100 Urban Entrepreneurs Awards Three 60 Second Pitch Winners with $30,000 and Mentorship Program During The White House Atlanta Urban Entrepreneurship Forum.

Forum hosted by Mayor Kasim Reed, The White House Business Council and The White House Office of Public Engagement


ATLANTA – 100 Urban Entrepreneurs awarded three winners of their 60 second live pitch competition with $10,000 each in startup financing and eight weeks of business mentoring during The White House Atlanta Urban Entrepreneurship Forum.

One of the three winners were funded by a donation from Operation HOPE.

Ten Atlanta-based entrepreneurs had the opportunity to participate in a 60-Second Business Pitch for their chance to receive the funds. Originally intending on selecting one winner, the panel were torn between the three great pitches for three amazing business’ and decided to award all three.

The three winners were Atlanta- based residents Lawrence Watkins (Ujamaa Deals), Kwanza Fisher of (Neighborhood Mathmatica) and Brittany Earls (Genesis Magazine.)

The pitch competition was part of the full day forum aimed at supporting job growth and fostering economic success for local entrepreneurs. “We are dedicated to creating companies and jobs for urban America. Our vision has always been to provide aspiring entrepreneurs the necessary tools to become strong forces in their chosen industry” said Magnus Greaves, Co-Founder of 100 Urban Entrepreneurs. 100UE finances, teaches and mentors minority entrepreneurs who would otherwise not have access to start-up capital, first-class knowledge or a professional network.


Tyler Perry, founder of Tyler Perry Studios, and Ofelia de la Valette, founder and owner of Dance 101, served as the keynote speakers during the event presented by Mayor Kasim Reed, The White Office Business Council and The White House Office of Public Engagement.

In addition to the keynote speeches, the forum included two panels and five roundtable sessions on topics such as Better Together: Public, Private, and Not-for-Profit Partnerships for Entrepreneurs and Startups; Access To Capital: Investing in Urban Entrepreneurs; Cracking the Glass Ceiling: Women Entrepreneurs; and Entrepreneurs in Entertainment.

“President Obama’s top priorities are creating jobs and providing economic opportunities for all Americans to ensure that we win the future,” said Michael Blake, Deputy Associate Director of The White House Office of Public Engagement. “One critical way to achieve that goal is by partnering with visionary leaders such as Mayor Reed to provide local business leaders, especially urban entrepreneurs, with the tools they need for economic success and job growth.”


President Obama has laid out a vision to win the future by out-innovating, out-educating and out-building the rest of the world – a plan critical for America’s cities. Earlier this year, President Obama formed the White House Business Council, which strives to execute his plan to promote growth through investments in American business to equip workers with the skills they need to succeed, encourage the private sector to hire and invest in American competitiveness, and attract top jobs and businesses in the United States.

The first Urban Entrepreneurship Forum was held at Rutgers Business School in Newark on June 4, 2011 with Mayor Cory Booker as the host. The second forum was hosted by Mayor Mitch Landrieu in New Orleans on July 20, 2011. The Atlanta event marks the third Urban Entrepreneurship Forum hosted by the White House and local leaders. Additional forums are planned for New York City (Aug. 1); Orlando (Aug. 3); Philadelphia (Aug. 8); and Oakland (Aug. 12).

John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, the founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc., author of Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business book LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass), and a Member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability.

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