Ed Richardson

https://unclenearest.com/ honors the world’s first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. It was the first spirits brand in the world to be named after a Black American. The portfolio is the Most Awarded Bourbon and American Whiskey of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 with over 1,100 awards and accolades since the brand’s 2017 launch, including 715 Gold medals or higher, 123 Best in Class honors and an average critic’s score of 92. Uncle Nearest is currently sold in all 50 states and 12 countries, and is sold in more than 25,000 stores, bars, hotels, restaurants, as well as at its 432-acre Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn. For more information, please visit the Uncle Nearest https://unclenearest.com/, and follow on Instagram and Facebook @unclenearest.

Players​ Lounge (playerslounge.co) is a social gaming startup. Our mission is to provide gamers with a platform to play their video games against others for cash and prizes. A very small percentage of gamers are making a ton of money playing professionally, but there are millions of gamers who want to make money playing video games as well. Players​ Lounge is giving this opportunity to everyone. Players​ Lounge is a venture backed startup and Y Combinator company that is tackling a rapidly growing market.

Partake is a Black-owned, women-led company that offers delicious, allergy-friendly cookies, baking mixes, and pancake & waffle mixes that are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, and free of the top 9 allergens (wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame, and shellfish). Created in 2016 by Founder and CEO Denise Woodard when her daughter was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, Partake is a Certified B Corp that works to provide everyone the ability to partake and share in life’s joys—big and small. Our products are made with better-for-you ingredients and offer a variety of new and nostalgic flavors that those with and without dietary restrictions can enjoy. Find Partake in 9,000 stores across the US. For more information, please visit: partakefoods.com or follow @PartakeFoods on Instagram.

Rent space to work anywhere for any price. ShearShare is a B2B platform that connects salon, spa, and barbershop owners to individual stylists to fill their unused salon space on demand. Salon and barbershop owners make money on their empty suites and stations, and licensed cosmetologists and barbers get access to professional, affordable space to work without having to sign a long-term contract or work by commission. 900+ cities, starting at $15 a day. For more information, visit www.shearshare.com.

Backstage Capital is a venture capital fund investing in the best startups led by underrepresented founders in the U.S.

We are passionate about creating inclusive and flourishing neighborhoods. We're focused on Atlanta and love it as a great city to grow a business and affordable enough to test different real estate models within a fast-growing metropolitan region. Our work includes residential housing units that are affordable for-sale and for-rent units. We are innovative and develop the stuff that won't fit larger developer boxes and spreadsheets, including missing middle housing from 2 family units to courtyard bungalow communities. We take small risks to test new paradigms and then scale out the development as a replicable model. Right now, we're excited about infill development on small sites, co-housing, room-rental models, permanent affordable for-sale options, crowdfunded financing, partnering with individuals and institutions who need construction or development help with their real estate assets. Always looking for funding that is intentional, return-based and likes emerging real estate markets with high risk/reward profiles and an opportunity for impacting neglected communities at the same time. We value partnerships so if anything above intrigues you or aligns with your goals, let's chat!

Khonso Brewing (Khonso) fuses different beer styles together to create a unique beer experience for everyone. Khonso’s eclectic beer recipes have bold flavors, aromas, and a distinct vibe that comes from the blending of different flavors and styles to create new ones. Our beer is “An escape from the ordinary”, also known as The Khonso Experience.

EnrichHER is a financial technology platform that matches revenue-generating companies led by women and founders of color to individual and institutional sources of funding. A Certified B Corporation™ and portfolio company of Techstars, Fearless Fund, and Georgia Tech's ATDC Accelerate program, EnrichHER has been in-market since 2019, deploying $14M in capital to traditional businesses from 47 states. Our network has engaged with over 98,000 companies through our digital community and in-person activations. Named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2021 "Atlanta Startups to Watch" and winner of the FinTech South Challenge, EnrichHER is proud to fuel the fastest-growing demographics of business owners -- Black women and diverse-led companies -- by providing capital, coaching, and connections. Because EnrichHER offers a turn-key Fintech platform with access to over 98,000 New Majority business owners, we partner with foundations, corporate giving departments, and impact investment groups to deploy $10 Million impact funds to our ecosystem. Check us out here: https://www.EnrichHER.com

https://unclenearest.com/ honors the world’s first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. It was the first spirits brand in the world to be named after a Black American. The portfolio is the Most Awarded Bourbon and American Whiskey of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 with over 1,100 awards and accolades since the brand’s 2017 launch, including 715 Gold medals or higher, 123 Best in Class honors and an average critic’s score of 92. Uncle Nearest is currently sold in all 50 states and 12 countries, and is sold in more than 25,000 stores, bars, hotels, restaurants, as well as at its 432-acre Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn. For more information, please visit the Uncle Nearest https://unclenearest.com/, and follow on Instagram and Facebook @unclenearest.

Players​ Lounge (playerslounge.co) is a social gaming startup. Our mission is to provide gamers with a platform to play their video games against others for cash and prizes. A very small percentage of gamers are making a ton of money playing professionally, but there are millions of gamers who want to make money playing video games as well. Players​ Lounge is giving this opportunity to everyone. Players​ Lounge is a venture backed startup and Y Combinator company that is tackling a rapidly growing market.

Partake is a Black-owned, women-led company that offers delicious, allergy-friendly cookies, baking mixes, and pancake & waffle mixes that are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, and free of the top 9 allergens (wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame, and shellfish). Created in 2016 by Founder and CEO Denise Woodard when her daughter was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, Partake is a Certified B Corp that works to provide everyone the ability to partake and share in life’s joys—big and small. Our products are made with better-for-you ingredients and offer a variety of new and nostalgic flavors that those with and without dietary restrictions can enjoy. Find Partake in 9,000 stores across the US. For more information, please visit: partakefoods.com or follow @PartakeFoods on Instagram.

Rent space to work anywhere for any price. ShearShare is a B2B platform that connects salon, spa, and barbershop owners to individual stylists to fill their unused salon space on demand. Salon and barbershop owners make money on their empty suites and stations, and licensed cosmetologists and barbers get access to professional, affordable space to work without having to sign a long-term contract or work by commission. 900+ cities, starting at $15 a day. For more information, visit www.shearshare.com.

Backstage Capital is a venture capital fund investing in the best startups led by underrepresented founders in the U.S.