How Accelerate works

The following ideas were pitched in each of the six Accelerate categories. A panel of judges drawn from community leaders selected one finalist in each category. Those six finalists pitched a second time to the full event audience which voted on the winner. For the Technovation competition, a panel of judges selected the winner. Learn more >

View the digital program book >

Accelerate 2023 winners

Grand Prize: $5,000 
Anycia Grady, Seeking Supervision Watch now>

Finalists: $2,000 each
Myesha Watkins, Another Homegirl Watch now>
Devin Cotton, UBE (Universal Basic Employment & Opportunity) Watch now>
Stephen M. Prewitt & Keenan Williams, SoundBender Institute Watch now>
Nancy Jones & Tracy Bellum, Clean & Beautiful Cleveland … Block2Block Watch now>
Donte D. Jones, Peer Support Student Services Watch now>

Technovation winner: $3,500 
Anycia Grady, Seeking Supervision

The 2023 presenters

Click on each of the tabs below to check out the pitches in each category.

  • Cleveland Experiences & Excursions

    Cleveland Experiences & Excursions is presented in partnership with Destination Cleveland.

    Judges
    • Isaiah Barnett, Leisure Marketing Manager, Destination Cleveland
    • Michael Bustamante, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategist
    • Su He, Executive Director, Greater Cleveland Chinese Chamber of Commerce
    • Jeremy Taylor, Executive Director, St. Clair Superior Development Corporation

    Explore and Capture is a unique tour experience that highlights hidden gems within the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood. While the tours will include some of the popular and most-visited locations, they will specialize in showing people beauty beyond the skyline, specifically revealing scenery that is often overlooked yet offers beautiful views to remember. Local businesses with unique property attributes will serve as photo landmarks and others will showcase signature foods or items in a creative way as part of the interactive exploration.

    IG: _liquidvfilm + lifescapesphoto |  ioby page: Creative Healing Foundation Phase One

    Our Why
    “We are veterans that know first hand how art can help battle mental health issues, and if we can help one, then mission accomplished.”


    The Crystal Gardens will be a 360-degree immersive experience that features ceramic pieces living in a crystal garden ecosystem. Each ecosystem features a QR code detailing the crystals’ properties, a candle scent, and a curated playlist. Attendees will be captivated through multiple senses – beautiful scenery, sensual scents, and calming sounds of the curated pieces. Each piece will be inspired by the African women of South Ndebele to honor their strength, resilience, and fearlessness.

    LI: Lacy Talley | IG: @lacerrrr

    My Why
    “I am a Cleveland-based artist, known for colorful eccentric figure based acrylic paintings that capture otherworldly existences with a jovial poise. The bright, bold palette is complemented by the different perspectives I push in my pieces. I chose to pitch at Accelerate to create full 360-degree immersive healing spaces in communities that do not have the tools to understand the stages of healing.”


    Another Homegirl offers women the experience of comradery. Local and visiting women will have the opportunity to participate in intentionally designed experiences that range from a night out to relaxing spa treatments, as well as music, art, and food explorations. These experiences will curate friendships, whether it’s with other Clevelanders or a visitor just stopping through.

    TW: @mygirlmyy

    My Why
    “I was born and raised in the city of Cleveland and am the mother of two beautiful daughters, Elle and Cori. I chose to pitch at Accelerate because I believe in community and sisterhood. Another Homegirl, is just that.”

  • Economic Prosperity

    Economic Prosperity is presented in partnership with Boler College of Business at John Carroll University

    Judges
    • Bishara Addison, (ALI 2018), Director of Job Preparation, Fund for Our Economic Future
    • Jessica Jung, (LC 2021), President, Oswald Companies
    • Ted Theofrastous, Partner, KJK
    • Guhan Venkatu (LC 2020, CBB 2005), Group Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
    • Doan Winkel, Director, Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship, John Carroll University

    BLK BLVD is a company that connects small BIPOC businesses and the wider community. BLK BLVD will be a trusted source for BIPOC entrepreneurship – the more the BIPOC community sees themselves in the open market, the more confident they will be in creating their entrepreneurial endeavors. Through YouTube reviews, website promotion, event hosting, financial literacy sessions, business summits, and apps to locate BIPOC businesses geographically, BLK BLVD will help BIPOC entrepreneurs bypass gatekeepers, intermediaries, and systemically oppressive systems, and create genuine relationships with like-minded individuals.

