BIG is our highly competitive 12-week program designed for Latina and Black women entrepreneurs who are ready to test their idea and launch to market. We provide you with our evidence-based curriculum, an immersive experience led by industry leaders, 1:1 mentorship, and exclusive access to a community of founders like you.
BIG IS FOR YOU IF:
- Pre-revenue women founders who identify as Latina, Black, or both
- Founders who have started to build or are ready to launch their MVP (minimum viable product)
- Founders who want to take their tech-enabled business to market
IN BIG, YOU WILL:
- Build/refine product MVP based on customer feedback
- Develop a scalable revenue and financial model
- Create a compelling pitch to prepare for fundraising
- And so much more!
Meet Our 2023 Founders
The BIG Experience:
ACCESS TO RESOURCES
— Learn and apply the Lean Startup methods to discover the business model and minimum viable product that will prepare you to grow your startup exponentially
— Discover how to build a team and develop an operational structure so that your company can keep -up with your exponential growth
— Find who your target customer is and solve barriers in reaching them at scale, driving your revenue growth
— Set your business up for success by learning tools to track your operational costs and revenues through balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements - and learn when to use each one
— Learn about investors and investments terms, and know how to find funding for your business when the time is right
— Much more, including sales frameworks, pricing models, content marketing, PR/branding, hiring talent, intellectual property, competitive analyses, and other modules that will catalyze growth
360° SUPPORT
— Connect 1:1 with a mentor and our Entrepreneur in Residence
— Tap into a community of peers who look like you, who have done what you’re doing, and who understand who you are as a founder
— Learn how to prepare to apply to the nation’s top accelerator programs and prepare for investment
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
Time Commitment
— One, immersive weekend per month (Friday-Sunday) for three months
— 4 hours per month with your cohort (weekly evening call after work hours)
— 4 hours per month with your mentor
— Office Hours available for up to 10 hours per month
— 12 hours of personal executive coaching
— 30+ hours of programming with industry experts and highly successful startup founders
— Up to 25 hours of 1:1 working sessions on your startup with Facilitators, our Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and digitalundivided staff
— Professional connections with million-dollar founders, investors and VCs, national accelerators, and others
— Access to the digitalundivided Network via the Mighty Networks platform
Get to know our BIG Entrepreneur-in- Residence
Alysia ‘Aly’ Nicely is an experienced multicultural strategist, brand builder, and entrepreneur on a mission to empower underrepresented founders. Aly is the Founder + CEO of BEAUTY IN COLOR, which she built in digitalundivided's prestigious BIG Incubator.
FAQS
Who is the program open to?
The program is open to Latina and Black women founders based in the United States or its territories. Companies with a strong tech component that are pre-revenue and just about to go to market should apply. We do not accept idea-stage companies for this program; but if you are at the idea stage and have not yet launched, please consider our START program. If your company is already generating revenue, please consider our BREAKTHROUGH or Do You Fellowship programs.
Where does the program take place?
The virtual nature of BIG allows applicants from anywhere to apply to the program and participate in the workshops and office hours via Zoom.
We encourage qualifying Latina and Black women founders from all across the United States and its territories to apply to this program.
When does it take place?
The BIG program will take place during the following weekends:
Weekend 1: May 26-28, 2023
Weekend 2: June 23-25, 2023
Weekend 3: July 21-23, 2023
The Big Bang, our virtual Demo Day event, will take place in person in September 2023.
Friday sessions will take place from 6:00 pm ET to 7:30 pm ET; and both Saturday and Sunday sessions will take place from 9:00 am ET to 3:00 pm ET.
*Times and dates are subject to change.
In addition, all founders will participate in a weekly cohort call and The Big Bang Demo Day.
When do applications close?
The deadline to apply is April 27, 2023 by 11:59 pm Eastern Time. For any questions, please email programs@digitalundivided.com.
How much does it cost to participate?
The program fee is typically $1,975 per company (up to two co-founders may be accepted). Thanks to our partners & sponsors who have covered the fees for this year’s program, the program is free of charge to participating founders.
Once the program ends, does digitalundivided fund my company?
This program is a pre-accelerator program, and we do not offer funding. However, we will prepare you to take on funding, apply to the nation’s top accelerator programs, and, most importantly, find a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, who will support you the entire way there.
Are all Mentors and Facilitators for this program BIPOC?
Our network of mentors and facilitators was carefully curated to include both BIPOC experts and allies, who represent a myriad of identities and all of whom are aligned with digitalundivided's core values and cultural competencies. Some Facilitators and Mentors may not identify as Black or Latina women, but they have all been carefully vetted and trained by digitalundivided staff to ensure they provide the highest level of support to our founders.
Get Involved
Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news, updates, and opportunities to get involved.
Access to capital is the number one barrier Latina and Black women entrepreneurs face. The lack of access to capital in early phases of companies can prevent them from scaling at the level that they should be and increases their likelihood of failure.
Powered by MetLife Foundation, BIG Extension Pilot Program will support five new-to-market businesses through a speaker series, a 1:1 mentor, a growth plan, and a $5,000 grant. This program will help earlier-stage founders be more acutely aware of the strategic work that they can do to develop their businesses further, create unique assets and intellectual property, and influence their valuations. This sustained investment in time and resources will provide a solid foundation to accelerate the founders’ success at a pivotal time in their business’s development and growth. These founders will be more confident in their ability to achieve measurable success that grows the valuation of their businesses.
Powered By:
