Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) served as one of the lead sponsors of the Black Men Talk Tech’s Pitch Competition, part of the 4th Annual Unicorn Ambition Conference. The conference was held in Miami in October.
Purvis Bell, a principal in the investment group for NextEra Energy (NEE), FPL’s parent company, served as one of the four judges for the pitch competition, which was the kick-off event for the two-day conference. Other judges included: Boris Moyston, Co-Founder, Black Men Talk Tech and Relentless Venture Partners; Victoria Kennedy, Founder and General Partner, Seed to Harvest, and Kenyon Williams
, Associate Managing Director, Accenture Strategy.Four companies were selected to participate in the pitch competition, which was also supported by Accenture, according to a press release. The companies were provided with the opportunity to gain exposure, get connected to investors and win prize money. First place winnings, which included a $5,000 check, went to Jonas Cleveland – Rav.ai
. The second place went to Timothy Keith – Propense AI; third place went to Laurel Djoukeng, Sparc; and fourth place went to Khalil Masi – Green Ora.“This was a tremendous event and we were delighted to be a part of this experience,” says Whitney Walker, who helps lead the Corporate Philanthropy and Community Engagement Initiatives at FPL.
“FPL has been and continues to be committed to helping empower minority-owned businesses and startups, and encouraging and empowering Blacks in tech.”
“This is at the forefront of our goals and mission with our Black Business Resource Hub.”
FPL’s Black Business Resource Hub on the Powering Florida website provides access to
programs and information aimed to support the development of Black-owned businesses. The site also covers how to become an FPL or NextEra Energy supplier; provides access to a Black business directory and Black business resources that help cultivate success for Black-owned businesses; information on minority-owned business certifications; and a list of workshops, training sessions, and programs for Black entrepreneurs and Black business owners offered via various organizations. To find out more about FPL’s Powering Florida Black Business Resource Hub, visit https://www.poweringflorida.com/how-we-help/black-business.html.Black Men Talk Tech is a collective that supports emerging and elite Black tech entrepreneurs. The Unicorn Ambition Conference is the only national conference that focuses on providing support for the Black male tech founder, and provides exposure and resources to Black entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to create innovative companies that can be scaled for massive growth, becoming the next “unicorn.” Since its inception, the conference has highlighted Miami and South Florida as an emerging tech hub, especially for the Black community. The experience brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and practitioners to share actionable, relevant, and timely insights to help grow your business.