Post from Community: Young Enterprising Society (YES) prepares for the 5th cohort of The Blueprint | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Khalif El-Amin
May 4, 2020
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Young Enterprising Society (YES), ​a Milwaukee-based entrepreneurial organization, today announced the next round of its ​Blueprint accelerator program will run from May 11, through July 28, 2020. The ​Blueprint provides $100,000 in seed capital, entrepreneurial and technology training for promising, urban Milwaukee startups.
YES launched the ​Blueprint ​program in 2018 with support from the City of Milwaukee, Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee Institute and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to develop a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in the areas of technology, eCommerce and advanced manufacturing.
“In order for Milwaukee residents to contribute fully to the economy, their skills in technology and innovation need to be cultivated,” said Khalif El-Amin, Co-founder of YES. “The ​Blueprint develops these skills while increasing tax base through employment, a self-sustaining Central City, and a more diverse population of professionals.”
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The ​Blueprint has graduated four cohorts of 34 total entrepreneurs to date, including two in the latest cohort, Safety4Her founded by Melissa Gaglione and Ready, Set, Staff founded by Selwyn Jarvis, whose companies were offered angel investment from Alchemy Angel Investors, headed by Dana Guthrie.
“The experience and connections that I’ve gained from the Blueprint have been invaluable,” said Jarvis. “I can’t stress enough the importance of this program for any entrepreneur who’s serious about their business and wants to set a trajectory for success.”
Cohort four ended in a Demo Day on January 16, 2020 after a 12 week Market Validation training based on the Kauffman Foundation’s Founder Series preparing the businesses for revenue growth and gaining seed investment. The six companies that completed the 12 week
Cultivator program included:
Safety4HerCohort four was led by Sanmitra Iwanski and each participating company was provided a dedicated mentor. Additional support for specific facets of business was provided by Godfrey and Kahn, Band of Coders, Husch Blackwell and Duquaine, Melka, Koplin CPAs & Business Advisors.
For more information about the ​Blueprint including important dates and application instructions please visit ​FollowTheYES.com/the-blueprint​.
About Young Enterprising Society
The mission of YES is to be an international epicenter for financially, politically and socially progressive individuals. Serving as a hub, YES mobilizes people, information, resources and capital for the greater good of its members and society at large.
YES has three primary initiatives, Project Management, Community Orchards, and a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. Its STEAM program has educated thousands of students, exposing them to the latest trends and processes in technology and entrepreneurship. Since 2012, YES projects have helped hundreds of businesses grow and develop while equipping them with the necessary tools and resources to be successful.