The Votes Are In! Your 2022 DC Biz Pitch Winners are…
On May 11th, we hosted our 12th annual DC Biz Pitch Competition, and it was a night to remember! At the event, we came together to celebrate our students and
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On May 11th, we hosted our 12th annual DC Biz Pitch Competition, and it was a night to remember!At the event, we came together to celebrate our students and hear their inspiring stories of resilience, as well as words of…
This year, BUILD was excited to partner with Rob Dyrdek and the Do or Dier Foundation to launch our BUILD's See it. Believe it. Do it. Competition! This year's winner was Jalen Harris, 16-year-old entrepreneur from Washington, D.C., for his…
BUILD celebrates Juneteenth and advocates for an equitable and diverse society year-round. Discover different ways you can create a positive change in your community and how we celebrated this year.
As the school year comes to a close and we head into summer break, we'd like to take a moment and reflect upon how proud we are of our BUILD.org teachers and youth entrepreneurs. Earlier this June, we wrapped up…
Comcast's Affordable Connectivity Program helps eligible households obtain a credit of up to $30/month towards Internet and mobile services. This is part of their efforts to advance Entrepreneurship, Connectivity, and Digital Equity in partnership with many nonprofits. BUILD is a…
As Asian American & Pacific Islander Month, comes to a close, we at BUILD believe in always supporting Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) voices in their fight against racial discrimination and disadvantages. We would like to share with you,…
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) was established to celebrate the unique identities, experiences, and cultures of AAPI. However, this month is also used to illuminate the challenges of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) identity. In…
“Activating Youth Voice in Program Design” Webinar Led by BUILD’s Youth Advisory Panel Redwood City, CA - Wednesday, May 18, 2022 -- BUILD.org, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the potential of youth from…
The way to engage students is to make sure that they care about the material and know how much you care about them. By Todd Finley - Edutopia
A Florida educator writes that teacher satisfaction is a complex problem that can only be addressed with a multifaceted approach.
Only one day left until the three finalist student teams present their final pitches for the first Southwestern Pennsylvania Youth Pitch Competition! This Thursday, May 5th from 10am - 2pm EST , the three finalist student teams will compete for $10,000 in prizes, a…
BUILD Uses Entrepreneurship to Teach Financial Literacy to Teens How will you celebrate financial literacy month? Here are 3 ways BUILD brings financial literacy education to our students:1. BUILD Gives Students Bank Accounts!Throughout BUILD, students have bank accounts in which…
Mayors Making ChangeLast week, we closed out Women's History Month by recognizing some powerful women mayors and BUILD leaders. The three fantastic women mayors above are making strides for their cities and for young women everywhere who look up to…
It's International Women's Day! BUILD has been led by powerful, fearless women for the last 20 years! BUILD all started when four students asked BUILD Founder, Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, to support their business idea. Today, BUILD is led by two…
BUILD We Must! By joining our monthly giving community, you are helping to build a new generation of future leaders and change-makers, thus diversifying our workforce and creating a more equitable society.
BUILD Metro DC Associate Board welcomes new board member, Aaron Swinton! Aaron is inspired by the work that BUILD does to support students in under-resourced communities build businesses and make connections that will impact their future. Aaron is interested in…
BUILD Metro DC is excited to announce the addition of a new Metro DC Associate Board member, Rachel Vas! Rachel Vas has 13 years of professional experience in international development and supply chain in the public and private sector. Currently…
BUILD Metro DC is thrilled to announce a new addition to the team! Carrie Miller will be joining the BUILD Metro DC Associate Board! Carrie Miller is an Associate in the Global Trade practice of Goodwin Procter LLP, where she…
Last Month was #MentoringMonth and we took the opportunity to celebrate the many inspiring mentors in BUILD! With so many powerful adult role models supporting our students and mission, we asked our mentors about their experience in BUILD and featured them each Monday in January!
Kassie McGue, a skilled and ambitious woman from Chicago joins the BUILD team!
