Tag: 3BL

October 14, 2024 /3BL/ – Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Georgia. It’s a big problem, but it represents an even bigger opportunity to reduce emissions by choosing sustainable transportation options instead of gas-powered cars and trucks.

Choosing to walk, bike, or take mass transit to get where you’re going can have a big impact when enough of us make small changes in how we get around. Drawdown Georgia researchers estimate that if we reduce vehicle miles traveled by just 2.5%, we can reduce emissions by 1 Megaton (Mt) by 2030.

With the help of the experts at Go Georgia (formerly Georgia Bikes), Drawdown Georgia has created a comprehensive new toolkit all about sustainable transportation options in our state to help you take action.

Click here to access the toolkit.

Originally published on 3M News Center

The pursuit of becoming a scientist often starts with seeing something, wondering how it works and why. Science thrives when it’s rooted in deep curiosity and a desire to solve a problem—characteristics exemplified by the finalists for the 2024 3M Young Scientists Challenge.

Designed to help nurture the next generation of scientists, 3M and Discovery Education have hosted the Challenge since 2008. The company has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, paired students with world-renowned scientists to give them real-world insights and delivered much-needed resources to millions of students, teachers and families.

Before the next America’s Top Young Scientist is announced on Tuesday., Oct.15, 3M is highlighting four prior Challenge participants who remain dedicated to science and solving global challenges.

A clean approach to fighting cancer

Heman Bekele of Fairfax, Virginia, is the reigning America’s Top Young Scientist from 2023. Since winning the competition, Bekele has filed for a U.S. patent, collaborated with a Johns Hopkins University professor in clinical trials, appeared in national media interviews…and completed his freshman year of high school.

His innovation? A specially formulated bar of soap that has the potential to treat skin cancer, using lipid nanoparticles that activate the body’s natural immune cells. He calls it Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS) and says he was inspired by the impact of the powerful sun in his native Ethiopia, where he lived until age 4.

Since his 3M Young Scientist Challenge win, Bekele has been named TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year, nominated for an IPO Education Foundation for Inspiration Award, honored at the Miami-Dade College STEAM Expo, presented at the annual Congress of Future Medical Leaders, and spoke at a White House Power Up event.

Bekele is focusing on his education, but he also hopes to create a nonprofit organization by 2028 that can help bring skin cancer treatment to more people. He plans to apply a large portion of his Challenge prize money toward developing his soap invention, but he’s saving some for college as well, as he hopes to study to be an electrical engineer. .

AI for forest fire prevention

In 2019, Reshma Kosaraju, Saratoga, California, was a Young Scientist Challenge finalist, earning recognition for creating a predictive model that uses machine learning and neural networks to predict forest fires with nearly 90 percent accuracy. She remembers having to wear a mask at school when the 2018 Camp Fire (the most destructive wildfire in California’s history) raged more than 200 miles away from her home.

“I realized that if I could pull this off, the results could be quite impactful in terms of how many lives we can save and how much we can help the environment,” she told TIME for Kids.

According to the National Interagency Coordination Center, more than 39,000 wildfires have taken place in 2024, burning more than 1.3 billion acres. Major fires can destroy communities, and their smoke can drift hundreds of miles, causing adverse health effects to those exposed. Predicting where fires may break out can help people get out of harm’s way and direct firefighters to hot spots for earlier suppression.

In the wake of her achievement, Kosaraju was invited to a panel at the 2022 NASA imaginAviation event. She graduated high school in spring 2024 and is now a member of the class of 2028 at MIT, where she studies computer science, brain and cognitive sciences.

Developing apps with purpose

2017 winner Gitanjali Rao is a sophomore at MIT. Her challenge entry was a mobile app, “Tethys,” that uses Bluetooth connection to speed the detection of lead in water, but that’s only one facet of her enthusiasm for science. After Tethys came “Kindly,” which uses AI to combat social media cyberbullying, and “Epione,” an app that aims to speed the diagnosis of addiction to prescription opioids.

