PAST WINNERS
Find out more about each winner’s company values, mission statements, and contribution to New York City - we are proud to be
able to provide these small businesses the legs to expand their company and make a difference within the community.
YEAR 1
Open Style Lab
Initiated at MIT in 2014, Open Style Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating innovative garment solutions for people with disabilities. As a thought leader and R&D think-tank, OSL serves to fill the gap in the current market for adaptive clothing by pioneering research where the universal tool integral to an individual’s ability to engage with the surrounding community.
Reign Maker
Reign Maker is a drone operator and robotic solutions developer for industrial projects in the NYC area. Their projects have included bridges, highways, cell towers, building facades, and waterways. Using drone devices, Reign Maker is able to collect geospatial data and imagery that is used for engineering design, inspection, and asset management.
Just Soul Catering
Just Soul Catering is a justice involved social enterprise, striving to serve customers with delicious food at affordable prices. They help to break down barriers to employment by hiring formerly incarcerated individuals and teaching them valuable skills to help in re-entering the workplace.
Fable Foods
Fable Food’s mission is to be a year-round local source for high quality food, using organic practices. Not only do these practices create healthy produce, but also a healthy environment. Fable aims to provide this produce to local members of their community as well as farm-to-table chefs. They grow in the most sustainable way possibly by using tech advancements such as greenhouses, hydroponics, and vertical farming.
YEAR 2
Farm.one
Farm.One was founded in 2016 by CEO Rob Laing with the idea of growing rare, hard-to-find produce for chefs in the middle of the city. The first farm was at the Institute of Culinary Education in downtown Manhattan, and the second, larger farm is now in Tribeca, underneath restaurant Atera. Using hydroponics and LED lights, Farm.One completely disrupts traditional agriculture by growing produce year-round, just minutes away from customers. The company now supplies rare herbs, edible flowers and microgreens to some of the best chefs in New York, with 14 Michelin stars already among its customers.
Mikey Likes It
Michael “Mikey” Cole is the founder and owner of Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, the pop-cultured inspired ice cream shop with locations in New York’s Lower East Side and Harlem. A New York native, Mikey’s love for cooking only parallels his love for people. “We're just trying to push the boundaries of what companies are doing with ice cream,” he says. “And we do this by using the best ingredients and building lasting relationships with local businesses, customers and other great people.”
TEAMAVO
TeamAvo’s mission is to create a therapy experience that is accessible, affordable, and successful for everyone. They are a small NYC start-up with grads from MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and UMich. TeamAvo was started to make therapy better and more accessible for everyone.
The Financial Gym
After years of working for a big bank, including working as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch, founder Shannon McLay was inspired to create a financial services company that actually cares for its clients and provides them with the services they needed. Most financial services companies only care about you as far as they can sell you products like investments, bank accounts, credit cards, loans and insurance policies. They also want to give you technology and apps to solve your financial problems; however, something we know at the Financial Gym is that money is personal and people aren’t algorithms.
YEAR 3
OONEE
Oonee empowers people to travel in cities by bicycle. They build and operate networks of smart modular pods that provide secure bike parking and service options along with public space amenities. Their infrastructure enables cycling to be a more affordable, reliable, and convenient transportation option in cities.
FAST FEET
Fast Feet NYC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides health equity programming for children and young adults with disabilities. Our mission is to make athletics, nutrition, and social development accessible and inclusive by providing adaptive running programs, nutrition classes, and social skills groups for schools and communities that serve individuals of all abilities. By offering community, school, and virtual programs, we increase access and availability to inclusive health programs and adaptive athletics and fitness for neurodiverse athletes and their families!
DOLLARIDE
Dollaride is a mobility company for communities underserved by public transit. Our mission is to make public transit accessible and affordable for anyone, anywhere, starting with those who live in transit deserts. Our product connects people living in transit deserts to informal micro-transit networks called “dollar vans". In NYC, this network includes 500+ drivers serving 120K daily passengers primarily in the outer-boroughs. Through Dollaride’s mobile applications (free on Android and iOS), drivers are able to grow their businesses by expanding their territory, accepting credit card payments, and serving more passengers on new routes.
THE Lead Athletics
LEAD Athletics is a sports performance training company with a mission to train Student-Athletes to be physically fit for competition but more importantly educate, equip, and encourage student-athletes to envision sports as much more than recreation, but as a passport and an avenue to enhancing one's professional and academic life. LEAD Athletics will provide student- athletes with the necessary tools to prosper not only in their athletic commitments and careers, but will prepare them for fulfilling lives as they transition out of the world of sports."
Year 4
First Tech Fund
First Tech Fund is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to closing the digital divide by supporting high school students of underserved backgrounds in New York City with technology, practical skills, and opportunities to succeed in the modern world.
Popcorn for the People
Popcorn for the People is a nonprofit, proudly employing individuals with Autism and other disabilities. Their gourmet popcorn is created, packaged, and sold by adults with Autism in an effort to combat the 80% unemployment rate in the Autistic community.
It’s from the Sole
It’s from the Sole is a 501c3 non-profit organization focused on collecting, refurbishing and giving away shoes to the homeless in New York City and other metropolitan areas. They work with local communities to collect new and unused shoes, clean and refurbish all donations, and deliver to those in need.
Medi Teddy
Medi Teddy is a 501c3 nonprofit that develops IV covers for kids that hides unsightly blood or medicine, while still allowing for easy access and visibility by the caregiver.
