BUILDFest NYC 2022 - BUILD

Find out how entrepreneurship is redefining education, creating opportunity, and transforming lives

June 1, 2022

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST

Tribeca 360, 10 Desbrosses Street

Cocktails and Dinner

Featuring a Student Marketplace & Business Pitch Competition

Festive Attire

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Hours

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About the event

Support BUILD’s transformative program as we develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and change makers. Get to know BUILD youth entrepreneurs as you shop at the Student Marketplace. Network with New York’s leading business, education, philanthropic, and community leaders. Share the excitement as the top two student teams pitch their businesses Shark Tank–style before VIP judges during dinner. You’ll have a chance to vote for your favorite team. Stay for dessert and conversation after the winners are announced.

Host, Chymeka Olfonse

Chymeka Olfonse is the visionary leader and founder of BUILD NYC, a nonprofit focused on equipping students with critical 21st century skills through the power of entrepreneurship. Serving as the Regional Executive Director, she leads a dynamic team of staff and advisory board members. Chymeka’ has dedicated her career to empowering individuals through education. Prior to BUILD, Chymeka served as the Executive Director of Minds Matter National Inc., an academic mentoring nonprofit focused on college success headquartered in New York City. During her tenure, Minds Matter doubled the number of students served and successfully launched four of its then 12 chapters.

Master of Ceremonies,
Morgan Radford

Morgan Radford is a correspondent for NBC News and anchor for NBC News NOW based in New York City. Her work frequently appears on TODAY Show, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Noticias Telemundo and MSNBC. Radford also co-anchors a daily news program from 11-1pmET on NBC’s new digital streaming service, NBC News Now. Since joining NBC News in 2015, Radford has covered the country’s biggest stories including the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on low-income communities, and America’s racial reckoning following the 2020 shooting death of George Floyd. Radford also won the 2021 Gracie Award for National TV News On-Air Talent. Prior to joining NBC News, Morgan was an anchor for Al Jazeera America and previously worked for ABC News at their headquarters in New York City. Originally from Greensboro, NC, Morgan received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a master’s degree from Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and a Fulbright Fellowship from the United States State Department, where she spent one year teaching in Durban, South Africa. Radford is fluent in Spanish and was certified by the French Chamber of Commerce for business proficiency in French. She currently serves on the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism’s Board of Visitors (J’10).

Keynote Speaker,
Alumni Hamid Cruz

Hamid Cruz graduated from Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy in 2021. He is currently finishing his first year at Columbia University where he is majoring in Computer Science on a full scholarship. Hamid is the first in his family to attend college. During his four years at BUILD, Hamid launched and ran two companies including Round Cable, one of BUILD NYC’s most successful businesses and winner of the 2019 Flash Pitch Competition.

Meet Our VIP Judges

Ilbert J. Sanchez

CEO and Co-Founder of Garçon Couture

Renaldo Webb

CPO and Founder of PetPlate

Wendy Washington

Founder and CEO of TID Agency

We Thank Our Generous Sponsors!

Incubator Investor

Launching a movement to change the future of education and opportunity in America

Visionary Investors

Together, we are BUILDing Generation Entrepreneur - a generation of innovators, change-makers and trail-blazers.

Angel Investors

Together, we are BUILDing Generation Entrepreneur - a generation of innovators, change-makers and trail-blazers.

Entrepreneurship Champions

Together, we are BUILDing Generation Entrepreneur - a generation of innovators, change-makers and trail-blazers.

Carlton and Janet Charles | Michael Keating | Patrick McAneny | John Offenbacher

Student Champions

Nic Lirette and Brittany Bragg | Fred and Barbara Taylor | Mike and Shelia Hartnett | Chris and John Gallin

Thank You, BUILD NYC Board Members

AMBASSADORS

Tom Doctoroff

Ira Levy

Michael Springer

Dan Vallimarescu

Michael Wirth

Chineze Worthington

ADVISORY BOARD

Mike Portegello*

Andrea Atwell*

Roger Barton

Carlton J. Charles

Brian Cohen

Erica Culpepper

Mona Dessouki

Matt Doherty

John Lee

Alyssa Lim-Sweet

Nicolas Lirette

Ben Mangum

Chymeka Olfonse

Amy Pan

Laura Patel

Bruce Sandys

Naveen Shahani

Katerina Sokolova

Ram Vijayanathan

Alethia Young

ASSOCIATE BOARD

Ian Mabie*

Katie Ambrose*

Michael Cianciotta

Trace Cohen

Tomas Dicpinigaitis

Alex Eacker

Nick Felice

Jessie Goldman

Camille Gray

Sebastian Hooker

Martin Hui

Andrew Jasen

Hannah Kim

Cristen Koufakis

Osker Lu

Darnell Marescot

Brian McMahon

Greg Minetti

Steve Mortenson

Ike Oji

Mary Prager

Sami Soma

Michael Stimmel

Wickel Titalom

Pete Van Oot

Alvin Wei

Jake Wieseneck

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