Since taking top honors in the 3M competition, she has amassed a shelf of honors that would befit someone many times her age; she was named TIME’s Kid of the Year in 2020, been honored at a “Girls Leading Change” celebration at the White House, was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30, won the Muhammed Ali Humanitarian Award, and has been named a UNICEF Youth Advocate. Like Bekele, she presented at the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, and she’s been interviewed by PBS and on Good Morning America.

An avid promoter of STEM-based activities in schools, clubs and communities around the world, Gitanjali hopes to create global change by starting an innovation movement of teens looking to make a difference. As part of these efforts, her story was featured in Not the Science Type, a four-part docuseries addressing negative stereotypes and the need for greater diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM fields.

From America’s Top Young Scientist to CEO

It’s been almost a decade since Hannah Herbst won the grand prize in the 2015 Young Scientist Challenge, when as an eighth grader, she pioneered the Ocean Energy Probe to provide both stable energy and fresh water to developing countries.

She went on to study at Florida Atlantic University, where she worked to develop a reusable, antibacterial bandage for post-operative patients that drew on the properties of shark skin.

Now the 2020 college graduate is the founder and CEO of Golden Hour Medical, which provides innovative equipment that bystanders can use to halt blood loss in the immediate aftermath of traumatic injuries. She developed the company’s signature product, the Auto TQ tourniquet, in collaboration with 2017 Young Scientist Challenge finalist Devin Willis.

Like Rao, Herbst was a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and she has been invited to speak at the United Nations, the USA Science and Engineering Festival, the Social Innovation Summit, the National Science Olympiad Competition, and the World Science Festival. She’s also been featured in Business Insider and on Good Morning America.

The future is bright for STEM talent

3M will continue to follow these young minds with pride as they move forward in their scientific journeys. While each is paving his or her unique path, they are connected by a shared love of science that took root early in life—and the first-hand knowledge of just how important and rewarding a STEM education can be.

To follow along with the 2024 Young Scientist Challenge, join us live on October 15.

How can an R&D data center meet its sustainability goals while keeping pace with increasing chip design complexity? Europe’s largest semiconductor company, STMicroelectronics, wanted to boost chip design speed while keeping costs down and meeting sustainability goals at the same time – and AMD technology provided the solution.

STMicroelectronics designs and manufactures semiconductors; each of its factories has at least two data centers, and the business infrastructure relies on another and the cloud. The company’s data center demand is growing fast: with every new generation of computer chips, transistors get smaller, but complexity increases exponentially, which leads to accelerating demand for data storage and compute.

3rd Gen AMD EPYC™ processors enabled STMicroelectronics to provide much faster chip design delivery to its customers while achieving a significant reduction in GHG emissions. STMicroelectronics achieved up to 12% better performance, up to 30% lower cost per core, and up to 33% lower data center electricity consumption.

“We are incredibly happy to have an alternative to the other CPUs on the market and a partner like AMD,” said Olivier Joubert, DTIT Senior Infrastructure Architect, STMicroelectronics.

The company is now testing 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors, resulting in achieving up to 25% more performance than the previous generation

Read the AMD case study to learn more: https://www.amd.com/en/resources/case-studies/stmicroelectronics.html

Originally published in AMD 2023-24 Corporate Responsibility Report.

Originally published on LinkedIn

At Sysco, we proudly partner with diversity-owned suppliers to bring top-quality products to market. We’re thrilled to spotlight Arkansas River Rice Mill, the only Black-owned rice mill in the U.S., located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Owned by the passionate duo PJ Haynie and Billy Bridgforth, this state-of-the-art facility excels in quality and customer service.

Launched through Sysco’s Northern California Region, Arkansas River Rice has been noted by university chefs for its outstanding flavor and texture. This partnership was introduced to Sysco through Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises’ Equitable Harvest and the Black Farmers Initiative which helps Black farmers navigate the path to wholesale markets and helps foodservice organizations diversify their sourcing through engagement with Black farmers. Learn more about the initiative, here.

