Communitas America, a Bronx based social impact organization that aids impoverished communities, recently announced the winners of its most Communitas Ventures accelerator program.
The winners were Hydronomy, a “hardware solution” that works on the issues of water scarcity and security and Flor’s Flavor, which promotes diversity in the health world.
This was Communitas Ventures’ first all-women cohort, titled the Women’s Founder Cohort, and fifth cohort overall. All of the accelerator programs follow Communitas’ mission-driven approach, intentionally providing access and resources for women and people of color to ensure inclusivity and true representation of the Bronx.
“Communitas America is committed to providing resources and supporting the Bronx and other communities that are historically under-funded and experience an unequal economic opportunity,” said Esmeralda Herrera, Communitas America director of programming and community relations. “Holding our first all-women cohort was an important initiative for Communitas and we’re extremely proud of all our participants.”
The Communitas Ventures program is a three-month long accelerator program, which combines teamwork, mentorship and educational components. During the process, social entrepreneurs, primarily women and people of color, focus on positively impacting the Bronx by undergoing workshops, seminars and networking events with others in the borough. At then end of the program, participants give their final presentation on a business startup, culminating in choosing two winners: a $10,000 grand prize winner and a $5,000 grant for community impact.
Communitas Ventures’ first place winner was Hydronomy, a water solutions technology company that focuses on creating solar powered atmospheric water generators. The system captures moisture in the air and converts it into clean water for individual household uses. The water generated currently exceeds the EPA Safe Drinking Water Standards.
“Being part of the Women’s Founder Cohort has been an incredible experience from the start,” said Brittany Kendrick, Hydronomy co-founder. “Unlike other accelerator programs, Communitas is focused on helping impact-driven businesses that align with their culture and ethos of inclusivity and social impact.”
The second place winner was Flor’s Flavor, a multi-faceted brand that promotes the importance of diversity and inclusion within the health and wellness sector. Through its product line and community engagement, Flor’s Flavor educates and introduces better habits into communities and promotes community involvement and enrichment through food.
“I’m honored to be not only part of, but one of the winners of the Women’s Founder Cohort,” said Flortiza Gomez, Flor’s Flavor founder. “The connections I’ve built through the accelerator program will be invaluable tools as I grow my company in the health and wellness industry.”
