Meet The Winners Of The D.C. Virtual Pitch Competition
Black Girl Ventures creates access to capital for under-resourced founders. The BGV Pitch Program flips the traditional pitch experience on its head: we coach entrepreneurs, host a live crowdfunded event, then connect them to community and professionals to support them on their journey. The live-crowdfunding event is a high-energy, fun, focused, and supportive environment that includes the community in being a part of the entrepreneurial journey. Congratulations to the winners!
Ehime Eigbe — 1st Place Winner
Ehime is a dairy explorer and entrepreneur. She started making her own frozen yogurt when she realized most available brands weren't as healthy as they claimed, and created her clean-label recipe which brought about the birth of Sweetkiwi in 2011. She has created flavors for and led partnerships with many exciting brands including Moët & Chandon, Pepsi, Guinness, and Baileys, and has catered major concerts for Pepsi, serving over 3,000 people. In 2007, Ehime moved to the DC area and was accepted into the Union Kitchen food accelerator to launch her Whipped Greek Yogurt in grocery stores. As Founder and Creative Director of Sweetkiwi, Ehime is passionate about creating inspired flavors reminiscent of foods from all over the world and delivering an unforgettable experience in a pint.
Sweetkiwi makes the best-tasting, low-calorie whipped Greek yogurt using real milk sourced locally from grass-fed cows and real ingredients. All of their whipped Greek yogurts are under 320 calories per pint, yet taste amazing and are packed with 20g of protein and millions of probiotics. They are currently sold at Whole Foods Market, Dawsons Market, Yes Organic, Street Market, Union Kitchen Grocery, and Glen's Garden Market.
Kendra Woolridge — 2nd Place Winner
Kendra is a lover of nail polish through and through. She created Janet & Jo. — the namesake of her two grandmothers — out of her passion for polish and commitment to clean beauty. She lost her mother and grandma Jo to cancer, and after learning of the toxic ingredients contained in nail polishes, she knew something had to change. Most nail polishes contain toxic ingredients linked to cancer, reproductive and respiratory health issues, and birth defects.
Janet & Jo. nail lacquers are 10-Free, Vegan, and Cruelty-Free — meaning they're free of 10 harmful ingredients found in traditional nail polishes. Their polishes use the stories behind each polish name to educate and inspire consumers while providing a clean, health-conscious alternative. Beauty without consequence.
Sasha-Loriene McClain — 3rd Place Winner
Sasha-Loriene is a contemporary artist and founder of BLACK GIRLS WHO PAINT (BGWP). As she progressed in her art journey, she found herself increasingly underrepresented in the arts community — a pattern that dated back to childhood. Rather than wait for change, she became it: on September 4, 2017, BGWP was born as a safe space for Black women artists to share their art and their story.
BLACK GIRLS WHO PAINT (BGWP) is a membership community dedicated to Black women and girl painters — celebrating their art and their stories. The membership includes a directory of services, events, and available art for purchase from Black women painters across the globe, and supports Black girls, teens, and students through the BGWP Awards Fund. Through increased visibility, positive representation, and support, BGWP empowers Black women painters to see and invest in themselves.
BGV is forever grateful for our sponsors, judges, supporters, and community members for supporting these women in their pitch competition. Micro-funding is a powerful tool that helps founders maintain the momentum in their businesses.