    My Why
    “I’m a simple man who is constantly impressed with how incredible us as BIPOC people truly are. The media limits our voice, but our volume continues to rise. We’re only growing stronger and I want to provide a mirror to our past, present, and potential.”

    * Odin is also pitching in the Technovation competition *


    UBE (Universal Basic Employment & Opportunity) is a public policy initiative formed in 2022 to create a pathway to economic prosperity through a thriving wage jobs guarantee. UBE is demonstrating the benefit of reimagining public spending beyond social safety net programs that rarely result in sustained economic prosperity. This pilot program will provide a guaranteed income of $50,000 to 100 Black women and mothers working in the direct care and healthcare industries (i.e. home health aide, childcare worker, STNA) for 24 months.

    WEB: www.ubemployment.org

    My Why
    “I am a community and economic development professional that has spent most of my career serving Cleveland’s most disinvested communities. I specialize in finding wins at the intersection of people, process, and data. I believe that everyone should have the freedom to bowl in life with bumpers, and that if you are moving down the lanes of life, you should be guaranteed the opportunity to knock down some pins.”


    Cultiv[AI]te is a software platform that leverages Natural Language Processing to help increase access and lower barriers to entry for local entrepreneurs and innovators. Cultiv[AI]te walks a budding entrepreneur through a guided prompt-based process to develop a holistic picture of the entrepreneur’s innovative idea. This results in a collection of words and tags that allow the software to begin to *cultivate* online information and resources. This information can help the entrepreneur move their business beyond the idea stage. The final step combines the inputted information with the data collected by Cultiv[AI]te into a slide presentation format so the entrepreneur can present their “Cultiv[AI]ted” idea effectively to others.

    LI: Tyler Kohrt

    My Why
    “I am a young professional in health-tech consulting who is passionate about entrepreneurship, economic development, technology commercialization, and startups. I am a Project Manager at Wave Strategy, a Venture For America Fellow, and an Eagle Scout. I am pitching Accelerate to raise awareness and suggest a solution for the critical lack of resources and low access to information for the earliest entrepreneurs and companies in Cleveland.”


    TastesZ will offer quality food options at affordable prices using unique and visually appealing custom kiosks in three or more locations within Cleveland’s downtown business district. Phased expansion includes serving surrounding Cleveland communities and eventually other cities, as well as diversifying distribution methods throughout the area.

    YT: The Food Buggy is a Great Option

    My Why
    “I am a lifelong Greater Cleveland resident. I enjoy working with and learning from people in different communities here and around the country. I am the owner of Next Step Family of Products, TheFoodBuggy.com.”


    Enhancing Financial Families will provide underserved communities with basic financial literacy skills with an emphasis on building a financial legacy. The initiative will help individuals make sound decisions about their finances through interactive programming and will connect them to community resources to increase employment, education, and financial wellness.

    LI: Erin Simmons

    My Why
    I am a public relations professional that has previously worked as a financial coach. I have witnessed young adults, including student athletes, that are not prepared with the necessary information to be successful throughout college and their future careers. Basic financial information, including understanding budgeting, banking practices, and credit can be foreign to a high school graduate and this should not be something that is feared as they embark on their independence. I would like to make this information readily available to families to allow the journey to be easier for generations to come.

  • Education

    Education is presented in partnership with Nordson.

    Judges
    • Eric Gordon (LC 2013), Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
    • Denise McCory, Ph.D. (LC 2023), President – Metropolitan Campus, Cuyahoga Community College
    • Cecilia Render, Executive Director, Nordson Corporation Foundation
    • Tracy Strobel (LC 2015), Executive Director, Cuyahoga County Public Library
    • Nigamanth Sridhar, Ph.D. (LC2 2020, LC 2019, CLC Board), Provost & SVP of Academic Affairs, Cleveland State University

    Comics at the Corner’s goal is to increase community literacy by connecting people to reading through the distribution of free comic books. The comics that residents will receive feature BIPOC main characters (with an emphasis on Black and Brown characters). The goal is to focus on high-need communities where BIPOC residents are the majority, specifically the southeast area of Cleveland and neighboring inner ring suburbs.

