October 11, 2024

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October 11, 2024

Happy Friday, Visionaries! 🖤This week's letter is from VH Co-Founder & General Partner Daniel Acheampong, on his thoughts around what is means to truly take a "risk" when looking at your career:___I had a great conversation with my friend and fellow Toigo Foundation alum, Jarrid Tingle, at the [recent] Toigo APEX event. One topic we delved into was the concept of risk.People often assume that taking a “safe job” is less risky, but this perspective can distort our understanding of risk. In reality, no job is truly safe, as the past few years have clearly shown. Choosing a seemingly secure job without genuine interest or curiosity can be the riskiest path, often leading to dissatisfaction and potential underperformance.It’s far better to pursue something you are genuinely passionate about. While this path demands hard work, deep research, and vulnerability, these elements actually help to de-risk the journey.Entrepreneurs, for example, follow this process when starting a company. They dive deep into their idea, study the market, assess whether they have the skills to solve the problem, recruit others to join them, and embrace the possibility of being wrong. This path, though challenging, can be less risky than settling for something that doesn’t ignite your passion.So, it’s important to adjust how we view risk and avoid placing too much trust in the illusion of “safety.”_____We hope you take this insightful view and reflect: are you currently taking a risk in your current role, and if so, is it the risk you intended to take?Here's to making more intentional de-risking decisions by pursuing your passions in your career, startup ideas, and in life!Be well,

Daniel Acheampong & the Visible Hands Team

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WHAT WE HAVE OUR EYES ON

➕ Founder Funding & Community Resources

💸 Funding Opportunities

Walmart Spark Good Local GrantsFor: local organizations$$$: $5KDeadline: October 1515PercentPledge Achievement AwardFor: any founder$$$: $200KDeadline: October 16Panasonic Well Family Wellness Innovation ChallengeFor: startups helping redefine the future of wellness$$$: $125K - $500KDeadline: October 25Etsy CERF+ GrantFor: creative founders recovering when disasters disrupt their small businessesDeadline: October 31The David PrizeFor: New York-based founders$$$: $200KDeadline: November 11Her Culture Micro GrantFor: African and Caribbean women $$$: $500Deadline: rolling deadline

⚡️ Accelerators, Programs & Competitions

Build Wellth Founder AcademyFor: Black women and non-binary foundersDeadline: October 13Harvard Business School Startup Pitch CompetitionFor: climate-focused startups$$$: $2.5K-$20KDeadline: October 15NBA LaunchpadFor: founders and companies that can innovate the NBA ecosystemDeadline: October 18Aurora Tech AwardFor: women tech founders$$$: up to $30KDeadline: October 18Joyful Impact AcceleratorFor: social impact founders & leadersDeadline: October 20Community Business Accelerator by Found/LA & Grid110For: LA-based businesses serving the local communityDeadline: October 2110th House Beauty & Personal Care AcceleratorFor: female founders in the beauty industryDeadline: October 232025 MassRobotics AcceleratorFor: robotics startups in BostonDeadline: October 25HITLAB Versalie Virtual Innovation ChallengeFor: founders with a tech solution geared toward women's health/menopause$$$: $10K-$25K

Deadline: October 28

Marshalls Good Stuff AcceleratorFor: women founders$$$: $5K

Deadline: October 31

Nex Cubed’s HBCU Founders Accelerator Cohort #4

For: MVP stage startups; at least one co-founder is an HBCU student/alum/faculty

$$$: $120K Deadline: November 1

Mentors & Angels Accelerator For: underrepresented foundersDeadline: November 1Hello Alice Tech x Women Boost CampFor: women tech foundersDeadline: November 1Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program For: women founders$$$: $5KDeadline: November 1SXSW 2025 Pitch ShowcaseFor: early-stage foundersDeadline: November 3Slauson & Co 2025 Friends & Family AcceleratorFor: early-stage founders$$$: $300K investmentDeadline: November 3Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA)For: NYC-based founders$$$: $150KDeadline: November 4EforAll Social Impact Pitch ContestFor: early-stage foundersDeadline: November 5Black Girl Ventures Pitch CompetitionFor: Black and Brown women founders$$$: $15KDeadline: November 6SHRM Labs WorkplaceTech AcceleratorFor: startups dedicated to advancing workplace and future work technologies$$$: $200KDeadline: November 11Y Combinator Winter 2025 BatchFor: any founderDeadline: November 12Techstars AI Health BaltimoreFor: healthcare startups in Baltimore$$$: $120KDeadline: November 20The Workshop at Macy'sFor: underrepresented foundersDeadline: November 30Tech for an Equitable FutureFor: underrepresented foundersDeadline: January 27

🎪 Events

AWSM MRNGS: A Founders & Funders Brunch | LA Tech WeekFor: Black & Brown founders, funders and operators in LADate & Time: October 15, Los Angeles, CAStartOut Demo Day LIVE 2024For: LGBTQ+ founders & supportersDate & Time: October 21, San Francisco, CA

StartOut Demo Day LIVE 2024 (Pt. 2)For: LGBTQ+ founders & supportersDate & Time: October 23, Los Angeles, CARaise Global Summit 2024For: emerging managersDate & Time: October 24, San Francisco, CAVenture RevolutionFor: stakeholders in VCDate & Time: November 7, San Francisco, CA

AcceleratorConFor: tech founders, funders, investors and early adoptersDate & Time: November 8, Brooklyn Navy Yard

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