Did you know it's National Entrepreneurship Week? One of the biggest challenges we face as a nation is how to create a more equitable and prosperous future for all. Teaching entrepreneurship education helps create a diverse new generation of entrepreneurial leaders and…
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BUILD.org is partnering with the Richard King Mellon Foundation (RKMF) to develop the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders and changemakers. Spanning over four years, RKMF's $1.2 million investment will be allocated to Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and will help to equip youth with…
"Ask the Experts: Youth Entrepreneurship and the 21st Century Economy" - Philanthropy Roundtable recently interviewed three leaders of nonprofit organizations, including BUILD CEO Ayele Shakur, involved in this work to seek their perspectives on the importance of youth entrepreneurship education…
Black Enterprise Digital Media features BUILD CEO Ayele Shakur. In her interview, Ayele Shakur shares her belief that if our country wants to build a strong future for tomorrow, we need to teach young students about entrepreneurship starting today. Read…
We are thrilled to announce that Trish Walker has stepped up into the role of Board Chair for BUILD Boston’s Advisory Board after 2 years as an active member of the Board.
Renita D. Young from Bloomberg Black Business interviews BUILD CEO, Ayele Shakur on December 17, 2021
Now, more than ever, is the time to make history and redefine what it means to be an Entrepreneur. According to Hubspot, approximately 26% of Black Americans identify as Entrepreneurs—that makes them one of the fastest-growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the…
November is National Entrepreneurship Month! BUILD envisions a world where every student, in every public high school across America, is learning to think and act like an entrepreneur. BUILDing Gen E is a growth campaign to build a diverse new…
This month, Ayele Shakur, BUILD CEO, received the 2021 National Alliance of Black School Educators (NASBE) Hall of Fame Award! NABSE is the nation's premier nonprofit organization devoted to furthering the academic success for the nation's children - particularly children…
This school year, BUILD NYC has expanded its reach with the addition of a new school partner, DeWitt Clinton High School located in the Kingbridge neighborhood in the Bronx. Katie Gilbert, a former teacher at BUILD’s longstanding school partner, High…
Ayele Shakur believes that if our country wants to build a strong future for tomorrow, we need to teach young students about entrepreneurship starting today. A veteran classroom educator, Shakur taught for 11 years in the Los Angeles area and in the…
Virtual Event, November 10th, 9am PT/12pm ET RSVP Now! As part of our BUILDing Gen E Campaign, join us and watch BUILD alumni, Aury Fernandez and CEO, Ayele Shakur speak at a special Global Entrepreneurship Week event hosted by Barton LLP! Aury will moderate a…
From November 1st - 30th, we are celebrating entrepreneurs, change-makers, innovators, and job creators who are transforming their ideas into companies and building Career success, Entrepreneurial mindsets, and Opportunity with BUILD. Together, we need to create a generation of young people who are prepared…
Last month, BUILD Metro DC held our inaugural State of BUILD DC. Hosted by BUILD Metro DC’s Regional Executive Director, Karleton Thomas, and our Board Chair, Dora Gougoufkas, the event provided a report on last year’s student achievements as well…
This school year, all New York City students are participating in in-person learning and our mentors are ready to help them transition back to the classroom and BUILD. BUILD mentor, Sebastian Hooker is eager to reconnect with his students once…
We are excited to officially welcome BUILD Boston's new Regional Executive Director, Betsy Neptune! Betsy comes to us with many years of experience as an executive leader and brings to BUILD wisdom and experience in entrepreneurship, economic development, coaching, team development, and nonprofit management.
