The second annual venture funding competition
will award $100,000 to a Central Texas-based underrepresented
entrepreneur
Austin FC and Q2 Holdings Inc. announced today the launch of the
2022 Austin FC Dream Starter Competition, presented by Q2, in
collaboration with DivInc, an Austin-based nonprofit. The second
annual business initiative invites Austin entrepreneurs from
underrepresented groups to apply and compete for $100,000 in “Dream
Starter” funds to accelerate their entrepreneurial venture.
The 2022 Austin FC Dream Starter Competition kicked off on April
6 with a private networking event at Q2 Stadium to celebrate the
second annual competition. The online application is now open to
eligible entities. The selected winning venture will be announced
on Saturday, June 25.
“It’s an honor for us to partner with Q2 and DivInc on the
second annual Austin FC Dream Starter Competition,” said Austin FC
President Andy Loughnane. “Collectively, Austin FC and Q2 are
committed to building an inclusive community while honoring the
start-up spirit that is central to both Austin and Austin FC.”
“We are proud to partner with Austin FC, in collaboration with
DivInc, to help move the needle forward for underrepresented
entrepreneurs in Austin,” said Matt Flake, CEO of Q2. “At Q2, our
mission is to build strong and diverse communities by strengthening
their financial institutions, and the Austin FC Dream Starter
Competition is one example of how we are able to make a lasting
impact in Central Texas. We are excited to once again support this
important initiative, which will help an Austin entrepreneur turn
dreams into success.”
“DivInc is committed to supporting underrepresented
entrepreneurs in our communities, and we know that gaining access
to financial capital remains one of the biggest hurdles for Black
and Latinx founders,” said DivInc CEO Preston James. “We are proud
to partner with the Austin FC and Q2 to support the 2022 Austin FC
Dream Starter Competition because we know this funding will provide
critical capital to help take one lucky startup to the next
stage.”
Applications for the annual competition are now open, and will
close at midnight on Wednesday, April 27.
From the initial applicant group, five (5) finalists will be
selected and notified on Friday, May 27, to participate in a Pitch
Contest on Thursday, June 9, at Q2 Stadium. Each finalist’s
presentation will be evaluated by a diverse group of
representatives from Austin FC, Q2 Holdings Inc., DivInc and other
executives from the Austin entrepreneurial community. The Austin FC
Dream Starter Competition winner will be announced to the public
and honored with a check presentation during halftime at the Austin
FC vs. FC Dallas match on Saturday, June 25.
In 2021, Anthony Gantt, CEO of At Ease Rentals Corporation, was
selected as the inaugural Austin FC Dream Starter Competition
winner. At Ease Rentals Corporation is a short-term rental platform
helping military and federal employees and their families find
government approved, temporary housing with less time and
frustration.
The Austin FC Dream Starter Competition combines Q2’s mission to
build strong and diverse communities by strengthening their
financial institutions with Austin FC’s inclusivity through equity
community pillar. In collaboration with DivInc and its aim to
connect underrepresented entrepreneurs with the resources needed to
build profitable, high-growth companies, the “Dream Starter” funds
will aid a Central Texas entrepreneur in overcoming financial
barriers to achieve success. Click here for a complete list of
terms and conditions and to apply for the 2022 Austin FC Dream
Starter Competition.
About Austin FC
Austin FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the League’s 27th
club in January 2019. Austin FC officially began competing in MLS
in April 2021 and played its first match at home on June 19, 2021,
in the new, 100% privately financed, $260 million, state-of-the-art
Q2 Stadium in Austin.
Austin FC operates the Austin FC Academy, the fully funded
developmental academy representing the highest level of competition
for elite youth soccer players in Central Texas, while serving as
the exclusive developmental pathway to MLS for the region’s most
talented young players.
About Q2 Holdings, Inc.
Q2 is a financial experience company dedicated to providing
digital banking and lending solutions to banks, credit unions,
alternative finance, and fintech companies in the U.S. and
internationally. With comprehensive end-to-end solution sets, Q2
enables its partners to provide cohesive, secure, data-driven
experiences to every account holder–from consumer to small business
and corporate. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices
worldwide and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol
QTWO. To learn more, please visit Q2.com.
About DivInc
DivInc is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to
generate social and economic equity through entrepreneurship by
equipping underrepresented founders with access to the critical
resources they need to build investable companies. To drive
systematic change, DivInc offers multiple programming opportunities
including a 12-week accelerator for early-stage startups. Since its
founding in 2016, DivInc has supported 73 companies resulting in
$14mill in investment fundraising, 400+ jobs created, and over
$4mill in revenue generated by our alumni. DivInc is headquartered
in Austin, TX, with a second location in Houston, TX. Learn more at
https://www.divinc.org.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220407005281/en/
Ryan Madden, VP of Communications and Media, Austin FC C:
805.453.4488 / E: rmadden@austinfc.com
Cameron Koubek, Communications and Media Coordinator, Austin FC
C: 301.526.1542 / E: ckoubek@austinfc.com
Emely Alvarado, Communications and Media Coordinator, Austin FC
C: 512.550.6407 / E: ealvarado@austinfc.com
Carly Baker, Marketing Communications Specialist, Q2 C:
210.391.1706 / E: carly.baker@q2.com
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