    FB: @dawn.arrington  |  IG: @Elisa304 |  ioby page: Comics Corner Literacy Lounge

    My Why
    “I believe that every person should engage with literacy – reading for the sake of reading. Literacy is not a privilege, it’s a right. However, not everyone has access to things they want to read. Comics at the Corner and the Literacy Lounge Project seek to fix that problem.”


    Pre-K Picassos will engage and keep early childhood learners excited about literacy and art based on the stories that are read. Each story will have an associated developmentally appropriate art or craft that meets the Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards. Each classroom will have the opportunity to add new literature to their libraries and foster opportunities for new experiences, teachable moments, and memories for the little ones.

    IG: @nakedcanvascle  

    My Why
    “I am a former educator who is passionate about fostering opportunities to expose children to art and literacy in a meaningful way and making these opportunities accessible to all, especially children who may not otherwise have access to such programming. There is a deficit in low income, black and brown communities when it comes to access to arts and literacy programming and Pre-K Picassos addresses that. In my spare time, I enjoy making art, crafting, and reading. I’m excited to possibly have assistance in creating a program where my passions can coexist together and be shared with littles everywhere through my vision for Pre-k Picassos.”


    Dogs for Democracy aims to leverage the common ground of beloved pets to bring young adults together and preserve democracy by facilitating understanding and civil dialogue between those with different world views and political affiliations. Dogs for Democracy would kick off during orientation for college students and continue as an ongoing campus club. The program aspires to bring students together around their love of dogs to foster relationships, learn about democracy, and build civil dialogue skills. It will provide a space for people to learn from, engage with, and humanize people they may otherwise have tuned out or avoided.

    LI: Cathy Digel  |  ioby page: Dogs for Democracy

    My Why
    “I love working with young people who are trying to find their way in the world. As a career coach for the last 8 years, I have guided young adults through an educational program on how to make a career decision. I created this program to empower them to make informed and intentional choices about their future. Dogs for Democracy is another educational program developed for the same population, which leverages my background in conflict resolution and active listening, and incorporates innovative Conversational Receptiveness skills.”


    Social Emotional Learning Curriculum Workbook will provide coursework to teach social-emotional learning in schools as a part of the curriculum. The first two units, which cover two of the five social emotional learning competencies, are a 16-week learning pilot for students in grades three through eight.

    FB: S.E.L With Pj  |  LI: JaPorshae Isom

    My Why
    “I chose to pitch at Accelerate to find a support community that I can grow in, to gather funding options to bring my course work into schools via books or LMS, and to gather appropriate resources that can start me in the right direction, even if I don’t win.”


    Music can have a positive impact on a person’s mental health. SoundBender Institute is an initiative to help combat the rising rates of anxiety and depression by teaching inner city children the art of DJing and Hip Hop.

    FB: @SoundBender Institute  |  IG: @SoundBender_institute  | ioby page: SoundBender Institute

    Our Why
    “Myself and co-presenter are staples in the DJ community in Cleveland. Together, we would like to continue the legacy of Cleveland DJ’s. We also want to improve the mental health of Cleveland children.”

  • Health & Well-being

    Health & Well-being is presented in partnership with Growth Opps.

    Judges
    • Mitch Balk (LC 2001), President, Mt. Sinai Health Foundation
    • Marcus Glanton, SVP – Operations & Risk Manager, Growth Opportunity Partners
    • Dr. Claude Jones (LC 2022), President, CEO & Chief Medical Officer, Care Alliance Health Center
    • Lisa Ramirez, Ph.D., Associate Director of Pediatric Psychology, Division of Psychology

    Every day, hundreds if not thousands of usable goods are taken to landfills across the country. Yet, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who cannot access or afford the items they need, specifically children’s items that are outgrown swiftly yet have a lot of use left. Making the Complainable Sustainable will be the intermediary between decluttering a client’s space and destigmatizing the notion that all things baby must be brand new.

