The Los Angeles Post

Meet the 10 Ventures in SEED SPOT’s 2019 Washington, DC, Impact Accelerator

by ·

SEED SPOT’s second DC accelerator cohort.

On April 9, eight weeks of work on strategy, product-market fit, product development, and more culminated in a Demo Day for the cohort of entrepreneurs in the Impact Accelerator run by SEED SPOT, a globally ranked social impact incubator and Booz Allen partner.

Ten entrepreneurial teams pitched their businesses at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. The reward: up to $20,000 in grants and other prizes.

The winner for Most Promising Social Innovation was HAVEN, founded by Ben Pugh. Haven empowers individuals by making healthcare as easy as Instagram. The Haven app helps users find quality healthcare professionals and services that are compatible with their insurance plan in less than 30 seconds.

“Our fellow entrepreneurs demonstrated incredible transformation over the past 8 weeks and Demo Day let us showcase that journey,” said Benjamin Pugh, founder of HAVEN. “It is an honor to share the stage with such a courageous crew.”

The winner for the Grow the Good prize was herDomain, co-founded by Quratul-Ann Malik and Meher Rehman. herDomain invests in untapped female technical talent in the developing world through cutting-edge tech training, remote work opportunities with US-based companies, and a peer community.

“Congrats to the incredible creators and passionate mentors at Impact Accelerator Demo Day,” said Wayne Chen, chief technologist at Booz Allen. “Booz Allen is proud to sponsor SEED SPOT and their passion for social entrepreneurs.”

Cultivating the seeds of innovation

Since 2012, SEED SPOT has connected entrepreneurial ventures with experienced mentors, content experts, and fellow impact-driven entrepreneurs to launch a strong go-to-market strategy, assemble a winning team, and nurture relationships with potential investors.  Impact Accelerator participants undergo a rigorous application process and are selected based on three main criteria: the scalability of their venture idea, their ability to make impact, and their demonstrated grit as an entrepreneur.

During the eight-week incubator, experts from Booz Allen provide feedback on participants’ business models, customer acquisition strategies, and delivery toward launching and scaling their businesses. Through creating space for innovation, new opportunities, and market growth, these entrepreneurial efforts support Booz Allen’s innovation agenda.

Businesses designed to make an impact

Spring 2019 SEED SPOT Impact Accelerator Demo Day pitches also included:

  • Amazi Foods
    • Founded by Renee Dunn, Amazi Foods is a mindful food company on a mission to help you snack on purpose. Vegan, paleo, and ethically sourced, every bite of these made-in-Uganda snacks promotes job creation and farming communities.
    • Follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
  • Elder Nourish, LLC
    • Founded by Kimberly Lipinski with support from Chief Technology Officer Jim Lipinski, Elder Nourish provides elderly adults with visiting chefs who prepare customized menus that meet their individual nutritional requirements.
    • Follow them on Instagram and Facebook. nd makes food more accessible by connecting users to food trucks in their area and enabling small and growing food businesses to contribute to more connected communities. Whether you’re at work, home, or just out and about in the city, find the food trucks closest to you!
      Follow them on: Instagram and Facebook
  • Goodfynd
    • Co-founded by Kyle Miller and Lemaire Stewart, Goodfynd makes food more accessible by connecting users to food trucks in their area and enabling small and growing food businesses to contribute to more connected communities. Whether you’re at work, home, or just out and about in the city, find the food trucks closest to you!
    • Follow them on: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
  • My Active Senior
    • Founded by Shememe Williams, My Active Senior is an online senior-friendly tool that connects seniors and their family members with local service providers and products while helping service providers grow their businesses.
    • Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
  • PAKKE
    • Founded by Emmett Ferra, PAKKE is an events and experiences platform that boosts members of the creative economy by connecting them with audiences that are searching for more experiential moments in their lives.
    • Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
  • PositiveHire
    • Founded by Michele Heyward, PositiveHire’s mission is to provide women of color STEM professionals equal access to management roles and encourage their retention in STEM industries.
    • Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Medium.
  • Unwanted
    • Co-founded by Andrea Gilliam and Nick Dowling, Unwanted empowers every member of an organization, from entry level to C-suite, to be a change agent. It provides a confidential platform for safely and effectively addressing unwanted behavior and reducing harassment in the workplace.
  • WealthyU
    • Founded by Deborah Owens, WealthyU is on a mission to close the investment confidence and wealth gap for women of color through curriculum, coaching, and community that teaches wealth-building for women of all incomes.
    • Follow them on Twitter.