of resilience, authenticity and unwavering self-expression.
- Ibou Thior, a Syracuse University parent, is a medical doctor with an MBA who works in health research and program implementation. He is currently working as senior technical adviser in the department of HIV/tuberculosis/viral hepatitis at PATH.
- David Walker ’93 is a Sr. Account Executive with Wellington Steele & Associates, specializing in recruiting and outsourcing in information technology verticals. Walker previously worked as a college and NFL coach.
About Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad
The Blackstone LaunchPad is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting the campus resource-rich ecosystem with a global network that provides support for aspiring entrepreneurs, inventors and creators. The program serves faculty, staff, students and recent alumni across all disciplines who are interested in entrepreneurship, venture creation and innovation careers. The program supports a key pillar of Syracuse University’s academic strategic plan to give students experiential opportunities that help prepare them to be trailblazers in an entrepreneurial world.