Rutgers BLT initiative offers grant and funding access to minority startups

NJBIZ STAFF//February 7, 2019//

Rutgers BLT initiative offers grant and funding access to minority startups

NJBIZ STAFF//February 7, 2019//

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The second annual Black and Latino Tech initiative, a pre-accelerator program sponsored by The Rutgers University Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, is accepting applications for its 2019 cohort.

BLT’s mission is to provide black and Latino startup owners and founders with educational training, mentorship, networking and funding access from public and private sources.

CUEED/Rutgers does not take an equity position in the startups that participate in the program. Applicants must be in ideation stage, have not been accepted into a formal accelerator, have revenues less than $100,000, and have five or fewer employees.

“BLT is the first university-based program in the Tri-State area that’s focused on getting capital to tech-enabled startups which are led by entrepreneurs of color,” Lyneir Richardson, executive director of CUEED, said in a statement. “Participants will not only receive guidance on marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship from professors at our number one rated Rutgers Business School, they’ll also have an opportunity to pitch their business plans to an angel investor network. In addition, two entrepreneurs will be awarded $10,000 prizes by Rutgers.”

The 2019 BLT program begins on March 25 and ends in May. Sessions are from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and take place at the Rutgers University Business School in Newark.

The online application deadline for BLT is Feb. 28. More information about BLT and applying, is available on the BLT website.