These founders are poised to push boundaries, disrupt industries, and redefine the future of technology. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey with the next wave of game-changing leaders. Allow us to introduce you to Cohort 9!

Meet The Founders

(Left to Right)

• Joevan Palmer // Saola Health // Saola Health is a mental health community platform that helps individuals with stress management, anxiety reduction, and suicide prevention by providing real-time mental health advisors.  
• Emmanuel Obodoechine // Eno // ENO is an automated savings app that helps first-time home buyers save money to purchase their first home. 
• Demontay George // Dizzbe // Dizzbe is an AI-powered personal stylist helping online shoppers simplify their online shopping experience by discovering clothing items and accessories across the web that best fit their style and budget.
• Dre Manning // SparQ Social // SparQ Social is a marketplace with ready-to-post video content helping marketing professionals access quality license-free content in one convenient location. 
• Treasure Goddard // Applicaster // Applicaster uses AI to simplify the job application process by allowing job seekers to bulk apply to multiple job openings at once. 
• Jeremy Knowles // Eryn // Eryn is an AI-powered enterprise software that aligns talent strategy with business goals. 
• Darrien Carter // Aonverse // Aonverse is a social network for gamers and cosplayers.  
• Brandon Hazzard // Fox Flock // Fox Flock makes in-person networking more effective by allowing professionals to identify fellow professionals located nearby.  
• Jaidan Hines // AuxBattles // AuxBattles is a music social networking game that allows friends to compare their playlists against each other with a community of music lovers determining the winner. 

How To Stay Connected

If you’re looking to engage, support, or follow the progress of this group of early-stage startup founders over the next 10-weeks, the best way to connect with them directly is to join our FREE online learning community HERE!

The post Introducing Square One Startup School’s 9th Cohort appeared first on Square One.

As they embark on this transformative journey, they are poised to redefine industries, disrupt norms, and shape the future of entrepreneurship. Get ready to witness the birth of groundbreaking solutions and the rise of tomorrow’s industry leaders. Allow us to introduce the founders in Cohort 8! 

Meet The Founders

• Jamila Carrington Smith // Centric AI // CENTRIC is an AI-powered customer success manager that helps businesses create a high-touch experience for their customers that grows their bottom line.
• Luben Petrov // Alternative Systems and Technologies // Alternative Systems and Technologies is an AI-powered quant investing company that helps wealth managers increase their annual returns for their investors. 
• Abdul Diallo // Jootal // Jootal is a modern equity-crowdfunding platform that allows anyone from around the world to invest in real estate and organic farms based in the African diaspora.
• Deon Lumpkin // Goody’s 2 Go // Goody’s 2 Go is an on-demand shopping marketplace allowing convenient stores to increase their revenue by selling expiring or underperforming inventory at a discounted price. 
• Ray Arceneaux // Diabetes Healthcare Company // Diabetes Healthcare Company is an AI-powered diabetes care management platform for people who have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. 
• Victory Ogunbanwo // AsoebiBar // AsoebiBar is a One-Stop-Shop for finding and purchasing custom African Asoebi clothing. 
• Grace Simmons // Gluggler // Gluggler is an on-demand delivery marketplace for alcohol, tobacco and convenience goods.
• Jermey Vincent // GlobeKin // GlobeKin is an e-learning platform that enhances out-of-school learning for kids K-12.
• Ryan Marsh // Sidenote // Sidenote is a group chat app that helps with managing and planning activities with your friends and family.
• Sarah Lawrence // Tallymade // Tallymade is a gamified survey tool that increases survey completion rates by transforming surveys into interactive games.  

How To Stay Connected

If you’re looking to engage, support, and follow the progress of this group of startup founders, the best way to connect with them is by joining our Square One community HERE!

The post Unveiling Square One Startup School’s 8th Cohort! appeared first on Square One.

From a linguistic app powered by AI to a waste management platform reducing waste in a unique way, we are excited to introduce Square One’s 7th Cohort! 

