GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Three entrepreneurs of color who previously won a contest hosted by Grand Rapids-based Start Garden are now among 250 semi-finalists for a business startup contest founded by Grammy-winning record producer and artist Pharrell Williams.
The three semifinalists — Michael Hyacinthe, Andrea Wallace and Darren Riley — will have an opportunity to participate in a mentorship cohort, with grand prize winners announced in November.
The competition, known as Black Ambition, provides an opportunity to compete for $1 million and learn and network with business leaders.
The competition is designed to provide opportunities for “underrepresented entrepreneurs,” with the goal of bridging “the racial opportunity and wealth gap by fostering environments where innovation can flourish.”
The companies founded by the three semifinalists are:
Wimage Tech: Hyacinthe is the founder of Wimage Tech, an interactive application for children to interact with Wimmee, the fictional character in the popular PBS children’s show, Wimme’s World. Previously, in 2020, Hyacinthe won Start Garden’s 5×5 Night, and the following year he won the Start Garden 100 event.
OPNR: Wallace is the founder of OPNR, which is described as an “online platform that is built and engineered to service the independent music community.” The platform serves as a “bridge between promoters and local acts hoping to get an opportunity to support national artists,” according to its website. Wallace won Start Garden’s The 100 event in 2022.
Just Air: Riley is the founder of Just Air, an online tool that “provides vital health and environmental insights through hyper-local community air quality monitoring networks.” Riley competed in Start Garden’s The 100 competition and served as the organization’s first “entrepreneur in residence” last year. He also in June won the Google for Startups Founders Funds of $150,000.
The Black Ambition competition the three are competing in was founded by Williams, who’s described in a news release as a “recording artist, producer, songwriter, philanthropist, fashion designer” and entrepreneur.
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