    FB: @YourTurnConsignmentSale  |  IG: @yourturnconsignmentsales  |  ioby page: Changing the Complainable to Sustainable

    My Why
    “Born and raised in Lorain County, I brought my family back to Ohio to set roots after my husband retired from The U.S. Navy. As a mother of three awesome, active humans who impress me daily, I had to wait 15 years to manifest my ideas for a business while we served our country. I am thrilled to participate in Accelerate since that is what I am doing to move my ideas forward! The biggest takeaway for me is increasing my network through joining families with needs to resources and options for growth.”


    In the Key of Culinary would fuse the culinary arts with music therapy by introducing communities to music from various cultures while preparing and eating healthy foods from the same culture. Music and food build togetherness, which is therapeutic. By teaching participants how to cook healthy versions of familiar cuisines offered in our communities, including Farm-to-Table, vegan, vegetarian, and low-carb recipes, participants can improve both their mental and physical health.

    My Why
    “I am a multi disciplined artist, who is a Program Manager for Foluke Cultural Arts Center and master teaching artist for the Center for Arts Inspired Learning. I teach culinary arts, theater, and makeup artistry city wide.”


    Seeking Supervision will be an online centralized platform for all clinicians seeking a qualified supervisor, according to the Ohio CSWMFT (Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage, and Family Therapist) Board. Because of barriers to accessing a qualified supervisor, many mental health professionals are unable to fulfill this requirement. Seeking Supervision will allow them to obtain their credentialing hours within the required time frame, resulting in more independently licensed practitioners who are able to advance their scope of practice and their salaries, as well as support our community through advanced care.

    IG: cabel_ohio  |  LI: Anycia Grady  |  ioby page: Seeking Supervision

    My Why
    “Reflecting over my life, my greatest accomplishment has been rearing my inquisitive and gifted son. As a single-mother, I wanted him to grow up in a world where mental health was no longer stigmatized – I became a change agent and advocate. Accelerate is an opportunity for me to show the world my vision for bridging gaps in care and tackling disparity gaps head on.”

    * Anycia is also pitching in the Technovation competition *


    Mindfulness can help individuals deal with high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues. One and a Half Miles from Home is Freedom intends to bring these benefits to the underserved populations in East Cleveland through free public mindfulness sessions. By hosting these sessions at the East Cleveland Public Library, moCa Cleveland, the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Sculpture Center, and the Cleveland Institute of Art, it also brings attention to the arts and their ability to serve as a remedy through release and creativity. Paired with mindfulness, this will provide a double dose approach to wellness.

    My Why
    “I believe that the future is in the hands of change makers. Art not only inspires but heals and mends the present and the past aiding in a greater well-being in the future.”


    F.A.R. (Food Allergy Restaurant) is an initiative to sell desserts that are free from the top eight allergens. Many people, including eight percent of children, are unable to enjoy mainstream desserts because of food allergies. F.A.R. will create treats that taste like “regular” desserts so everyone can enjoy them.

    My Why
    “I am a 12-year-old fighting Eosinophilic Esophagitis everyday. I have limited diet due to this disease and severe food allergies. After five years of being tube-fed, once I was able to eat again, I decided I wanted to be a chef for people who suffer like me.”

  • Quality of Life

    Quality of Life is presented in partnership with Thompson Hine LLP and Oatey Co.

    Judges
    • India Birdsong Terry (LC 2022, CLC Board), General Manager & CEO, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
    • Kip Bollin (LC 2020, CLC Board), Partner in Charge, Cleveland Office, Thompson Hine, LLP
    • Michael Deemer (LC 2019), President & CEO, Downtown Cleveland Alliance
    • Megan Lykins Reich (LC2 2022, LC2 2021, LC 2020), Kohl Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland
    • Dalithia Smith (LC 2020), Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, Oatey Co.

    Clean and Beautiful Cleveland … Block2Block will significantly reduce litter and beautify Cleveland through a two-pronged approach. One prong pilots a litter reduction and beautification program within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District that inspires, empowers, and motivates students to envision the kind of city they wish to live in and take steps to bring their ideas to fruition. Students engage in hands on activities; cleanups, experiments to reduce litter, planting flowers, etc. The goal is for each school to “adopt” their own building. The second prong is to launch a city-wide litter reduction and beautification project by organizing key stakeholders around a central theme to work collectively based on best practices worldwide.

