MIAMI, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of
America, in partnership with StartUP FIU, an entrepreneurship and
innovation of Florida International
University, and The Underline, announced today the 10
winners of the inaugural Miami Small Business Bootcamp during a
ceremony at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of
Miami-Dade County. The winners,
ranging from a mom-and-daughter duo specializing in Argentinian
treats to the creator of a tandem bike for riders with special
needs, each received an invitation to showcase their products and
services at the Small Business Holiday Village at The Underline for
two consecutive weekends, December
10-12 and December 17-19. Each
winner also received a $2,000 stipend
to supplement their small business' operations.
Prior to being selected, the winners participated in a small
business boot camp at StartUP FIU, alongside 30 other local
entrepreneurs. This two-week bootcamp aimed to strengthen the
entrepreneurs' skills in a variety of subjects, from team building
and leadership development to raising capital and navigating the
supply chain system.
At the end of each week, bootcamp participants were given the
opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of judges, including
representatives from Florida International
University, Bank of America, The Underline, Black Angels
Miami, and Whole Foods. The 10 winners were selected based on a
variety of criteria, including their unique value proposition,
economic feasibility, marketing and growth strategy,
entrepreneurial spirit, and overall presentation.
"We know empowering small businesses with the right tools will
make a direct impact on our local community and economy,'' said
Gene Schaefer, president, Bank of
America Miami. "The focus of this collaborative effort is to drive
positive impact where it is needed most, inspire Miami's entrepreneurial spirit and accelerate
sustainable growth."
The full list of Bank of America's inaugural Miami Small
Business Bootcamp winners includes:
- Courtney Kohout of Courtney's
Cookies: Organic, vegan, low-glycemic cookies
- Ivo D'Aguiar of Nidus Foods: Personalized meal delivery
service
- Jenifer Shwartz of Maven Baker: Traditional French pastries and
guilt-free, freeze-dried cheesecake
- Jeremie Etienne of InSeason LLC:
Wellness service provider
- Maurice Williams of Status Plus
Productions LLC: Streetwear clothing and accessories
- Natacha Metayer of JNCY
Jewelers: Customized rings and jewelry for the minority bridal
community
- Paula Chavez of Paula's Bake
Shop: Traditional Argentinian alfajores
- Randa Quraan of Socially Loud:
Integrated marketing/brand consulting service
- Rose Jean of T-Shirt Mayhem
Corp: Customized apparel printing
- Shelley Patterson of Bikes for
Every Body LLC: Manufacturer and distributor of The Buddy Bike®, an
alternative tandem bicycle for riders with special needs
"We are grateful for the support and partnership of Bank of
America and The Underline in our mission to help South Florida's small businesses thrive at
every stage of the entrepreneurial process, from concept and
creation to launch, promotion and beyond," said Emily Gresham, assistant vice president of
Research & Economic Development at FIU and co-founder of
StartUP FIU. "Congratulations to the winners of the Miami Small
Business Bootcamp. We look forward to seeing their future growth
and success."
"We are so honored to partner with Bank of America and FIU to
bring small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunities to The
Underline," Meg Daly CEO/Founder of Friends of The Underline said.
"The open-air economy is proving to be one of the best ways to
provide equitable access and experiences to all -- including
Miami's emerging businesses."
The Underline Holiday Village will be open to the public on
December 10-12 and December 17-19 from 4 to 8
p.m. on Fridays, 12 to 8 p.m. on
Saturdays and 12 to 6 p.m. on
Sundays. The village will be set in the Brickell Backyard's
Promenade Station Grove, in front of the Brickell Metrorail Station
North Entrance, SW 1st Ave, and SW 9th Street. Visitors are
encouraged to take the Metrorail to Brickell Metrorail Station,
exit north and walk toward the holiday lights and vendor carts.
Those who wish to drive can use public parking lots at Brickell
City Centre and Publix Mary Brickell Village.
This initiative was created as part of Bank of America's
$1.25 billion, five-year commitment
to advance racial equality and economic opportunity. The effort
aims to open doors for local small businesses by further
accelerating Bank of America's commitment to address racial
equality and opportunity in Miami's communities.
Bank of America
At Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), we're guided by a common purpose
to help make financial lives better, through the power of every
connection. We're delivering on this through responsible growth
with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG)
leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and
reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and
credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for,
invest in and do business with. It's demonstrated in the inclusive
and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the
responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the
impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive.
An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with
nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and
environmental organizations, to bring together our collective
networks and expertise to achieve greater impact.
For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements
and other important information, visit the Bank of America
newsroom and register for news email alerts.
StartUP FIU
StartUP FIU is a university-wide innovation hub that fosters and
develops entrepreneurship and innovation to help students,
researchers, and community connect, contribute to, and thrive in
today's fast-changing world. Programming within its three
pillars, Research Commercialization, Student Entrepreneurship and
Economic Development, work with individuals to ideate, launch and
scale their businesses.
FIU
Florida International University is a Top 50 public
university that drives real talent and innovation in
Miami and globally. Very high
research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at
FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by
focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and
justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers. FIU
serves a diverse student body of more than 58,000 and 270,000
Panther alumni. U.S. News and World Report places dozens of FIU
programs among the best in the nation, including international
business at No. 2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the
top 20 public universities contributing to the public good.
The Underline
The Underline is a planned 10-mile urban trail, linear
neighborhood park and public art destination that will span from
the Miami River, north of Brickell Metrorail station, to Dadeland
South. The Underline project will feature dedicated bike and
pedestrian paths, amenities, art, programming, lighting, native
vegetation as well as safety features and improvements at road
crossings. The Underline will be built in three phases. The first
phase, Brickell Backyard from the Miami River to Coral Way, opened February 2021. For more information, visit
www.theunderline.org and/or follow on social media
@theunderlinemia.
Reporters may contact:
Matthew
Daily, Bank of
America
Phone: 1.404.607.2844
matthew.daily@bofa.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/miami-small-business-boot-camp-winners-to-be-showcased-at-upcoming-holiday-village-301425930.html
SOURCE Bank of America Corporation