Yahoo Finance Daymond John Enlists Venus Williams, Shaquille O'Neal and More for Black Entrepreneurs Day
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Shark Tank's Daymond John is getting ready to celebrate Black entrepreneurs.
On Oct. 27, John will be hosting the third annual Black Entrepreneurs Day presented by Chase at New York City's legendary Apollo Theater, PEOPLE can exclusively confirm.
The live-streamed event will be a space to "empower and celebrate entrepreneurs everywhere," according to a press release.
The event's lineup will include one-on-one talks with "Black businesses leaders and cultural icons" including Shaquille O'Neal, Tracee Ellis Ross, Spike Lee, Venus Williams, and Killer Mike — all of which will be moderated by John. The talks will be called "Game Changer Conversations" and former football star Tiki Barber will also be joining the show.
Additionally, the event will feature Big Sean as the musical guest, as well as panels and programs led by companies including Adobe, Lowe's, Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson, and Google, among others.
"Being in year three accomplishes one of my original goals of making this annual event that brings icons of the black community to participate an event that was quickly become one of the most fun D&I events of the year," John, 53, said in a statement.
He continued, "With our incredible lineup, Black Entrepreneurs Day will once again inspire, educate, learn from, and celebrate those that are hustling, pushing forward, pursuing their dreams and, in many cases, thriving. It is truly my honor to return to Harlem's iconic Apollo Theater, and bring BED to a place near and dear to my heart while ensuring audiences throughout the world can stream the show for free."
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This year's Black Entrepreneurs Day will be different from years past as it will feature a new segment: the Build Black with Shopify's Pitch Competition. The segment will parallel Shark Tank's formula where budding entrepreneurs pitch their businesses.
On that day, three entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas to a panel of three judges and a live studio audience. The winner will receive a grant for $25,000 to support their idea and business.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Daymond John
"Black Entrepreneurs Day provides an invaluable resource to a community that is historically overlooked when it comes to resources and funding," President and CEO of the NAACP Derrick Johnson said in a statement. "It is truly economic inclusion for us, by us. As we work to improve every aspect of the Black community - from education and health to building generational wealth - we know Black entrepreneurs and an inclusive, thriving economy are key."
The executive continued: "The NAACP will continue to ensure economic growth and sustainability for Black people. For the third year, we're looking forward to seeing the ways that Black businesses are changing the landscape in industries like tech, beauty, travel and retail and helping them scale through the NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant."
Since its inception in 2020, the event has donated over $500,000 in business grants via John's NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant. Beyond the live audience, last year's event also gained over 7 million viewers online and was awarded two Webby Awards as the Best Remote Business & Finance event on the internet.
Applications for this year's grant are already open. Black entrepreneurs and small business owners can apply for the $25,000 grant on the event's website by Oct. 12 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
The event is a collaboration between Medium Rare and The Shark Group. Sponsors and partners also include JPMorgan Chase, The General Insurance, PepsiCo, Shopify and many more.
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Black Entrepreneurs Day presented by Chase will be streamed live on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. ET on the event's website and on Facebook via Daymond John's Page.
