Inaugural Business Pitch Competition hosted at AIBL’s annual national conference in Las Vegas.
Missoula, MT – American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL) and American Indian Graduate Center partnered to award $20K to four Native American student entrepreneurs to kick-start their businesses last month at the first annual Business Pitch Competition.
“Witnessing the students build and bring their best business ideas to this pitch competition is incredibly inspiring. We are proud of all the participants and so thankful to American Indian Graduate Center for sponsoring the competition,” said Prairie Bighorn-Blount, Executive Director of AIBL.
Each of the winners were awarded $3,500 to $6,500 to build and promote their businesses.
- Moss Bag Baby by TaNeel Filesteel, an Indigenous baby clothes and accessories merchandise company.
- Lice Angels by Xanthia Jackson, a lice removal and preventive service that uses an all-organic product line.
- Christian Lawn Care by Christian Rangel, a quality and innovate lawn care service company.
- Indigenous Awakening by Chase Comes At Night, providing Indigenous communities with quality digital news and entertainment content.
“American Indian Graduate Center is honored to invest $20,000 to support Native student entrepreneurs as they develop their businesses,” added Angelique Albert, American Indian Graduate Center’s CEO. “Partnering with AIBL for this initiative aligns perfectly with our organization’s core values and our commitment to empowering Native scholars as they pursue their academic goals and career aspirations.”
AIBL is a national organization that seeks to increase the representation of American Indians and Alaskan Natives in business and entrepreneurial ventures. It was founded at the University of Montana in 1994. Today, there are more than 75 chapters nationwide.
About AIBL The mission of AIBL is to increase the representation of American Indians and Alaska Natives in business and entrepreneurial ventures through education and leadership development opportunities. AIBL is the only American Indigenous non-profit organization solely dedicated to empowering business students in the United States. Our programs are designed to engage students in activities that stimulate, enhance, and expand educational experiences beyond traditional academic methods. To learn more about staring an AIBL chapter and our internship program, please visit www.aibl.org.
Native Business Magazine
Carmen Davis - Founder, Publisher and Executive Editor
Mrs. Davis is the founder, publisher and executive editor of the only Native American wholly owned and operated national tribal business publication, Native Business Magazine, and the producer of the annual and nationally attended Native Business Summit.
Mrs. Davis is also president of Davis Strategy Group has over 23 years of service to Indian Country and as an entrepreneur she has successfully established, operated, managed and grown several businesses in multiple sectors. She is equal parts a strategic visionary and behind-the-scenes implementor, essential in guiding and overseeing every process of brand development, business expansion, nation-to-nation relationship building and more.
She was named in 2009 as one of the first recipients of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s, “40 Under 40” award which recognizes up and coming community and business leaders from across Indian Country.
