digitalundivided recently completed the application cycle for the BIG Accelerator Program, the first accelerator program for Black and Latina women founders of high growth companies (more on how we developed the accelerator to come). BIG is a 12-week accelerator program for startups led by Black and Latina women. Located in the heart of Atlanta, BIG provides a structured curriculum focused on developing sustainable businesses, mentorship by top leaders, opportunities to pitch directly to investors, and $20,000 in funding from the Harriet Angels. BIG is a winner of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2015–2016 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition and supported by the Surdna Foundation.

digitalundivided is acutely aware of our role to assist in the development of amazing, tech-enabled, companies founded by great founders who just happen to be Black and Latina women. We’re also acutely aware of our role to show that there are, in fact, amazing tech companies founded by Black and Latina women.

So, we put together a simple infographic on the 96 (!!!) Black and Latina women founders who applied to the first cohort of BIG. The most interesting, but not surprising, data point was the sheer diversity of companies that applied. From augmented reality to cannabis management software to custom shoes, the BIG applicant pool shows that there isn’t a lack of ideas or even development capabilities (68% have a tech co founder).

SOURCE