BUILD's 2021 - 2022 DESIGN QUESTION“How might we BUILD powerful, thriving communities where EVERYONE enjoys safety, wellness, and economic freedom?”BREAKING NEWSToday, BUILD Launches New Digital Curriculum for Educators! BUILD is excited to launch our Thriving Communities Design Challenge for teachers…
Do you want to make a positive impact in the lives of young entrepreneurs? Research shows that students who build relationships with caring, consistent adult mentors set higher educational goals, have better school attendance, grow in essential interpersonal and emotional…
Meet Mandy Boose, BUILD Bay Area College Access Program Manager What inspires you to work at BUILD? I’m inspired every day by our students, by knowing that each graduating BUILD class is continuing to foster a more equitable, creative, and…
Last month, BUILD Metro DC’s Regional Executive Director, Karleton Thomas, was asked to testify at the DC City Council's Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, Budget Oversight Hearing. On July 20th, the DC Council approved on its first vote a FY22 budget that includes several…
Last month BUILD celebrated its annual Summer Retreat week, during which staff took time to pause, breathe, build relationships across regional teams, have fun, share some laughs, and reflect on the past year. Following our national retreat, BUILD Metro DC…
Several months ago, I came across a report on COVID-19's impact on DC students. It was disturbing. It's incredibly tough to read it and not feel for those impacted.There was one particular line in the report that moved me: "Students…
BUILD has made a huge impact on me and I truly appreciate all that they do for their students!- Yarency, BUILD Graduate and Scholarship RecipientAfter an unprecedented virtual school year, BUILD was excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our seniors with a socially distance drive-thru graduation!…
BUILD applauds President Biden for officially making Juneteenth a national holiday. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. We asked our Black Affinity Group at BUILD what Juneteenth means to them. Please watch this…
Many aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those who live in distressed communities, lack the runway capital – funds for space, materials, and support – needed to launch their business. Access to capital is lacking in underserved & minority communities. Even with similar…
The BUILD program aligns 100% with ESSER funding requirements. At BUILD.org, entrepreneurship is the spark, college, career, and life success are the goal. Bring BUILD to your school with the ESSER Funding.
BUILDFest NYC 2021 - Equity, Innovation, and Change
On May 19th, we hosted BUILDing Resilience: a conversation with Abadesi Osunsade. Aba, our moderators Christina Luconi & Cendy Moliere, and BUILD students gave an inspiring look at entrepreneurship, resilience, and growth mindset. In case you missed it, check out our virtual venue and get the replay
Celebrate the BUILD Boston Class of 2021 with our 2nd Annual Graduation in a Box -featuring practical and fun items for our seniors as they embark on the next chapter.
Join BUILD Metro DC virtually on May 26th for our annual youth Business Pitch Competition.
It was a week of shoutouts and celebration for BUILD Teachers all across the country
Greater Washington Partnership (GWP) introduced its new Inclusive Growth Strategy Council to recognize inclusive growth as the preeminent moral and economic imperative for the Capital Region. GWP has committed itself to fostering cross-sector collaboration with organizations, such as BUILD, to make sustainable progress in the District.
BUILD Metro DC is proud to match our student entrepreneurs with GWP’s members to change perceptions, grow together and celebrate youth development.
BUILD.org welcomes former BizWorld CEO Thais Rezende as new President REDWOOD CITY, Calif., (Apr. 19, 2021) — BUILD.org welcomed Thais Rezende as their new President this week. Rezende, who will work closely with CEO Ayele Shakur, will join BUILD’s…
BUILD is poised to create a world where entrepreneurship education is taught to every child in America. The BUILDing Gen E campaign utilizes three pillars to build entrepreneurial mindsets and skills for youth in communities that are often overlooked and underestimated.
BUILD is honored to share this incredible news: Mayor Muriel Bowser has proclaimed March 25th 2021as BUILDFest Youth Entrepreneurship Day in Washington D.C. We hope that this will give visibility to our campaign to BUILD Gen E: a diverse new…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyryXj8chSg&t=6s&ab_channel=BUILD"I have a calling to do something and be the change." - Saribelle, Young Entrepreneur of Feel Temple - BUILD NYC Listen to our BUILDFest 2021 changemakers speak on how they would eliminate racial discrimination. As an entrepreneurial organization working at…
We want to acknowledge the tragic and distributing acts of verbal and physical violence that have been recently directed at the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, including yesterday’s violent mass shootings…
BUILD Celebrates International Women's Day: Meet The Women of BUILDFest National 2021! We are excited to have Arlan Hamilton, Brandice Daniel, and Heidi Zak personally coach our young entrepreneurs during BUILDFest 2021. These three women are leaders in their field,…
BUILD celebrates #DigitalLearningDay! BUILD students have kept motivated, engaged, and productive through this pandemic by participating in BUILD’s Covid-19 Virtual Design Challenge. The VDC is our free online offering that takes our entrepreneurial curriculum to the next level - the virtual…
The BUILD a Better You Challenge is a fun opportunity to foster community and healthy competition, boost your team’s physical and mental well-being, and share your company’s commitment to advancing racial equity & diversity. All proceeds from the challenge will go to support BUILD’s youth entrepreneurship program for teens!
