Featured : Black Innovation

Steve Tobocman: America21

"America 21 offers a pathway to disrupt the legacy wealth divide that has plagued American history.

"It offers a pathway that unleashes the competitive and creative forces of all segments of the American economy. And it offers a pathway that, if followed, might be the single most important means to securing American prosperity through the next century.

"There are no magic potions or voodoo economics, but with a concerted commitment and hard-work, America 21 offers our country a future that grows the success of the new economy to all sectors of American society.

"This is a truly inspiring and important message and work."

Steve Tobocman
Former House Majority Floor Leader, Michigan House of Representatives
Director, Global Detroit

Response to Johnathan Holifield's Inclusive Competitiveness presentation to Global Detroit on May 10, 2012
America21 at White House

The America21 Project Co-founders, Chad Womack, Ph.D. and Johnathan Holifield, Esq. are pictured in front of the White House on April 16, 2012 ahead of leading a panel discussion at the White House HBCU Summit on Entrepreneurship.

Johnathan Holifield led the discussion on "Inclusive Competitiveness."

(click on photo for larger version)
Links to Startup Accelerators

Looking for help with your startup? Check this list for tons of startup accelerators across the country!

CLICK HERE
22 Crowdfunding sites

22 Crowdfunding sites here
Portland Urban Innovation Roundtable

The America21 Project is engaged in a bold new experiment in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Urban Innovation Roundtable (UIR) unites local leaders in the established economic infrastructure with leaders in economically disconnected sectors to develop an active inclusive urban innovation ecosystem that strengthens the regional economy by investing in local resources and talent. PORTLAND UIR
CALENDAR of Startup Events nationwide

See what's going on in your city right now!
IdeaCrossing

Whether you're someone with an idea, someone looking to invest in an idea or someone with resources to assist risk-taking innovators, you should check out IdeaCrossing. It's the intersection between good ideas and collaboration.

CLICK HERE
What’s the next big thing?
State of Minorities and Women in Science

Science magazine interviews Chad Womack, Ph.D., co-founder of The America21 Project, on the state of women and minorities in science.

CLICK HERE
DATA: Minority students lag in Advanced Placement

A new Advanced Placement data report shows minority students (except Asian Americans) lag far behind.

READ REPORT
Got code? … You’ll need it!

Why do YOU need to learn to code?
Universities doing business

Michigan boasts America's first statewide university-business engagement network. See the plans.

CLICK HERE

BICI in Regal Magazine
COO of the BICI HONORED
BE INSPIRED
Follow Success!
Cerebral success
Young Entrepreneurs
Ready … Set … Go!
200+ Funding Resources

Got an idea to benefit your school, community, city, region, society-at-large or perhaps the world? Need funding?

Click here.
New era — new jobs
Earthly Angels
Video: Nick Carter
Obama emphasizes U.S. Competitiveness

The administration's "plan to win the future" includes stronger support for research and high-tech businesses in order to maintain leadership in a global economy dominated by technology-intensive industries.

read more ...
"In the 21st century, the U.S. will no longer be the Big Dog. Human capital will be more broadly dispersed. There will be an array of affluent nations fully engaged in the global economy. Therefore, competitiveness will be more about organizing relationships than amassing force. To thrive, America will have to be the crossroads nation where global talent congregates and collaborates."

Read David Brook's opinion in the NYT ...
Will.i.am joins Intel
Milken Institute Tech Knowledge Index
Institute for Large-Scale Innovation

John Kao

"We are faced with choices about our national innovation agenda that will have profound consequences for our future. Make no mistake, our strength as a society depends upon our ability to innovate."

read more ...
Recent BICI Blog Posts
- Inclusive Competitiveness: America’s 21st century economic blueprint
- Ohio Declares STEM Education, Entrepreneurship Economic Cornerstones
- Startup Lesson: How To Raise $1M in seed funding
- Saving America’s Black Boys Launches National Campaign
- Saving America’s Black Boys Launches at SXSWedu
Tags
america21 angel investors angels black america black innovation capital chad womack competitiveness economic economic inclusion economics economy education engineering entrepreneurs entrepreneurship high-growth high-growth entrepreneurship inclusion inclusive competitiveness innovation innovation economy innovators investing investment job growth johnathan holifield leadership math mike green minorities minority nortech obama ohio risk capital science silicon valley startups stem stem education technology venture capital wealth creation white house

Inclusive Competitiveness: America’s 21st century economic blueprint

Posted by Black Innovation on April 25, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Inclusive Competitiveness: America’s 21st Century Economic Blueprint By Mike Green Inclusive Competitiveness is the No. 1 economic concern of the American people. The Census is predicting a mid-century shift in the racial demographics of the nation that will result in a non-white majority of the population. This demographic shift has significant political and economic ramifications.... Read More

Category All, Featured · Tags america21, economic apartheid, economic blueprint, high-growth entrepreneurship, inclusion economics, inclusive competitiveness, innovation economy, innovation ecosystem, johnathan holifield, steam education, stem education, tech inclusion

