iNvictus Launches Fellowship Program
iNvictus non-profit arm, iNvictus Forward Outreach, publicly unveils eight entrepreneurs selected for inaugural Masters of Fate Fellowship
DURHAM, NC – Forbes magazine reports 8 of 10 entrepreneurs who start a business fail within the first two years. Among the culprits: leadership breakdowns; lack of access funding and an inability to execute a profitable business model and produce proven revenue streams.
iNvictus EMERGE (Entrepreneurship, Mentoring, Economic Development, Research, Growth in Business and Education) continues to address the inequities and change the story with its Fellowship that selected a cohort of minority entrepreneurs, business owners and non-profit venture leaders from a pool of over 300 applicants nationwide. The fellows will spend 18 months gaining access to information, capital and an international network of experts and industry leaders to guide their journey to success.
On May 26th , iNvictus Office Center located at 601 Fayetteville St. – Suite 300, opened its doors to its non-profit arm, iNvictus Forward Outreach, and through its EMERGE program, introduced its eight 2016-17 fellows of its inaugural Masters of Fate Fellowship cohort.
The June 2016 –November 2017 fellowship provides each venture leader a one-on-one mentor, an industry specific advisor and other strategic advisors to help them navigate a tailored blueprint to strengthen and grow their venture through access to executives, capital and the expertise of advisors, experts and investors.
“Our ecosystem fosters a community of inclusion, and the businesses we work with are destined for success as a result,” said Edward Boyd, Jr, Chief Strategy Officer of iNvictus Group Holdings, LLC and Board Chair of iNvictus Forward Outreach. “We understand that entrepreneurs are essential for a strong national economy and through our program, minority-owned ventures can experience success and have a global impact.” stated Iyon Mitchell, Executive Director of iNvictus Forward Outreach.
Each of the iNvictus Masters of Fate Fellows works in one or more of four defined areas at various stages of venture development: STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), Health/Healthcare, Food and Education.
One of the fellows, Ursela Jones, is the program director for iNviTECH, an educational technology company that hosts a summer camp for students in grades 6-12 focused on both STEM skills and developing entrepreneurial savvy. iNviTECH also provides a year-long semester based course catalog whose goal is to aid in producing next generation’s IT entrepreneurs/leaders as well as increase minority participation in STEM fields.
“I’m a lifelong learner and programs like this fellowship will help me to continue to grow myself and, in turn, help me to grow my students,” said Jones, an award-winning robotics and automation teacher at a Durham, NC, middle school. In addition, Jones applauds the program’s mentorship component. “It is essential to the life of any organization or business. Having mentors well versed in business concepts, marketing and procuring partnerships will help me become a better business woman, and help me structure my company in a way it will be sustainable.”
Michael Stewart-Isaacs and Donnell “Artist” Woods joined the fellowship with Board Nation U.S.A., which focuses on bridging gaps in unity within the board sports community and campaign for board sports as an organized sport.
Other iNvictus Masters of Fate Fellows:
Ivan Jenkins, of Durham NC, owner of Bull City Sports and Fitness which offers a variety of youth/adult fitness and sports programs that stress the importance of sportsmanship and leadership skills and a healthy lifestyle.
Tahirah Jennings of Raleigh NC, by way of Baltimore, MD, founder of K-TECH Vibes is founder of an IT company whose main purpose is to make technology easier to operate and understand for the everyday person.
Dwight Brake of Pittsboro NC, owner of waLA an on-demand delivery service that enables its users to order food from any restaurant seamlessly and easily.
Mina Forte of Durham NC, founder of Java Coffee and Espresso Bar, more commonly referred to as “Mina’s Java.”
Dante Evans of Las Vegas, NV, founder and CEO of American Concierge, a lifestyle management organization that provides exquisite and unparalleled concierge services.
Giszell Weather, of Chapel Hill, NC by way of Portsmouth, VA, is founder of Herban, a community space that nurtures and inspires youth through food cultivation.
“iNvictus Office Center strongly believes that the community and environment fosters innovation, productivity, and creativity. Therefore, we built a community for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to work alongside each other and be inspired. From private conference and meeting rooms to shared up to date amenities, we are where people and business come to work and grow together.” added Joseph Biggs, Jr. CEO and Managing Partner of iNvictus Office Center.
For more information, visit www.iNvictusOffice.com