#MentoringMonth - Mentor with BUILD! All through January, BUILD celebrated #NationalMentorMonth with videos and messages from our BUILD mentors. Our posts showcased our mentors personal experiences, and their messages to both future mentors and students. Check our Social Media to see more, and…
Join us on March 25th, 2021 for the premiere of BUILDFest National: BUILDing the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs where we’ll showcase regional finalists of BUILD’s COVID-19 Virtual Design Challenges with some exciting appearances from VIP Coaches and special guests. You…
BUILD Winter Retreat From December 14th-18th, BUILD Staffers joined together for many relaxing and creative activities as we celebrated our Winter Retreat 2020. That included Meditation and Yoga led by Natasha Coco Benitez and Justine Johnson, respectively. Natasha is a…
Congress just launchedthe Next Generation Entrepreneur Corps Act Read the Full Press Release “The Next Generation Entrepreneurship Corps program will aid in the small business recovery of distressed regions. Similar to BUILD’s impact on our future generation, Entrepreneurship will ignite…
As part of our #BUILDBridges Campaign, join BUILD NYC and our student entrepreneurs for a fireside chat with Lisa Price, the Founder of Carol’s Daughter, and Erica Culpepper, BUILD board member and L’Oreal’s General Manager, Multi-cultural Beauty.
Twitter and Square Co-Founder and CEO, Jack Dorsey donates $3 million through his #StartSmall initiative to support BUILD.org’s digital initiatives that are reimagining education during COVID-19 and beyond. This investment is a lead gift in the BUILD Opportunity campaign focused…
We are thrilled to announce that Christina Luconi, Chief People Officer at Rapid7, is stepping up into the role of Board Chair for BUILD Boston’s Advisory Board. Christina has served on the Board for 2 years and is taking the…
BUILD.org announced today that it has appointed Roy Hirshland, CEO of T3 Advisors, as Co-Chairman of the National Board of Directors for BUILD effective September 22nd. Roy previously served as a National Board member and as Chair of the Boston…
Changemaker Challenge will donate up to $1 million to groups supporting youth and educators leading change September 22, 2020 — Today, Students Rebuild, a Bezos Family Foundation program that mobilizes young people to take action on the world’s most critical…
Original Press Release San Francisco, September 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ BUILD and Comcast NBCUniversal are introducing a new virtual digital curriculum to help teachers and out of school providers as students struggle to adapt to remote learning across the country. BUILD’s…
Published by the Boston Business Journal August 13, 2020 Philanthropy & Nonprofits Q&A By Shafaq Patel – Contributing Writer Read Full Article Summary: “The pandemic has brought to light many of the structural racial and income inequalities in the Boston…
In late June, BUILD NYC premiered our first ever Virtual Flash Pitch Competition and Celebration. Selected from over 40 remarkable teams, six groups pitched to a panel of esteemed judges.https://youtu.be/JYmBeoi4xgwThe social and economic upheaval posed challenges for our students, however,…
In June 2020, BUILD DC created our first-ever week-long online voting experience, Fund a Future! Participants were able to browse student teams, watch video pitches, review financial projections and marketing plans, hear from mentors and teachers, and cast votes for…
We graduated our first cohort of BUILD seniors this June. It was no small feat to ensure that 100% of them graduated on time, particularly during this tumultuous moment in our history. Our students continue to weather multiple storms including…
In the wake of the rising Black Lives Matter movement, the Boston venture capital community has universally declared a commitment to addressing the entrepreneurial inequities in our system. Many now seek channels to put those commitments into tangible action, and…
Official Press Release National nonprofit organizations join forces to support young people with an entrepreneurial mindset Washington, DC: Two nonprofit organizations – Build.org (www.build.org) and SEED SPOT (www.seedspot.org) – have embraced their entrepreneurial mindset philosophies to impact the communities…
The Elevate Podcast is a podcast about achievement, personal growth and pushing limits in leadership and life. Podcast Host Robert Glazer chats with world-class performers who’ve committed to elevating their own life, pushing the limits of their capacity and helping…
