WIN Innovator Untapped Solutions Receives Google Start-Up Grant
The Westchester Innovation Network (WIN) participant Untapped Solutions will receive a $150,000 start-up grant from Google to grow Untapped Solutions’ employment platform.
Untapped Solutions, formerly known as ConConnect, is one of 46 U.S. recipients of this year’s Google for Startups Black Founders Fund and Latino Founders Fund.
Untapped Solutions helps individuals facing barriers to employment by connecting them with job-finding resources, mentors, and networking tools via an easy-to-use app. WIN is a Business Council of Westchester (BCW) initiative designed to connect innovative products and services with existing organizations to guide and support their development.
“We are honored to be accepted into the Black Founders Fund, which will support Untapped Solutions as we grow into a national platform that connects job seekers with employers,” said Untapped Solutions’ CEO Andre Peart.
Beyond $150,000 in equity-free cash to help fuel their business, participants in the Founders Fund program receive sales and fundraising training, technical support from Google mentors, up to $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, mental health coaching from a team of Black and Latino therapists, and participation in an amazing community.
The Google grant is the latest success for Untapped Solutions, which joined WIN in its first year. In 2022, WIN helped Untapped Solutions reach new audiences for its job-resources app through a match with the Yonkers Housing Authority.
ConConnect helped more than 150 people in Yonkers, including formerly incarcerated tenants and their friends and family members. Fifty-four percent of app users searched for jobs and others accessed it for entrepreneurial and small business development information and networking.
The collaboration ignited policy initiatives aimed at enhancing housing stability by making it easier for previously incarcerated people to qualify for rental leases.
Untapped Solutions is the second WIN innovator to receive a Google grant. Last year the health education tech company Lessonbee won a $100,000 award from the Google for Startups Initiative.
“The WIN initiative was designed to be a launch pad for growth and new investment. The Google grants for two of our tech innovators validates our value pitch to WIN participants,” said Marsha Gordon, the BCW’s President and CEO. “We look forward to seeing more of our WIN participants enter funding programs like the Google for Startups Initiative.”
Similar News Items
The BCW is among 37 business organizations statewide that are urging Gov. Hochul to veto S.8432 (Hoylman-Sigal)/A.8662 (Gallagher), which would require small businesses organized as Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) to disclose confidential and personally identifiable information to the New York State Department of State (DOS). The group notes that if signed into law, the legislation […]
The ongoing revitalization of Yorktown’s retail centers continues with construction under way on the $10 million renovation of the Triangle Shopping Center. On Tuesday, Yorktown Town Officials met with executives of The Hakim Organization, which owns the 208,000-square-foot retail center, to survey the progress of work which includes updating store facades and installing new sidewalks […]
With the dismantling of the U.S Department of Education and colleges and universities, along with student loan forgiveness, under attack, there is some very good news for Westchester. BCW Member SUNY Westchester Community College in Valhalla announced this week that it received a $306,514 grant from the U.S. Department of Education through the federal TRIO Student […]
Become A Member
Join the county’s largest and most influential business organization today.
JOIN NOW!
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.