Envolve USA 2020 Year in Review
Happy Holidays from the Envolve Family! We appreciate your continued following in our efforts to support and advocate for diverse entrepreneurs. We couldn’t do it without you!
We embraced the resilience and creativity of our entrepreneurs in such unique and unpredictable times. As many of them reinvented themselves and their businesses to make the most of this year, we did the same in true entrepreneurial spirit. With holiday cheer, we present to you a year in review!
Winner Highlights
We are proud of all our Envolve Award Winners and their achievements, particularly during a challenging year. Click on the images below (left to right) to read more about Re-Nuble’s $1.1 million seed round, Gaddis Gaming’s activism for the forgotten Black heroes of the 20th century, Film Connx’s feature in Business Insider and Spadét’s $10k award from Verizon’s Pay It Forward Initiative!
Year in Review
2020 was an extraordinary year. Many of us had to adapt to a new norm that presented many challenges in our homes, workplaces, and communities at large. Much like the entrepreneurs we support, we had to be adaptive, calculated, and innovative as an organization to continue the work that needs to be done. We learned a lot, we grew as a community, and we’re approaching 2021 with excitement, stronger than ever before. Here are some of the highlights from the year!
February: We kicked off 2020 with the All*Star Business Pitch Competition in partnership with Melvina Mastermards and StartUp Summit presented by Capital One Cafe and Next Gen HQ. In partnership with AnitaB.org, we hosted our inaugural Congressional Day of Action that exemplified our grassroots approach to advocacy in the entrepreneurship space.
March: Our team acted swiftly to get our entrepreneurs the sources and support they needed by hosting a call with senior staff from the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and offering an online resilience kit that included government resources, digital groups, and workshops/courses as well as online events/conferences from the ecosystem.
April: We hit our stride in adapting to the COVID-19 landscape and embracing the new norm to continue to support our network, entrepreneurs, and you! We participated in a number of webinars, panel discussions, and live series addressing the CARES Act, and the economic importance of small businesses, among other topics.
May: If we could sum up this month in one phrase, it would be, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going!" May was all about highlighting how our entrepreneurs reinvented themselves and revitalized their businesses as the small business ecosystem weathered the impact of COVID-19.
June: We reflected upon the tragic death of George Floyd and countless others who have been the victims of police brutality, social injustice, and racism. Organizations such as ours are here to do our part and it is our responsibility to be part of the solution. We offered an initial list of resources and like-minded organizations to help you start to #GetEnvolved.
July: In partnership with Generation Titans, we announced the launch of REUNION, a disruptive, innovative, non-equity crowdfunding platform for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous entrepreneurs. The pilot raised more than $20,000 and we're excited for what we have planned with REUNION in 2021, so stay tuned for more updates regarding its relaunch!
October: As we approached the 2020 U.S. Presidential Elections, October was a month of inundated information. We partnered with IssueVoter on a Small Business Voter Mini-Series to present key facts and information regarding the candidates' stances on issues ranging from tax reform, federal deregulation, to rebuilding the small business economy.
November: We joined our friends at Generation Titans, Black & Brown Founders, and Splash Coworking for an event called Decolonizing Capital in celebration of National Entrepreneurs Day as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. This was a powerful event with some exceptional entrepreneurs. If you couldn't make it, be sure to watch the recording!