    Our Why
    “We are very concerned about our planet and cleaning up! We hope to inspire citizens at the grassroots level to stop littering and to dispose of it properly! Everyone deserves a clean and beautiful community and Accelerate can help us to build a group of stakeholders to collectively create a solution! The solution to the problem of litter is in our hands!”


    UPcycled Fashion will be a sustainable way for people in our community to upcycle their clothing, keep fashion circular, and reduce the amount of textile and clothing waste that ends up in landfills. Individuals can supply unworn or damaged clothing through regular neighborhood clothing drops. A small team of professional sewers will convert the items into new wearable styles that can be resold and worn for years to come. There will also be quarterly or semi-annual clothing swaps, as well as a class to teach basic upcycling and mending techniques.

    FB: @yellowcakeshopcle |  IG: @yellowcakeshop

    My Why
    “I’m a fashion designer concerned with sustainability which may seem like an oxymoron to some. My mission and a big reason why I chose to pitch to Accelerate is configuring new ways for people to approach sustainability in fashion and their wardrobe. Doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint while utilizing materials already in existence is the least we can do to help change the face of fashion.”


    Cleveland Community Wood Fired Oven aims to build an open and accessible wood fired oven for use by the community. This oven will serve as a cornerstone piece for a neighborhood and will provide an outdoor gathering place for new ties to be formed, engage the hungry through shared food and cooking, and provide event space for potlucks, performances, and educational events.

    My Why
    “We are a group of friends who like to cook together and share those moments with others. We had this idea after a big Friendsgiving and thought Accelerate would be a great shot at sharing some of our grander culinary aspirations.”


    The CLE: An Online Public Square will be an all-inclusive Cleveland-centric social media and news aggregator platform. Residents and visitors can connect, stay up to date with all the different things going on in the area, and improve their quality of life by fostering real life social connections. Content can be generated by a mix of individuals posting information they want to share and organizations posting information to keep people up to date about current news, events, and promotions. It will be a hub for city information and connection without being restricted to any single information source.

    LI: Sam Smucny  |  WEB: https://thecle.land  |  ioby page: TheCLE.Land

    My Why
    “I grew up in the Cleveland area and recently moved back from Boston to downtown after graduating with a degree in computer engineering and physics this past spring. The CLE was originally conceived as a personal project to make an individual social media web site that I would actually find useful since others were either unhealthy to engage with or didn’t play nicely with other platforms I used, but it has expanded in scope as I got excited about how it could also help others in the city to stay informed and connect with neighbors by being a part of the social infrastructure. Beyond just bridging the fragmentation of Cleveland’s many interest groups, the goal for the site is to help rebuild the local community engagement that has atrophied as we have become more isolated in our own physical and online bubbles.”


    Art Block is a free neighborhood pop up arts and crafts program. Throughout the summer, an artist on an electric bicycle and a bicycle cart filled with a bin of supplies (donated or purchased from the Upcycle Parts Shop) turns the neighborhood into a pop-up arts and crafts table. Art Block has a fee for service program that uses sustainable materials to engage the community in two or three designated crafts.

    My Why
    “I am an artist that uses locally sourced materials for public events with my bicycle program. I have been a community activist focused on using art to talk about community issues for 8 years.”

  • Social Change

    Social Change is presented in partnership with Lubrizol & MAGNET: The Manufacturing and Advocacy Growth Network.

    Judges
    • Elizabeth Grove (LC 2021, CLC Board), Chief Sustainability Officer/President, The Lubrizol Corporation/ The Lubrizol Foundation
    • Ethan Karp, Ph.D. (LC2 2018, LC 2017, CLC Board), President & CEO, MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network
    • Elizabeth McIntyre (LC 2006), Executive Editor, Crain’s Cleveland Business
    • Tim Tramble (LC 2010), President & CEO, Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland

    Peer Support Student Services will be an app connecting students with peer supporters who have lived experience of the challenges ranging from housing and food insecurities, financial illiteracy, and drug dependency, to physical and/or mental health crises that students deal with. Peer supporters will identify areas of need, and educate clients about opportunities, agencies, and resources available to them. In collaboration with the network of already existing resources to serve those in need, Peer Support Student Services seeks to be the compass for our fellow students in need of this crucial guidance.