Saving America’s Black Boys Launches at SXSWedu

Posted by Black Innovation on February 27, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Saving America’s Black Boys Launches at SXSWedu By Mike Green Feb. 27, 2013 South by Southwest (SXSW) is a massive conference where collaboration is king, and big ideas emerge. It is the innovation and technology platform where Twitter and Foursquare were launched. Starting in early March, more than 3,000 reporters from around the globe will descend upon Austin, Texas, America’s... Read More

Category A21 Blog Posts, Education, Featured · Tags austin, chad womack, game changerz, inclusive competitiveness, innovation, innovation economy, innovation ecosystem, jermaine depri, jim staton, johnathan holifield, mike green, pipeline2productivity, sabb, saving america's black boys, stem education, sxswedu, texas

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MUST LISTEN: Johnathan Holifield, co-founder of America21, and VP of Inclusive Competitiveness at Nortech in Northeast Ohio is joined by a stellar cast of intellectual heavyweights who offer insight into the challenges and opportunities the nation faces in the 21st century global innovation economy.

Click the image above to listen.
(MUST SEE!) Jace Hall: Defying the Odds

Please forgive the long intro (it's a pilot episode).

This interview with Jace Hall is a must-see for anyone who wants to understand how a kid from the "hood" can grow up to be CEO of his own company and earn millions in the technology industry.
Oregon Business profiles Mike Green
Is Paul Graham right on startup diversity?

Paul Graham, partner at one of the most successful startup accelerators in the country, Y Combinator, says the lack of diversity across the startup accelerator landscape is due to a lack of diversity in the applicant pool.

Is he right?
63% of young Blacks, 64% of young Hispanics seek entrepreneurship

READ REPORT
Angels funding more women-owned startups

Money is a key ingredient for high-growth, job-creating companies. Traditionally women have shied away from using outside funding. As a result, their businesses have grown slowly and created fewer jobs.

But that seems to be changing. For the last two years, angel investors have funded more women-owned businesses than ever before – more than 1,600 per year ...

Read More at Women2.0
Global Economic Advocate

Leila Janah: Global Economic Advocate

Click on the image above to hear Leila Janah explain how she uses technology and innovative entrepreneurship to provide jobs to the world's poorest.
Click image
Who are the young rising affluent?

Rising Affluent connects young professionals with relevant resources and opportunities to network, grow, and develop themselves for professional advancement and personal achievement.

Click on the image above for the Rising Affluent Website
Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends, 2012

KPCB Internet Trends 2012
Portland, Oregon: Future of Work
A21 Interview with investor Daymond John
Angel investing stimulates startups

The Wall Street Journal reports $3.5B was invested in startups and early stage companies by angel investors (apart from venture capital) in the first half of 2011. Kauffman reports nearly all net new job growth is produced by companies 5 years old and less. Where are Black angels?

See Mike Green's Huffington Post piece: Angel Investing in Startups Stimulates Job Growth
A21 ‘Gathering of Angels’

Newark, NJ: The historic "Gathering of Angels" at Rutgers Business School blessed minority entrepreneurs with many investment opportunities.

CLICK HERE
Mike Green in The WaPo
Portland, OR: Minority Innovation

CNN's documentary, "Black in America Part 4: New Promised Land, Silicon Valley," stirred much controversy around the nation. In Portland, Oregon it stirred leaders to take action. CLICK HERE
How to build a black Silicon Valley

Kelly Virella attended The America21 Project's "Gathering of Angels" at Rutgers Business School in Newark, NJ, produced in partnership with The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (CUEED).

Kelly wrote about the experience in Dominion of New York: The Best of Black New York.

Check out Kelly's poignant prose by clicking here.
Creating an ‘ecosystem’ for minority entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur magazine attended The America21 Project's "Gathering of Angels" at Rutgers Business School.

Read the writeup here.
The America21 Project (formerly BICI)

The "Black Innovation and Competitiveness Initiative" is now "The America21 Project." (more)
Gangsta moves in the innovation economy

Black Enterprise Editor-in-Chief Derek Dingle spotlights The America21 Project. Thanks Derek!

Nov. 22, 2011: Creativity, persistence, capital and connections will drive the advancement of high-growth African American businesses

Aug. 26, 2011: Why Black entrepreneurs must create the next Google
Who are the black 1 percent?

The historic "Occupy Wall Street" movement, which has permeated much of American society and spawned "Occupy" copycats across the country, has triggered a mantra: "We are the 99%."

The 99 percenters are people protesting the power of the 1 percent who control and manage much of the wealth, power and influence in America. But who are the Black 1 percent?

The Grio delves into that question. The answer might surprise you.

CLICK HERE
A21 & CUEED Thank you letter

Gathering of Angels was a huge success! Here's why.
Bloomberg BUSINESSWEEK highlights "Gathering of Angels" at Rutgers University, Nov. 15 & 16.

