What is the Sparkhouse Tank Xperience?

The Sparkhouse Tank Xperience is a 2-day event, and 3 week intensive business accelerator for collegiate level early-stage startups.

The program provides:

Mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and investors
Access to funding and resources
Opportunities to pitch your business for a no strings attached grant.

The Sparkhouse Tank Xperience is designed to help collegiate level startups accelerate their growth and take their business or ideas to the next level.

As a Black entrepreneur, I have faced the challenge of limited access to funding. Black entrepreneurs receive less than 2% of venture capital funding annually. To address this disparity, Felicitea Digital Lab has proactively implemented various initiatives. These include organizing events, establishing mentorship programs, and conducting grant competitions. The aim of these initiatives is twofold: to facilitate equitable resource distribution and empower entrepreneurs with the knowledge necessary to secure funding.

At Felicitea Digital Lab, our mission is to empower organizations and creative individuals to thrive. As a comprehensive agency, we specialize in public relations and digital marketing, tailoring our diverse services to meet their unique needs. Our track record since inception reflects our dedication and effectiveness. With more than $5 million in revenue and an international clientele base of over 10,000, we are proud of our notable success.

Our journey began within the AUC community, and we recognized the need for a platform where entrepreneurs could showcase their innovative ideas and solutions. Sparkhouse Tank allowed us to establish this platform, and we would welcome the chance to contribute to the growth of the same community that fostered our professional development.

We aim to expand the competition's reach to dedicated entrepreneurs within the Atlanta University Center's Scholars Program. This competition presents an opportunity for current students to showcase their business ideas and compete for cash prizes that can support the execution of their plans. We are part of the Truist Fellowship Foundation's 2024 cohort, and this competition is generously funded by their foundation.

Attendance Requirements

Over the next weeks, you are expected to attend at least 70% of 6 sessions. In these sessions, you are expected to:

Be on camera (if bandwidth allows). Arrive on time: Latecomers to an Impact Series forfeit workshop attendance. Make an effort to reduce outside distractions to maximize session impact (ie. phone calls, social media, working space, etc.)

Additionally, active participation encompasses a commitment to: Learning and innovation Collaboration with peers/pods

Entrepreneurial initiative

Professionalism

Positive community impact

Attendance Policy

Excused Absences: Each student has two automatic excused absences without penalty. They Must Go Live on social media with Felicity, to makeup their missed session.
Teams must submit an absentee form at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting to receive an excused absence. Which includes proposed LIVE Date and time selection.
Unexcused Absences: Any additional absences without a submitted absentee form received 24 hours in advance will be considered an unexcused absence and will result in a penalty deduction.

Absence Request Form: If you plan to miss any sessions you must fill out the Absence Request Form within 24 hours of missing a session. Multiple unexcused absences will result in a meeting with the program team. You can find the absence request form here.

You are expected to meet with Program mentors throughout the program:

Preceptor Mentor 1:1 - You’ll meet with your assigned mentor once weekly.
Program Manager Felicity Swindell
1:1 - You’ll meet with your Program Manager at least once, with optional additional meetings for program support or assistance with your venture. pitch.
Pitch 1:1 - You’ll meet with the Basecamp Program Ambassadors Courtney & Tyanna to brainstorm, discuss challenges, and receive feedback on the development of your event.

Pitch 1:1 (OPTIONAL) - You will have the opportunity to meet with the Associate Program Manager or Program Manager to discuss pitch development.

Pitch XPIERENCE
Development:

Throughout the fellowship, you will craft a well-refined pitch EXPIERENCE for your venture. This element will equip you with the skills and confidence to present your venture compellingly and make a memorable impression in diverse settings.

By the end of the program, you will have a Pitch to present your venture compellingly and make a positive memorable. in diverse settings. You will accomplish this by completing the Pitch Block, as well as the following

Pitch Checkpoints

(all checkpoints must be complete to receive a Certificate of Completion):

Script Draft: Fellows build the story of their pitch.

REVISION

Final Pitch: You will submit your final pitch after receiving feedback on the script, deck, and zoomrsentation.