    “If not now, then when, if not this, then what?”

    ioby page: Peer Support Student Services

    My Why
    “I am a full time student. A master journeyman carpenter, as well as a single father. I was recently inspired by a introduction to the concept of peer support – the positive results of it and how we can further use it alongside technology to better serve a segment of our population – through an internship I served with Goldman Sachs.”

    * Donte is also pitching in the Technovation competition *


    Impact Academy will be a low-cost four-week program that introduces youth to social enterprise as a career path. Students will engage in lectures and discussions, as well as formulate a social enterprise idea and create a business model. The second phase, Impact Ventures, will invest a portion of Impact Academy’s tuition into social ventures across Cleveland. In the early stages, investments will be determined by the revenue generated through Impact Academy, however, Impact Ventures will eventually become self-funding through the returns made on the investments. As these two initiatives progress, Cleveland will become the first to join a planned network of Impact Cities.

    My Why
    “I am passionate about social entrepreneurship and building ventures that create long-lasting change. I chose to pitch at Accelerate to share that passion with others and begin the process of building a social entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cleveland.”


    East Cleveland Impact HACK will invite high school students who reside in East Cleveland to participate in a community, team-based event to address community issues and present creative solutions in front of judges. Students will form teams around the areas of STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, art, math), education, personal and mental wellness, equity and social justice, economic empowerment, and community improvement and beautification. The program will help them drive equity and social change in their community by giving them a platform to voice creative solutions for social and civic issues.

    LI: Teresha Sims

    My Why
    “I am passionate about the City of East Cleveland and its residents. I believe every voice should be heard in a community. I believe our youth and residents have creative and/or innovative ideas that are often untapped. I am passionate about helping our youth move towards reaching their highest potential and living their ‘dream’ life.”


    *** Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tommy Brennan and Zuggie Tate were unable to present at the event. If their ideas spark your interest, please contact Rachel Ciomcia (216-592-2280) to be connected with them. ***


    Limitless Research seeks to eliminate the alarming disparity in access to research opportunities based on the wealth gap in Northeast Ohio by increasing high schoolers’ accessibility to research positions across Northeast Ohio. The program will provide tutorials on how to establish and create curriculum vitaes, letters, emails, etc. to connect high schoolers with professors across Northeast Ohio. Additionally, the initiative will provide information on free or low-cost research programs in Northeast Ohio, the application process, and how to secure the positions.

    FB: @limitlessresearchneo

    My Why
    “I am a junior at Chagrin Falls High School. I am a varsity swimmer, member of student council, and co-founder of my school’s mental health awareness club. I am pitching at Accelerate to raise awareness about university-level research opportunities and help others who may be interested in pursuing these opportunities.”


    The goal of The Trans Archival Project is to collect community stories, accounts, photography, and audio/visual data to accurately document the lives of trans and non-binary individuals living in Cleveland. This project will focus on those we’ve lost, as well as on the community members still alive. The Trans Archival Project will create and maintain a running log of corrected obituaries, collect documentation of those living with a trans/non-binary experience, and preserve the history and stories of trans/non-binary individuals in a world that would otherwise erase them.

    My Why
    “I chose to pitch because I saw a need for justice within the trans community. Because of current practices, many trans and non-binary folks are erased in death instead of their memory being preserved. I wanted to change that.”

  • Technovation

    Technovation is presented in partnership with the Cleveland Foundation.

