The America21 Project is a national nonprofit dedicated to changing the economic narrative across Black and Urban America. America21 promotes an Inclusive Competitiveness economic strategy in a fast-paced, knowledge-based, tech-driven global innovation economy. America21 promotes an economic framework from the pipeline of education to the productivity of entrepreneurship based on three core pillars of the Innovation Economy: STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and math) High-Growth Entrepreneurship Access to Capital and Capital Formation America21 seeks to connect economically disconnected communities and sectors with regional innovation clusters to strengthen the economic competitiveness of the nation by investing in all of America's talent pools.

1. WHAT IS Changing the Economic Narrative
America21 seeks to catalyze a new economic movement
by transforming 20th century economic narratives that
The America21 Project? pervade disconnected sectors of urban regions into
awareness of, and engagement with, the 21st century
global Innovation Economy and set the tone for new
inclusive economic policies.
Promoting Inclusive Competitiveness
America21 seeks to infuse and inculcate the language
and strategies of Inclusive Competitiveness among
thought leadership, which ensures multi-generational
investment that equips all of our nation’s human assets
to contribute to the global economic competitiveness of
America throughout the 21st century.
Connecting the Disconnected
America21 is a national nonprofit intermediary that
connects 20th century communities to 21st century
regional innovation clusters across the urban
landscape, from the Pipeline of STEM Education to the
Productivity of High-Growth Entrepreneurship.

2. Since 1980, nearly all
Who’s JOB is net new jobs are the
it to create result of fast-growing
young companies —
more JOBS? start-ups fueled by risk
capital investments. Kauffman Foundation
In 2011, roughly 70,000 companies received
more than $52B in funding from angels and
venture capitalists. Center for Venture Research
Minorities comprise just
7% of entrepreneurs
seeking funding and only
4% of angel investors, but
represent 36% of the
population … and growing.

3. How are most Today’s economic paradigm is a fast-
paced, knowledge-based, tech-driven
U.S. jobs global Innovation Economy comprised
of three core components:
created in the
21st century? STEM Education & Workforce Development
(science, technology, engineering & math)
Entrepreneurship, especially HIGH-GROWTH
Access to Capital & Capital Formation
(angel investors, venture capital and public-private partnerships)
1.9 million Black-owned
businesses produced LESS
than 1% GDP in 2007.
More than 1.8 million of
those businesses were sole
proprietors with ZERO
employees.

4. Who will
create jobs in
the future? 64% of Hispanic and 63%
of Black Americans ages
18-34 want to start their
own businesses.
Only 5% own a business.
Kauffman Foundation
Unemployment among
youth is 22%. For Black
youth it’s 45%.

5. What is the Changing the Narrative
Blogging, interviews and columns
America21 Articles in national publications
Seminars & Workshops
Conference programming at journalists conventions
approach? Development of minority entrepreneur workshops
Strategic relationships across media industry
Development of STEM-focused programs
Relationship with White House HBCU Initiative
Promoting Inclusive Competitiveness
Alliance with Nortech in Cleveland, OH
Relationship with Jumpstart America
Planning Committee member, SBIR conference, Portland, OR
Relationships with SBA, NIH, NSF, EDA
Relationships with regional, local governments (OH, OR, PA, D.C.)
Connecting the Disconnected
Development of STEM-focused programs, Philadelphia, PA
Development of Urban Innovation Roundtable, Portland, OR
Startup Funding Panel / Leadership Luncheon, Philadelphia, PA
Leadership Discussion on Entrepreneurship, Univ of Portland, OR
Seminars, speaking engagements (AL, D.C., PA, OR, OH, MI)
Gathering of Angels Summit (Success: Rutgers Univ. / Nov 2011)
Partnership with Black Ivy Alumni League
Partnership with NBDPA
Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference (Cleveland)

6. Cultivating a culture of innovation
May 21-22, 2012
Cleveland, Ohio

7. Attendee Testimonials
It was an honor to be involved in the nation’s first Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference.
America21 and BioEnterprise put together an amazing conference with excellent speakers and thought provoking content. The conference outlined the challenges
and opportunities that the minority biomedical community has in areas such as capital access, opportunity access and research dollar access and offered concrete
ideas on how to make progress against these issues.
I hope this is the first of many of these conference during which we will be able to mark our progress against these challenges.
Paul Cohn
Vice President and Regional Director
The Ohio Capital Fund
***
The first Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference (MBEC) created an environment where minorities, especially African-Americans in science and math,
could network. I had a chance to meet distinguished minority physicians and entrepreneurs that were willing and eager to discuss their career paths and insights in
securing resources and funds to start a business.
Networking with colleagues of the same interest, along with the multiple panel discussions, was a great success for the first annual MBEC. This platform will be a
tremendous asset in helping integrate minority science and technology businesses in the future.
Nyoka Lovelace
Weatherhead School of Management
Case Western Reserve University
***
The Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference can provide a road map for youth to find their way into the field of science and technology. I can see great
potential within the Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference potentially making Cleveland the Mecca of the world within the Science and Biomedical
Space.
Craig Brown, Ph.D.
National Vice President
NBDPA
***
Click for More About the MBEC

8. HBCU STARTUP INITIATIVE
From Pipeline to Productivity
Seminar Innovators Pitching Funding
Series Workshop Clinic Startups
Cultivating a culture of innovation
An initiative of The America21 Project currently under development

9. What am I
doing to
create more
JOBS? Johnathan Holifield, Esq.
America21 Co-founder
Chief Strategist & Evangelist
Chad Womack, Ph.D.
America21 Co-founder
Managing Director
Mike Green
America21 Co-founder
Communications Director
Pipeline to Productivity
STEM Education • High-Growth Entrepreneurship • Access to Capital
Contact America21:
Blackinnovation.org
info@blackinnovation.org
541-730-2164
Contact America21 today to see how
you can support efforts to advance a
21st century inclusive economic
framework that benefits all Americans.