Meet The Founders

(Left to Right)

• Hope Anusiem // Fashion Row Collective // Fashion Row Collectives is a professional social network for the fashion industry helping fashion creatives, brands, and providers seamlessly connect and collaborate. 
• Nadia Rivera // Fishwalk // Fishwalk is an AI-powered voice recognition technology tutor helping non-native English speakers learn and improve their speech, pronunciation and conversational skills.
• King Davis // Shwcse // Shwcse is an online marketplace that connects consumers directly to independent clothing brands.
• Miranda Terrell // Leisure Parking // Leisure Parking is a parking management platform that simplifies the parking reservation process. 
• Kirk Scott // Helix // Helix is a centralized platform helping student-athletes secure scholarships and NIL deals. 
• Lucas Scandian // Fishwalk // Fishwalk is an AI-powered voice recognition technology tutor helping non-native English speakers learn and improve their speech, pronunciation and conversational skills.
• Shonda Hobbs // ProfessionDeck // ProfessionDeck is an online gig work marketplace that allows educators to earn supplemental income by leveraging their freelance talents to support local business and school district needs. 
• Raven Campbell // Ape Recycling // Ape Recycling is a waste management software platform that reduces waste by helping construction companies divert, track, and sell recycled construction debris to contractors.
• Calvetta Phair // ReferAll // ReferAll is a recruiting platform that monetizes the referral process. 
• Dana Blades // INtv // INtv a television app that displays content based on the program that is being viewed in order to boost viewer engagement and provide critical metrics to advertisement companies.

How To Stay Connected

If you’re looking to engage and support this group of startup founders, here are 3 ways to connect with the Square One community and follow their journey: 

1. Subscribe to our Back To The Basics Newsletter to stay up-to-date 
2. Follow our Wisdom Wednesday Sessions to attend FREE events
3. Explore our Content Library for FREE courses and content

The post Meet Square One’s Lucky Number 7 Cohort appeared first on Square One.

From health and wellness apps powered by AI to smart contract platforms leveraging blockchain technology, we are excited to introduce Square One’s most advanced cohort to-date , Cohort 6! 

Meet The Founders

(Left to Right)

• Skania Florestal // HBCU Made // HBCUMADE is a professional social network designed to help corporations diversify their talent pipeline by connecting them to alumni networks at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Odie Gray // Spotlight // Spotlight is a web application that matches social impact services from non-profits with people in need within under-resourced communities. 
• Surayya Walters // Still Knowing // Still Knowing is a digital community and platform where Gen Z can gather to discover their faith, learn faith-based mental health practices, and interact with educational and community resources to support them in their journey toward blending spiritual and emotional wellness.
• Gavin Sharp // Interp // INTERP is a health tech company that provides on-demand interpreters for non-english speaking patients. 
• Torance Robuck Jr. // Handitova // Handitova is an on-demand delivery app that offers same-day delivery for small e-commerce businesses. 
• Janai Walters (Co-Founder) // inSIDEkonnect // InSIDEkonnect is a platform that seamlessly connects socially-disadvantaged business suppliers to corporate and government buyers using smart contracts. 
• Sean Graham (Co-Founder) // inSIDEkonnect // InSIDEkonnect is a platform that seamlessly connects socially-disadvantaged business suppliers to corporate and government buyers using smart contracts. 
• Dominic Pritham // Braghumble // BragHumble is an AI-powered personal fitness trainer that helps remote workers improve their at-home workouts to achieve their personal fitness goals. 

Getting On The Fast Track

This group of startup founders is considered our most advanced cohort to-date because the majority of them have functioning products, active users, and paying customers. Regardless of where they are in their journey, these founders will be placed on a fast track to reach their next major milestone over the course of 10-weeks. For non-technical founders looking to build their first product the “Build” Track will help them build an MVP. For pre-revenue founders, the “Sell” Track will help them build a waitlist of new customers. Lastly, for pre-seed founders, the “Scale” Track will help them prepare for a successful fundraising journey. 

How To Stay Connected

If you’re looking to engage and support this group of amazing startup founders in Cohort 6, here are 3 ways to follow their journey and connect with the Square One community: 

1. Subscribe to our Back To The Basics Newsletter to stay up-to-date 
2. Follow our Wisdom Wednesday Sessions to attend FREE events
3. Sign up to Become an Advisor to share your expertise

The post Square One’s Announces It’s Most Advanced Cohort, Meet Cohort 6 appeared first on Square One.