Now part of Sysco’s Diversity Supplier Program, Arkansas River Rice Mill exemplifies our commitment to supporting diverse suppliers and fostering equitable opportunities. We are inspired by their journey and the positive impact they continue to make in the community.

Learn more about their incredible story, here in this article from Arkansas Online and the Al Roker Film: Gaining Ground – The Fight for Black Land Documentary where they are also highlighted, here. If you are a Sysco customer, contact your sales consultant for more information on adding Arkansas River Rice to your menu.

View original content here.

LINCOLN, Neb., October 14, 2024 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Foundation subawards $8 million in grants to support community forestry on Indigenous lands. The 16 subawardees are all federally recognized Tribes, Tribal organizations, or an organization working in a Tribal community. In total, 26 Tribes will be directly impacted through these projects. The grant opportunity was established in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, utilizing Inflation Reduction Act funds. The opportunity saw great demand with more than 50 applicants.

The grants awarded will be used to plant trees and grow green spaces on or near Indigenous lands. Proposed projects range in focus from food sovereignty to workforce development. A full list of the Tribal subawardees is below.

“This is a unique opportunity to use trees to create lasting, positive change in areas that have long been deprived of green resources,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We know our subawardees understand the needs of their community better than we ever could. So, we’ll be walking alongside them in this journey, using federal funds to empower them and their vision for their land.”

The USDA Forest Service awarded the Arbor Day Foundation a $50 million Inflation Reduction Act grant in 2023. The nonprofit has already subawarded $31.7 million of the funding to municipalities and community-based organizations across the country.

Today’s announcement coincides with the observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The holiday honors the history of Indigenous Peoples in America and celebrates their diverse cultures.

TRIBAL FUNDING RECIPIENTS

AwardeeProject NameArea of FocusBad River Band and Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians with Fruit Tree Planting FoundationIntertribal Community Tree Planting for Food Sovereignty & Land Renewal: Bad River and Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior ChippewaWIBay Mills Indian Community with Fruit Tree Planting FoundationBay Mills Indian Community: Tree Planting for Food Sovereignty, Land Stewardship, & Cultural ResilienceMICatawba Nation with Fruit Tree Planting FoundationHealing the Earth as We Heal Ourselves: Catawba Nation Orchard & Forest PlantingSCCheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, OklahomaCheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Multi-Site Restoration for Climate ResiliencyOKCocopah Tribe of Arizona with Arizona Community Tree Council, Inc.Colorado River Tribal Arboriculture Youth Conservation CorpsAZLouden Tribe with Galena City School DistrictRestoring Our Original Terrain and SpeciesAKMiccosukee Tribe of IndiansMiccosukee Community Forest ProjectFLNative Village of TyonekEstablishing a Tribal Community Food Forest to Promote Food Sovereignty and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Native Village of TyonekAKNavajo Nation and Pueblo of Zuni with Fruit Tree Planting FoundationNavajo Nation & Zuni Pueblo: Health and Healing through OrchardsAZ, NMOmaha Tribe of Nebraska with Midlands Community FoundationOmaha Indian Tribe ProjectNEPonca Tribe of NebraskaCommunity Garden and Reforestation InitiativeNEPueblo of Picuris, New MexicoPicuris Community Roots ProgramNMQuapaw NationNortheast Oklahoma Tribal Community Roots InitiativeOKRappahannock Tribe, Inc. with Friends of the Rappahannock, Inc.Building Capacity for Forest Stewardship on Ancestral Lands of the Rappahannock TribeVARosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota with Rosebud Economic Development CorpCreating a Sustainable Treescape at Keya WakpalaSDThe Choctaw Nation of OklahomaChoctaw Nation of Oklahoma Community Roots ProgramOK

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. Together with our partners, we have helped plant more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to lead toward a world where trees are used to solve issues critical to survival. Through our members, partners and programs, the Arbor Day Foundation inspires people across the globe to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

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Products from world-class equipment, services and technology company CNH brands, Case IH and New Holland, have been honored with 2024 EIMA International Technical Innovation Awards.

