We were truly impressed by the brilliance showcased at our 2024 Spring Pitch Competition! Talented and driven Hopeworks entrepreneurs unveiled their businesses to a panel of esteemed industry leaders. They received invaluable feedback and forged new connections, leading to exciting opportunities with potential customers.
The 1st place winner was Lola Ruiz, the founder of Lola’s Nail Cafe - a local nail business where she services clients with beautiful custom nail designs
The 2nd place winner was Jeremiah Reyes, the founder of PetalPods and FloraHouse, another young entrepreneur revolutionizing indoor gardening and creating unique party favors
The remaining three pitchers were each awarded $1,000 in funding for their business thanks to two incredibly generous donors!
Thank you to all of our participants - (Lola Ruiz, Anthony Cole, Nick Caraballo, Jeremiah Reyes, and Janiyah Gonzalez) who were confident enough to pitch their businesses, and humbly accept feedback on how to continue striving for success.
Thank you to our judges - (Ahmed Ali Bob, Wil Reynolds, Natalie Nieves, and Michelle Miller) for taking the time to support our young professionals and provide practical and authentic feedback to each one. Our alumni panelists - Charlene Newbill, Willem Schrieks, Natalie Nieves, and Raymond Alvira for providing real-life business advice to our Pitch Competition participants and audience.
Thank you to our incredible host Brad Aronson for hosting the competition, building the entrepreneurship ecosystem at Hopeworks, and helping to support and grow countless businesses in the Hopeworks community. Lastly, a huge thank you to our sponsors - Block, Wasserman Properties, and NJM Insurance Group for the support!
Check out the entrepreneur's businesses below and please support
Lola - https://lnkd.in/erJvaMak
Anthony - https://lnkd.in/eTMdip6D
Jeremiah - https://lnkd.in/eFj-BGwD
Janiyah - https://lnkd.in/eC2EizRF
Nick - https://lnkd.in/e2PAqaeP
We are thrilled to announce that Jayden Vazquez, a dedicated Hopeworks young professional, has successfully earned his high school diploma! After months of rigorous testing and studying, Jayden has reached this significant milestone, demonstrating incredible perseverance and commitment. We couldn't be prouder of his achievement and look forward to seeing what amazing things he will […]
Harrisburg, PA – The Shapiro Administration today announced nearly $4.9 million in grants to 50 community organizations throughout Pennsylvania for programs to improve digital literacy among job seekers so they can be successful in finding, obtaining, and maintaining employment. In this round of digital-literacy funding – the fifth since 2021 – the Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) has awarded grants […]
Junior joined Hopeworks at the end of last year with an interest in tech and marketing, wanting to collaborate and make connections! During this time, he has completed the training, successfully completed an internship in the GIS department, and grown his soft skills and technical skills tremendously. Junior has previous experience with a marketing internship […]
