TechRise

SUPPORTED BY VERIZON

Supporting Chicago’s underrepresented tech founders with capital, connections, and community.

Verizon, in partnership with P33 and 1871, help launched TechRise in February 2021 to help underrepresented tech founders in Chicagoland find the funding, knowledge, and networks to help their business thrive. TechRise strives for racial, gender, and economic justice for all by challenging systems that limit access to capital from specific populations, especially from people of color.

TechRise is one of many Citizen Verizon responsible business initiatives dedicated to moving the world forward through economic, environmental and social advancement.

Verizon is proud to support these founders drive diverse brilliance through innovation. Learn more about TechRise and the thriving entrepreneurs:

TechRise: Supporting Diverse Founders in Chicago

TechRise: Roundtable Discussion

Verizon’s Steven Shaw sat down for a roundtable discussion on how TechRise is fostering diversity in tech with Desiree Vargas Wrigley, CIO and Executive Director of TechRise by P33, and Christine Izuakor, PhD, founder of Cyber Pop-up and grand-prize winner of TechRise.

TechRise Founder: Anna DeShawn

Anna DeShawn, founder of E3 Radio, talks about her company’s vision to support BIPOC and QTPOC creators, and her journey with TechRise where she found support, community, and financial resources to make her vision a reality.

TechRise Founder: Carla Medina Jacobson & Shelley Gupta

Carla Medina Jacobson & Shelly Gupta discuss how they are revolutionizing the baking space with Bakit Box, and the support TechRise provided along the way.

TechRise Founder: Ricky Regalado

Ricky Regalado is the CEO and Founder of Route, a marketplace for the cleaning and blue collar service industry. Watch to learn how TechRise supported Ricky while navigating through the start-up space, on his mission to change the game for service providers.

TechRise Founder: Ariana Alejandra Gibson

Ariana Alejandra Gibson, founder of Stigma App, discusses how she built built a new kind of mental health app that uses storytelling and reciprocal social connection to reduce loneliness and stigma with the help of TechRise.

TechRise Founder: Dapo Kolawole

Dapo Kolawole, founder at Roomii, discusses how TechRise’s support meant validation for his vision to help people have flexibility with the furniture they own.

Be a community partner in the 4th industrial revolution.

Learn More

US Tech Future is a Verizon-led community-focused initiative working to engage the local community in a discussion about technology and how it can improve the lives of local residents for their benefit and the benefit of the community as a whole.

Our mission is to engage with citizens and community stakeholders in USA to provide information on how technology can work to have a dramatic impact on the way we work and live in our communities.

@TheUSTechFuture