We are super excited to announce that applications to join Square One Startup School’s 6th cohort are officially open! Join a community of fellow founders this Spring to learn from some of the nation’s top startup experts to build the next profitable tech startup.

What’s New?! 

Our Brand

We are kicking off the New Year with a new look. Our new website has gotten a refresh and redesign to match the variety of pathways to success that founders can experience while being apart of Square One. Yellow highlights our “Build” Track which is for non-technical founders looking to build their first product. Green represents our “Sell” Track which is for pre-revenue founders looking to acquire new customers. Red represents our “Scale” Track which is for our pre-seed founders who are preparing to raise capital for their company.

Program Curriculum

We are switching from a theoretical curriculum to a practical curriculum helping founders walk away with tangible outcomes. No code is the future, so we’re implementing DIY software-building into our curriculum that will be integrated into all of our hands-on workshops! Instead of relying on a developer or contractor, our founders will learn how to build the most basic version of their product, sales funnel, and fundraising journey that will allow them to validate, automate, and delegate.

Alumni Spotlight 

Square One graduates have been busy making strides to advance their startups. Big shoutout to cohort 5 alum, Alex Edquist (Good Agriculture), who was recently accepted into the 2023 class for Techstars Impact by Cox Enterprises. Techstars Impact focuses on for-profit companies making a positive impact on underrepresented groups, underserved communities and environmental sustainability.

Cohort 5 alum, Elkanah Reed (WORKOPTI), is making his mark in the startup world! Since 2022 he’s been accepted into several programs including Deloitte ScaleUp Program 2022, TAG Connect, Microsoft Black Partner Growth Initiative, and Google’s Black Founders Exchange.

Applications Are Open

We are seeking to support the best overlooked early-stage startup founders around the world to join our 6th cohort over the course of 10-weeks. If you are a tech startup founder looking to accelerate your path to startup success be sure to submit your application to join a vibrant virtual startup community with world-class startup experts HERE.

Last year we were fortunate enough to give away 10 Fully-Paid scholarships to startup founders due to our ecosystem partners. The good news is that we are offering more scholarships for founders to participate in Square One for free or at a discounted rate (Check scholarship eligibility). If you support tech entrepreneurs and would like to be an official ecosystem partner learn more here.

What is Square One?

Square One is a fully-remote pre-accelerator program helping pre-product, pre-revenue, and pre-seed tech startups accelerate their path to profitability in 10-weeks. The program consists of a customer-first curriculum, close-knit cohort of fellow founders, and guidance from world-class entrepreneurs, mentors, and advisors.

The post Applications For Our Spring Cohort Are Open! 📣 appeared first on Square One.

Since launching in 2020, Square One has brought in over 50+ startup experts to train over 25 startup founders. We are super excited to add to our rapidly growing virtual community with the announcement of our largest cohort to date, Cohort 5! 

Meet The Founders

• Elkanah Reed // Workopti // WORKOPTI is a strategic planning platform that provides one-click business insights to increase productivity and reduce meetings. 
• Cortesia Oxford // The Branding Architect // The Branding Architect is developing a marketplace to discover digital assets such as video, photos, and illustrations with diverse representation for businesses to create inclusive marketing campaigns. 
• Melissa Brogdon // Fourth Party // Fourth Party is a scheduling platform helping mediators streamline the coordination and meeting portion of the meditation process.
• Naim Ali // Payote //  Payote is a Web3 marketplace for automotive merchandise. 
• Deniece Griffin // Grown & Fit Studio // Grown & Fit Studio is developing a menopausal health platform addressing the needs of women 40+ in a community format.
• Sheila Jordan // Knowledge Architects // Knowledge Architects is developing an AR/VR educational platform to upskill technicians in the industrial maintenance industry. 
• Alex Edquist // Good Agriculture // Good Agriculture is a platform uniting small farmers under one business umbrella to compete against industrial agriculture at scale.
• Vishwa Mudigonda // KemNu // KemNu is an engagement marketplace for educational institutions to improve student & community experience.
• Lauren Randolph // Kin Collective // Kin Collective is a subscription-box filled with Black-owned food & beverage products making it easier for conscious consumers to support Black-owned businesses.
• Shawanda Johnson // Picture Fresh // Picture Fresh is developing a modern air-purifier system to provide safe air quality for indoor environments.

