Sarai Arriola-Jacob - 2nd place pitch competition winner at the 2021 Women of Color Incubator
There are 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., representing 42% of all businesses.
Yet there is still significant disparity in revenue and capital between these business and others.
WBENC is helping bridge that gap — through access to opportunities, programs that accelerate growth, and campaigns to influence consumer buying behaviors.
The WBENC Women of Color Incubator is a six-week program designed for Black Women Student Entrepreneurs in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Women of Color Incubator provides the next generation of Black Women Entrepreneurs with the resources, community, and support they need to strengthen their idea and grow their early-stage ventures.
Sarai Arriola-Jacob was the 2nd place pitch competition winner in the 2021 Women of Color Incubator, co-sponsored by the Howard University Center for Women, Gender, and Global Leadership. She has received a cash prize of $1,000 and will be provided with an all-expenses paid trip to WBENCs national conference in Atlanta, GA this year.
What Sarai has to say about her win
It was astonishing to me how quickly this idea of mine, lovingly named Sage Connections (Or just Sage), has materialized into business with real potential. For this pitch competition, I was taught how to flesh out my pre-existing idea for a tech startup, which essentially was a professional matchmaking service for both Black professionals and students. I initially felt intimidated by having a tech idea in this world where entirely too many people also have a tech idea. But this incubator gave me legitimate and sound processes that I can use to create a service that is both appealing to my consumers, and can stay afloat in an oversaturated market. My experience with the program answered most of the questions that I had regarding getting my idea out of my mind and onto paper, even questions I didn’t know I had. I still have so much to learn though, I mean each question I have regarding this project leads me to more questions, and really pushes the limits of my critical thinking skills. I feel really solidly though that my developing ability to ask the right questions is really something I owe to this program.