May 21st 2024.
Debbie Dickinson, a driven and ambitious entrepreneur, couldn't hide her excitement and gratitude as she walked away with first place and a prize of $15,000 at the 2024 BLACK ENTERPRISE Disruptor Summit in Atlanta. Her company, Thermaband, located in South Florida, offers innovative solutions for managing menopause symptoms in women. With a personal monitoring and cooling band and a connected app, Thermaband has been making waves in the market. This year, the pitch competition was sponsored by Walmart, and out of the four finalists, three were awarded cash prizes of $15,000 for first place, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third. In addition, all finalists received valuable business coaching sessions from BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The pitch competition was a major highlight of the event, with 108 submissions from aspiring entrepreneurs. Torarie Durden, head of marketing for Walmart Business, shared that their company is constantly looking for ways to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in achieving their goals. He emphasized their mission to help others save time, money, and hassle. For Debbie Dickinson, the prize money will go towards further developing the Thermaband Zone app to provide personalized care for women. She expressed her gratitude towards the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women and her desire to seek strategic partners and investors to join her in revolutionizing women's health.
The finalists were given only 90 seconds to impress the judges and attendees with their verbal pitches. Many of them were seasoned or emerging entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. Their pitches had to cover a range of questions, including their product and what made their business disruptive. The winners were announced at the awards presentation during the event. Winning a pitch competition can be a game-changer for entrepreneurs as it not only provides capital but also helps turn their passion into a thriving business and attracts potential investors.
Arielle Brown, owner of Bea's Bayou Skincare, was awarded second place and $10,000. Her company, based in New Orleans, specializes in eczema-focused haircare and skincare products. With the prize money, she plans to get her products dermatologist-tested and microbiome-certified, which will help her generate more revenue, expand her offerings, and build brand awareness. As a Black American, she was excited to pitch her business to BLACK ENTERPRISE, knowing that issues like dandruff affect 90% of the community. Winning this competition meant a lot to her, and she is now focused on fundraising and attracting investors to support her business.
Tia Robinson, owner of Vertical Activewear, walked away with third place and a prize of $5,000. Her Atlanta-based company is a pioneer in smart and sustainable manufacturing, offering on-demand apparel production. With the prize money, she plans to automate their process, serve more clients, and make a greater environmental impact. In addition, she aims to launch a fundraising round in the third quarter of this year to continue developing the technology aspect of her business, with the goal of offering their services to other brands and companies by 2025. Tia has big dreams for her company, envisioning it to become a double-digit million dollar manufacturing company by next year.
The fourth finalist, Devin "Egypt" Robinson, inventor of My Organic Pod, was awarded $1,000 by Walmart. His solar-powered structure allows people to grow organic food, such as tomatoes, catfish, and eggs, in their homes. He plans to use the money to finish developing a bartering app, which will allow his business to build a community of organic pod owners. Like Tia Robinson, they are not related.
The BLACK ENTERPRISE Disruptor Summit was a platform for these entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative businesses and attract potential investors. It was a proud moment for Debbie Dickinson, Arielle Brown, Tia Robinson, and Devin "Egypt" Robinson, and their businesses. With the support and recognition from such a prestigious event, they are determined to continue disrupting and aiding in their respective fields.
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