Congratulations to Entrepreneur Aliyah Marandiz Wins $100,000 At ESSENCE Festival Of Culture’s New Voices + Chase Pitch Competition
According to Essence the contest included ten Black women entrepreneurs earning their share of $250,000 in funding for their businesses. The funding was supported by New Voices Foundation and JPMorgan Chase.
on Saturday, July 2, 2022, Essence held the in-person pitch. The event took place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Awards included one (1) grand prize of $100,000; (2) $50,000; and (2) $25,000 cash grants, combined with personalized business skills development, coaching, and mentoring for six months post-competition.
The purpose of the grant supports women of color-led businesses to navigate the current climate and find solutions to the challenges they face. The New Voices + Chase Pitch Competition empowers entrepreneurs to create, launch, and grow their businesses.
As a result, Aliyah Marandiz won $100,000 to be exact—came courtesy of the brilliant mind of visionary. Her company, Sugardoh, is a Texas-based company on a mission to make compostable sugaring paste your favorite at-home hair removal method.
She shared the news to her Instagram.
⭐️ MAJOR VICTORY ALERT ⭐️ Sugardoh is a FINALIST in a major pitch competition at the Essence Festival in New Orleans to win on of 5 prizes of $250,000K pot! Tonight, I’ll be doing a live pitch in front of judges and an audience at the festival to win a cash prize.
Whether we win or not, this will be an amazing experience and the momentum we need to enter the next phase in Sugardoh’s future!
Thank you all for the never ending support and love, I appreciate you all!
Xoxo, Aliyah 💛
Founder and CEO of Sugardoh
Another winner, Jordan Karim took home $50,000. Karim Founded Flora and Noor. which is an inclusive skincare brand with halal, vegan, and cruelty-free products and Pauline Igdohgo, Founder of Mocktail Club, a line of premium crafted sophisticated and healthy non-alcoholic cocktails.
Additionally, Shunta Grant, took home the $25,000 award. She Founded The Best Today. Her rand equips women with resources to be proactive and intentional with their time.
Jasmine Marie also took home $25,000. She founded, Black Girls Breathing, a safe space for Black women to manage their mental health through breathwork and community.
In addition to capital to fund their businesses, the winners will be guaranteed placement in the Fall 2022 Madam CJ Walker PACE (Purpose. Access. Capital. Expertise.) Bootcamp powered by Babson College, helping to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of these enterprises.
The $100 million New Voices Fund is a next-generation fund making private equity investments in businesses owned or managed by women of color. To keep up with all the life-changing work the New Voices team is doing to support, empower and elevate Black women entrepreneurs, click HERE.
