As it pushes to support more Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs in innovation and technology, New Jersey-based digitalundivided launched a new fellowship program, according to a news release.
The social impact nonprofit is hosting the Do You Fellowship as a 12-month program to boost 12 Black and Latinx women founders with coaching support, $5,000 in funding and other professional development resources. The inaugural cohort will also receive access to digitalundivided’s newly formed Mentorship Council which is a growing network of CEOs, investors, industry leaders and other supports looking to help guide minority women founders.
“We launched the Do You Fellowship to better position these diverse founders to lead, raise capital, become profitable, and scale,” Lauren Maillian, CEO of digitalundivided, said in a release. “The Do You Fellowship received incredible support from corporate, foundation, and accelerator partners, all eager to invest in this first, powerhouse cohort of women. Together, we created an unmatched, support ecosystem to supercharge their business trajectories, and hopefully create a pathway for success and the next group of billion-dollar startups led by Black and Latinx women.”
The new fellowship is sponsored by various corporate entities including LinkedIn, Spotify, Ernst & Young and Pine-Sol. digitalundivided gained support from other organizations and venture capital firms including Techstars, Pivotal Ventures, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Rethink Impact.
Some of the mentors that will lead the inaugural cohort include Lolita Taub, general partner and co-founder of The Community Fund VC; Brandice Daniel, founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row; and Felita Harris, co-founder of ENFORM.
The launch of this new fellowship program comes after digitalundivided published its first biennial demographic study, ProjectDiane2020. The study provides insight into The State of Black & Latinx Women Founders in the U.S. and the startups that they lead. The nonprofit also hosts 30-week incubator programs in Atlanta and has also partnered with Techstars in the past.
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