Meet The Coaches

We have brought together a new batch of startup experts ranging from product development, legal, digital marketing, finance, and more to work 1-on-1 with our startups in Cohort 5 helping them reach their personalized goals for the program over the next 10-weeks. New coaches joining the Square One network include Sean Frazier, Managing Partner at 1731 MGMT and Brett Clanton one of the first hires and Lead Engineers for Calendly. 

.

Wisdom Wednesday Sessions Are Back!

Last year we opened up our Wisdom Wednesday Series to the general public and had an amazing response and attendance from our Square One Community. For this cohort we are bringing in 3 new amazing speakers that consist of a Venture Capitalist, Executive, and Founder that forged their own paths in the startup world. 

Mckeever Conwell, Managing Partner at Rarebreed Ventures, Mandela Schumacher-Hodge Dixon, CEO at All Raise, Ben Chestnut, Founder of Mailchimp

How To Stay Connected

Missed the application deadline? No worries, we got you! Here are 3 ways to connect with the Square One community and follow the journey of the amazing founders in Cohort 5: 

1. Enroll in Square One: On-Demand to access a series of online courses
2. Follow our Wisdom Wednesday Sessions to attend FREE events
3. Subscribe to our Back To The Basics Newsletter to stay up-to-date

The post Square One Launches It Largest Cohort, Meet Cohort 5 appeared first on Square One.

With the majority of founders in our previous cohorts being based in the South (US) we’re excited to be expanding Square One’s national and international footprint with our 4th Cohort! 

Meet The Founders

(Left to Right)

• Brian Mays // Smile // Los Angeles, CA: Smile uses real time data to create personalized oral care products and education while leveraging teledentistry to make expert advice and services more affordable.   
• Onanma Okeke (Co-Founder) // Lanor // New York, NY: Lanor is a cloud-based inventory and product lifecycle management platform built for retail brands.
• Arnav Bathla // Sqillful // Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Sqillful provides short immersive training and experiential learning for students to get job-ready.
• Abiola Doherty (Co-Founder) // // Los Angeles, CA: Lanor: Lanor is a cloud-based inventory and product lifecycle management platform built for retail brands.
• Dedren Snead // Future Bridge // Atlanta, GA: Future Bridge is a learning management system teaching kids K-12 how to code through gamification and connecting them to careers in tech.  

What’s New?

At Square One, we are constantly iterating on our 10-week program to fit the needs of our community, which is why we divided the program into 3 Tracks to be intentional about the 3 types of founders we serve; Pre-Product, Pre-Revenue, and Pre-Seed. 

We’re allowing founders to choose which area of their business they want to focus on the most over the course of these 10-weeks. Product, Customers, or Investment?

Each founder may have different individual goals but the same objectives: 1) Build a quick & cost-effective MVP to validate your concept 2) Build an email list and monetize your audience 3) Receive your first investment or term sheet by the end of the program. 

Our Growing Community 

We’ve brought on a new batch of coaches and partners including Carta and some individuals at high-performing venture capital and startup legal firms to train and support our 4th Cohort of founders along their startup journey. 

What’s Next?

Grab a Class Pass to learn from our coaches yourself and subscribe to our newsletter to follow the journey of this amazing group of founders! 

The post Expanding Square One’s Footprint: Meet Our 4th Cohort appeared first on Square One.

This is why we’ve curated over 40+ influential startup experts, with a variety of expertise, to coach our community of first-time founders so that they avoid costly mistakes and increase their chances of startup success. 

Today, we are super excited to announce the new coaches and partners training, inspiring, and supporting our fourth cohort! 