    Judges
    • Elizabeth Crowe, Ph.D. (OBC 2018), Director of Quality Control & Performance Management, City of Cleveland
    • Hailey Hoyat, City Scrapers Software Developer, City Bureau
    • Jarryd Huntley, Cleveland Foundation
    • Paul Rochford, K-12 Education Reporter, Signal Cleveland
    • Will Skora, Web Administrator, Cleveland Public Library

    BLK BLVD is a company that connects small BIPOC businesses and the wider community. BLK BLVD will be a trusted source for BIPOC entrepreneurship – the more the BIPOC community sees themselves in the open market, the more confident they will be in creating their entrepreneurial endeavors. Through YouTube reviews, website promotion, event hosting, financial literacy sessions, business summits, and apps to locate BIPOC businesses geographically, BLK BLVD will help BIPOC entrepreneurs bypass gatekeepers, intermediaries, and systemically oppressive systems, and create genuine relationships with like-minded individuals.

    My Why
    “I’m a simple man who is constantly impressed with how incredible us as BIPOC people truly are. The media limits our voice, but our volume continues to rise. We’re only growing stronger and I want to provide a mirror to our past, present, and potential.”

    * Odin is also pitching in the Economic Prosperity category *


    Seeking Supervision will be an online centralized platform for all clinicians seeking a qualified supervisor, according to the Ohio CSWMFT (Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage, and Family Therapist) Board. Because of barriers to accessing a qualified supervisor, many mental health professionals are unable to fulfill this requirement. Seeking Supervision will allow them to obtain their credentialing hours within the required time frame, resulting in more independently licensed practitioners who are able to advance their scope of practice and their salaries, as well as support our community through advanced care.

    IG: cabel_ohio  |  LI: Anycia Grady  |  ioby page: Seeking Supervision

    My Why
    “Reflecting over my life, my greatest accomplishment has been rearing my inquisitive and gifted son. As a single-mother, I wanted him to grow up in a world where mental health was no longer stigmatized – I became a change agent and advocate. Accelerate is an opportunity for me to show the world my vision for bridging gaps in care and tackling disparity gaps head on.”

    * Anycia is also pitching in the Health & Well-being category *


    Teacher Engage Connect (TEC) endeavors to disrupt the textbook industry and create dynamic learning environments by bringing the style, humor, and communication skills of effective, seasoned teachers to schools across the U.S. through video. Textbooks are heavy, overpriced, and dated, and the video content produced by big publishing houses is often substandard. TEC will help dynamic educators across Ohio organize and format their content, write scripts for videos, and prepare the final product for a nationwide market. TEC will shoot and edit these videos.

    My Why
    “An economics teacher with 30 years in the classroom, published author, and creator of educational video content. Husband and father of three. I have dabbled in entrepreneurship with micro successes here and there. I taught innumerable high school kids how to pitch business ideas… so I’m grateful to Accelerate for giving me a shot to pitch my idea!”


    Peer Support Student Services will be an app connecting students with peer supporters who have lived experience of the challenges ranging from housing and food insecurities, financial illiteracy, and drug dependency, to physical and/or mental health crises that students deal with. Peer supporters will identify areas of need, and educate clients about opportunities, agencies, and resources available to them. In collaboration with the network of already existing resources to serve those in need, Peer Support Student Services seeks to be the compass for our fellow students in need of this crucial guidance.

    “If not now, then when, if not this, then what?”

    ioby page: Peer Support Student Services

    My Why
    “I am a full time student. A master journeyman carpenter, as well as a single father. I was recently inspired by a introduction to the concept of peer support – the positive results of it and how we can further use it alongside technology to better serve a segment of our population – through an internship I served with Goldman Sachs.”

    * Donte is also pitching in the Social Change category *


    Verum Movement aims to shepherd in a new age of health and wellness by personalizing fitness using digital technology that takes real-time 3D models of individuals and analyzes those models for deficiencies. If a deviation is found, the algorithm provides actionable insights into how the user can improve. Combining this with a gamified experience and personalized data, Verum will engage the user like never before in fitness, optimize movement to prevent injuries, and help users achieve their wellness goals.

    IG: @verummvmt  |  LI: Verum Movement

    Our Why
    “The Verum team met one another in Boston while studying for our graduate degrees, and decided early on that we should move to Cleveland to pursue the business. The team fell in love with the community and what the city has to offer. We chose to pitch at Accelerate because we want to be closer to the Cleveland ecosystem and be part of the movement to make Cleveland a tech hub.”

Accelerate 2023 presenters in the news