Written By Lauren Schiffman, Contributing Writer for Fifty Plus Advocate By Fifty Plus Advocate Community Advocate Staff Read Fifty Plus Advocate's Article Boston – After graduating from Boston University, Ayele Shakur wanted to be a screenwriter. So, she moved to…
When New York went on pause in March, schools, restaurants and museums shuttered. New Yorkers like many others in the rest of the world faced an uncertain new reality. Frejoel Munoz, a senior at Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy,…
AT A RECENT press briefing, Massachusetts education commissioner Jeff Riley observed that the crisis of COVID-19 school closures is also “an amazing opportunity to think differently about how we educate our kids.” We couldn’t agree more. Let’s use this chance to…
On January 30th, BUILD Boston hosted the Investor Pitch Challenge at Suffolk University. 29 student teams from our 6 partner schools pitched for seed funding in front of 39 VIP judges from the business community. Judges represented many of our…
Guest Blog Courtesy of Briana Curran, Vice President, Communications and Community Relations at Wells Fargo Entrepreneurs are people with vision, ideas and an incredible sense of persistence. Names like Bill Gates, Martha Stewart and Mary Kay Ash (not well known…
1,000 members of Boston's hottest companies brought their A-games to the Reggie Lewis Track & Field Center to connect and compete at the 7th Annual BUILD Entrepreneur Games on October 24th. Together, we raised over $315,000 for BUILD's youth entrepreneurship…
BUILD Boston is proud of our 38 seniors who graduated this past June with awards, recognition, and acceptances to over 70 colleges. We also had a BUILD Boston first - two students were named valedictorians, Lenylse from Dearborn STEM Academy…
On Thursday, March 14th, LogMeIn hosted the 2nd Annual InGames tournament benefiting BUILD Boston. Some of Boston’s hottest local companies including Akamai, CloudHealth by VMware, Drift, HubSpot, Rue Gilt Groupe, Bullhorn, Quick Base, Zipcar and LogMeIn helped raise $31K to…
BUILD Boston is pleased to announce that Tony Bordon, a two-decade veteran of the educational software industry, has joined its Board of Advisors. Tony is the Managing Director of Spinnaker Analytics, an international data analytics firm providing predictive tools and…
BUILD is proud to announce it has been selected to participate in Stand Together’s Catalyst Program, joining the growing national network of more than 100 high-performing organizations that are transforming communities across the country and helping people break the cycle…
BUILD Boston is excited to announce that Tom Axbey, CEO of CloudHealth, has joined its Executive Committee. "On behalf of BUILD, I am thrilled to welcome Tom Axbey, CEO of CloudHealth, to the Executive Committee of our Board of Advisors"…
On December 18th, BUILD Boston hosted our first Holiday Sales Bazaar at District Hall and the lobby of PwC. The event was a big success for our youth entrepreneurs. We had 100 students representing 7 Boston Public Schools come together…
On October 18, 1,000 members of Boston’s hottest companies laced up their sneaks and brought their A-games to the Reggie Lewis Track & Field Center to connect and compete at the 6th Annual BUILD Entrepreneur Games. More than 70 companies…
Meet the Wells Fargo BUILD Mentoring team. Matt Sands, Matt Maclay, Erica Gentili, and Tiffany Ormon head up a great example of one our unique mentoring formats. The group mentoring program at BUILD allows co-workers to engage with the Greater Boston…
Meet Fred Dalzell. Fred is a writer, a consultant, a professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and was also one the first members of our community. For as long as BUILD has been in Boston, Fred has…
Meet Our Mentors is a series showcasing and introducing members of the BUILD mentorship community. Meet Jay Japra. Jay is an entrepreneur who has been working with BUILD since Fall of 2017. As a young entrepreneur himself, Jay found an…
Meet Our Mentors is a series showcasing and introducing members of the BUILD mentorship community. Meet Cailey Newton. A part of the BUILD community since the fall of 2016, Cailey has been a volunteer mentor for nearly two years. Although…
Ayele Shakur has nearly 30 years of experience as an innovator in urban education. We are thrilled to announce that on June 6, 2018, our National Board of Directors unanimously voted in Ayele Shakur to serve as BUILD’s new CEO. …
“Our journey to the top starts at the bottom!” That was the slogan of Bottom Feeders, winners of the 2018 BUILDFest Pitch Challenge at the Sheraton Boston Hotel Monday night. Bottom Feeders is a business launched and run by Joshua…
