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
The nonprofit provides paid training, career support and real work to help 17- to-26-year-olds move into full-time jobs averaging $43K a year. In a bright room at Hopeworks Kensington, young adults sit at computers learning to code, build websites and prepare for careers many once thought were out of reach. Some come in unsure of […]
The Rutgers Camden Campus Center was transformed into a high-energy hub of professional development last week as Hopeworks hosted its third annual HOPE Summit. Headlined by Truist Bank, the event served as a critical bridge between young adults in the region and some of the most influential employers in the Greater Philadelphia area. The summit is a cornerstone of […]
Headlined by Truist Bank, the event removed access barriers to career readiness, connecting Camden, NJ – March 16, 2026 – On Thursday, March 12, Hopeworks, a social enterprise dedicated toempowering young adults to establish living wage careers, hosted its third annual HOPE Summit at theRutgers Camden Campus Center. Headlined by sponsor Truist Bank, the summit […]