"Improving Minority Entrepreneurs' Access to Angel Capital"

CLICK HERE
Diversity in Tech Industry: Data Report
How to divide equity to startup founders, advisors and employees
Eghosa Omoigui: The Mind Inside Intel

Interview with Eghosa here

Eghosa's investment criteria for entrepreneurs

12 hard-won lessons in entrepreneurship
Will you compete in this game?

Competition Results from 2010:
$21.8 billion was invested in 3,277 deals nationwide in 2010, an increase of 19 percent in dollars and a 12 percent rise in the number of deals over the prior year, according to the report released Jan. 28 2011 by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association.
Read article in Miami Herald

Global Competition Heats Up
A university in New Zealand now offers a "Graduate Certificate in Science Innovation and Entrepreneurship."
read announcement at TVNZ

Is your idea worth $150,000?
Angel investors agree to offer every company in the Y Combinator business incubator $150K without ever seeing the companies!
Read TechCrunch article

Serious in Singapore
Thomas Friedman weighs in on how and why Singapore is successful while the U.S. is flailing. Ironically, he concludes that Singapore sent its economic leaders to the U.S. to learn from us.
Read Friedman's opinion in New York Times

Innovation Park is Notre Dame's innovation
Universities expecting to compete in the 21st century Innovation Economy may want to imitate Notre Dame's innovative approach to commercializing university and local community IP.
Read article in The Observer
Lamar Tyler: The Gatekeepers Are Gone

"No one is coming to rescue you." (1:50)
Join the BICI: Subscribe to email updates
Innovation Tweet Feed
Recommended Reading

Most students are NOT performing at a level deemed 'proficient' in science

"Results issued (Jan. 25, 2011) for a revamped national assessment show 12th graders posting the weakest scores compared with their elementary and middle-level peers. Only one in five high school seniors scored at least proficient on the exam. Meanwhile, 34 percent of 4th graders and 30 percent of 8th graders were deemed proficient or better in science on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as 'the nation’s report card.'”

read more ...

Education reform is a test America must pass

"Education is the pathway out of poverty. For too long poverty has perpetuated ignorance, which feeds discrimination and social segregation ..."

read more ...

Kauffman Foundation President Carl Schramm

"... the single most important contributor to a nation's economic growth is the number of startups that grow to a billion dollars in revenue within 20 years... new firms — not necessarily small firms — have been responsible for almost all new job creation since 1980."

read more ...

The White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga

"Perfect airplane reading, and, it has me thinking about how an entrepreneur gets started. Kudos to Adiga for writing a compelling, dark, fascinating examination of poverty, opportunity, and wealth."

read more ...

USA Today: For minorities, new 'digital divide' seen

"Researchers have noticed signs of segregation online that perpetuate divisions in the physical world. And blacks and Latinos may be using their increased Web access more for entertainment than empowerment."

read more ...

Children's Defense Fund Founder holds parents accountable for academic failures of many Black children

"We do not have a children problem; we have an adult problem. It's adults' responsibility to make a better life for their kids."

read more ...

Steve Tobocman: America21

America21 at White House

Links to Startup Accelerators

22 Crowdfunding sites

Portland Urban Innovation Roundtable

CALENDAR of Startup Events nationwide

IdeaCrossing

What’s the next big thing?

State of Minorities and Women in Science

DATA: Minority students lag in Advanced Placement

Got code? … You’ll need it!

Universities doing business

BICI in Regal Magazine

COO of the BICI HONORED

BE INSPIRED

Follow Success!

Cerebral success

Young Entrepreneurs

Ready … Set … Go!

200+ Funding Resources

New era — new jobs

Earthly Angels

Video: Nick Carter

Obama emphasizes U.S. Competitiveness

Will.i.am joins Intel

Milken Institute Tech Knowledge Index

Institute for Large-Scale Innovation

Recent BICI Blog Posts

Tags

Inclusive Competitiveness: America’s 21st century economic blueprint

Saving America’s Black Boys Launches at SXSWedu

See All A21 Posts

(MUST SEE!) Jace Hall: Defying the Odds

Oregon Business profiles Mike Green

Is Paul Graham right on startup diversity?

63% of young Blacks, 64% of young Hispanics seek entrepreneurship

Angels funding more women-owned startups

Global Economic Advocate

Who are the young rising affluent?

Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Future of Work

A21 Interview with investor Daymond John

Angel investing stimulates startups

A21 ‘Gathering of Angels’

Mike Green in The WaPo

Portland, OR: Minority Innovation

How to build a black Silicon Valley

Creating an ‘ecosystem’ for minority entrepreneurs

The America21 Project (formerly BICI)

Gangsta moves in the innovation economy

Who are the black 1 percent?

A21 & CUEED Thank you letter

Diversity in Tech Industry: Data Report

Eghosa Omoigui: The Mind Inside Intel

12 hard-won lessons in entrepreneurship

Will you compete in this game?

Lamar Tyler: The Gatekeepers Are Gone

Join the BICI: Subscribe to email updates

Innovation Tweet Feed

Recommended Reading