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.

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.

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?

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 ...

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

The "Black Innovation and Competitiveness Initiative" is now "The America21 Project." (more)

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

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.

Bloomberg BUSINESSWEEK highlights "Gathering of Angels" at Rutgers University, Nov. 15 & 16.

"Improving Minority Entrepreneurs' Access to Angel Capital"

How to divide equity to startup founders, advisors and employees

Interview with Eghosa here

Eghosa's investment criteria for entrepreneurs

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

"No one is coming to rescue you." (1:50)

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 ..."

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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 ...