Black Ambition fund’s $50K gives KC healthech startup the ‘jet fuel we need to propel into 2025’
November 22, 2024 | Tommy Felts
An initiative led by musician-turned-philanthropist Pharrell Williams to help close the opportunity and wealth gap for Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs has selected Kansas City-based AskSAMIE for its latest cohort of funding, training and mentorship.
Through the just-announced Black Ambition cohort, 30 founders are receiving awards between $25,000 and $1 million, totalling $2.7 million. AskSAMIE earned $50,000 for its adaptive healthcare accessibility platform.
The win is validating, said Dr. Brandy Archie, who founded AskSAMIE in 2022, rapidly gaining traction via programs like Digital Sandbox KC, Pure Pitch Rally, Pipeline and, later, the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge at the University of Kansas City-Missouri. (AskSAMIE was named one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2023.)
“Our team has been working really hard in order to make Ask SAMIE a known nationwide brand, serving customers all across the country,” said Archie. “To be able to have some recognition from this esteemed program along with additional resources to help boost our continued growth, it really feels like just the right kind of jet fuel we need to propel into 2025!”
Black Ambition has provided mentorship and support to more than 1,000 founders since launching in 2020 and awarded about $13 million in capital to 131 entrepreneurs. In four years, Black Ambition network founders have gone on to generate more than $265 million in revenue.
AskSAMIE was among 3,000 applicants to this year’s program, which was narrowed down to 250 semi-finalists selected for a summer accelerator program. That list was cut to 40 finalists and then 30 prize winners in the categories of AI, consumer products and services, healthcare, media and entertainment, and tech.
“Their goal was to find companies that have the potential to scale and make a large impact, but also have a good business model,” said Archie. “And I would venture to say that they wanted to see that we had the resources and education we needed in order to fulfill that goal.”
The 30 winning founder teams attended a session in New York City last week for additional training and learning experiences, including a panel with the founders of Calendly and Squire; a session with Jeff Hoffman, founder of Priceline.com/booking.com; and time with Williams.
Dr. Brandy Archie, AskSAMIE, bottom center, with members of the Black Ambition cohort and founder Pharrell Williams, top center; courtesy photo
In addition to monetary prizes, founders are set to receive the following support over the next six months:
- Town hall meetings with Williams and senior brand partners;
- Access to office hours with investors and leaders in marketing, operations, brand management and more;
- Exclusive invitations to retail partner meetings;
- Wellness and executive coaching; and
- Access to premier network cultivation and training events
Pharrell Williams, Black Ambition
“I’m so inspired by what the future holds for these talented innovators and business leaders, and the role that Black Ambition will play in getting them to new heights of success — new corporate partnerships, retail opportunities, network building and more,” said Williams. “Hearing the stories and seeing their products as they pitched on Demo Day reaffirmed that Black Ambition is needed to create more opportunity and wealth for Black and Brown communities.”
For AskSAMIE, the Black Ambition announcement comes amid a Q4 focused on fundraising, Archie said, noting grants from Federal PAVE: Pandemic Assistance & Vaccine Equity Grant project, funded by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), and investment from JumpStart Health Investors, Foundry and Missouri Technology Corporation.
“Now that we have some solid funding we’re primed and ready to grow exponentially in 2025,” Archie continued. “The investment and funding community also sees that potential, which is why we’ve been able to acquire this level of funding.”
RELATED: Accessibility platform AskSAMIE expands to 500+ partners thanks to national homecare deals
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