Meet The Coaches 

(Left to Right)

• Morgan J Lopes, CTO at NewStory (Returning coach) 
• Sheena Allen, Founder of CapWay
• Phil Lakin, Founder of NoCode Ops 
• Magdline Small, Head of Partnerships at HubSpot for Startups 
• Chris Gilmore, Attorney at Townsend & Lockett
• De’Havia Stewart, Analyst at Panoramic Ventures

Not Photographed

• Jeff Erickson, Business Development at Carta
• Nakia Melecio, Startup Catalyst, ATDC 
• Shea Taylor, Senior Business Consultant at JP Morgan Chase Bank 
• Ricquel Jackson, Founder of NuDay Digital
• Nancy Cox, Former CTO at Greenlight 
• Durantae Lucas, Head of Finance at Atlanta Ventures
• More TBA! 

New Partners

We are super excited to announce our new partnership with Carta, a platform that helps companies manage their cap tables, valuations, investments, and equity plans!

For Cohort 4 we are opening up our program to startups founders looking to raise their pre-seed round so that they are fully prepared to go on a successful fundraising journey to secure their first investment in the most equity-efficient way possible. 

The partnership will include FREE tools and resources exclusive to our 4th Cohort along with workshops powered by Carta. 

What’s Next?

Our next cohort kicks off next week and we’ll be announcing founders in Cohort 4 soon! There are few spots open to join our 4th Cohort so if you are interested in participating submit your application by Friday, June 25th at 11:59pm PST to join the waitlist. 

APPLY TODAY!

The post Meet The New Coaches & Partners For Cohort 4 appeared first on Square One.

Meet The Founders

• Brent Wright // Referely: A modern referral and customer engagement solution for small business owners.  
• Stephanie Smith // Simmy: A software simulator that allows users to learn and practice how to run Facebook ads without spending real money.
• Darrel Frater // TheClub: A live streaming platform that monetizes virtual parties by connecting DJs and party goers for engaging virtual experiences.
• Kim Hutchens // Giving Black: A fundraising platform connecting communities of color with Black-led non-profits. 
• Marvin Williams // ConnectShop: A social Network for safe private connections. 

Our Support System

We’re proud to continue pushing for a more diverse and inclusive startup ecosystem by welcoming our new program manager and new coaches and partners who bring a variety of skillets, backgrounds, and perspectives to support our founders along their startup journey. 

Our Community

Here are three ways to connect, learn and be a part of our growing community of first-time founders:  

1. Sign up to Become A Member (Use code SQ1FAM )
2. Subscribe to our Newsletter
3. Listen to the New Season of our “Back To The Basics” Podcast

What’s Next?!

Be on the lookout for this dynamic group of founders looking to change the world! This may be one of Square One’s smaller cohorts but may be our most impactful.

The post Small But Mighty: Meet Square One’s Third Cohort appeared first on Square One.

Meet The Coaches 

(Left to Right)

• Jose Martins, Business Development at HubSpot for Startups 
• Beatrice Dixon, Founder of The Honey Pot Company
• Michael Mazier, VP Technology Banking, SVB (Returning Coach)
• Madison Jacobs, Head of Marketing & Communications at Public Rights Project (Returning Coach)
• George Azih, Founder of LeaseQuery 
• Kara Smith-Brown, Founder of SmithBrown

Not Photographed

• Kobie Fuller, General Partner at Upfront Ventures
• Nate Washington, Co-founder of Qoins 
• Nakia Melecio, Startup Catalyst, ATDC 
• Nancy Cox, Former CTO at Greenlight
• More TBA! 

New Partner

We are super excited to announce our new partnership with Bubble, the most powerful no-code platform, empowering entrepreneurs to build production-ready web apps.

Most first-time founders are non-technical so this partnership allows our founders to gain FREE access to premium tools that will allow them to test their assumptions, launch a minimum viable product, and get their first paying customers the quickest and most cost-efficient way possible over the course of 10-Weeks. 

What’s Next?!

Applications for our third cohort are open until Friday, February 19th at 11:59pm PST. Apply today to learn from our startup coaches and take advantage of benefits and resources offered by our partners.

APPLY NOW!

The post Meet Square One Startup School’s 2021 Coaches appeared first on Square One.