This innovation contest has been a key fixture for exhibitors at the International Exhibition of Agricultural and Gardening Machinery (EIMA) since 1986.

“It’s a great honor for our Case IH and New Holland brands to be recognized with these awards. At CNH we are continuously striving to seamlessly integrate innovative technology with our great iron. Congratulations to our R&D team for always finding solutions that bring greater efficiency, productivity and profit to our customers,” said Carlo Alberto Sisto, President, Europe, Middle East & Africa.

The Winners

The heavy-duty suspension developed for the 2025 Case IH Quadtrac flagship tractors was recognized for enhancing comfort in the field and on the road. It is the first time full-suspended undercarriage technology has been available on a four-tracked tractor. The system is completely mechanical and hydraulically cushioned, with no additional sensors or wiring. It increases the footprint of the tractor which reduces soil compaction and requires less maintenance. These features save time and bring greater productivity and profit to our farmers.

The advanced guidance system developed for the New Holland T4 FNV specialty tractor range is an integrated system using vision-based purely on LIDAR sensor technology, with no GPS element. It recognizes row ends and incorporates a path planner to perform headland turns, and to manage in-row guidance and perception-based implement control. This technology helps address the lack of skilled operators faced by many specialty crop producers, and ease the workload of growers. Benefits include increased safety and comfort through reduced operator fatigue, which means they can focus on machine operation, while also optimizing fertilizer/pesticide use based on real orchard or vineyard field conditions.

Special Mentions were also given to the New Holland FR Forage Cruiser CropSpeed system – which significantly reduces blockages while working – and to the CR Twin Rotor combine Seed Terminator system – which helps reduce weed growth following harvesting. These advancements help our farmers unlock the full potential of their machines.

Financial and digital inclusion are critical to create resilient futures for all in a climate-vulnerable economy. Alongside the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, Mastercard kicked off the week with by bringing together leaders, activists, and entrepreneurs to spotlight solutions, like Mastercard’s Community Pass and Priceless Planet Coalition, that drive impact at the intersection of people and planet. When we empower people with digital financial tools, we give them the means to adapt and thrive, even in the face of a changing climate.

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

Financial and digital inclusion are critical to create resilient futures for all in a climate-vulnerable economy. Alongside the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, Mastercard kicked off the week with by bringing together leaders, activists, and entrepreneurs to spotlight solutions, like Mastercard’s Community Pass and Priceless Planet Coalition, that drive impact at the intersection of people and planet. When we empower people with digital financial tools, we give them the means to adapt and thrive, even in the face of a changing climate.

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

All year long, Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to showcase the diversity and influence of Hispanic and Latino communities on American culture, entertainment, and more. This Hispanic Heritage Month, it is honoring the multi-layered and richly complex identities found within Hispanic and Latino communities with the company-wide campaign, “Celebrating All That We Are (Celebrando Todo Lo Que Somos).”

NBCUniversal and Telemundo’s “Celebrating All That We Are (Celebrando Todo Lo Que Somos)” Campaign

NBCUniversal is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with “Celebrating All That We Are,” (Celebrando Todo Lo Que Somos) a multiplatform, bilingual initiative commemorating the multifaceted identity of Hispanics across the U.S. For the fourth consecutive year, the campaign will be adopted across the entire portfolio of NBCUniversal channels and social networks to celebrate the rich diversity of the more than 62 million Hispanics living in the United States today. Keep up with all of NBCUniversal and Telemundo’s Hispanic Heritage content by following the hashtags #AllThatWeAre and #TodoLoQueSomos.

Xfinity’s Latino TV & Film Destination

All year long, Xfinity and NOW TV Latino customers on X1, Flex, and Xumo Stream Box can enjoy free access to thousands of on demand choices in both English and Spanish. This Hispanic Heritage Month, Xfinity is proud to announce a curated collection of bilingual and bicultural movies, TV shows, and more on X1, Stream, Flex, and Xumo Stream Box. The destination, “Celebrating All That We Are,” includes unique programming that celebrates our multifaceted, multicultural identities: entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, philanthropists, and more, as well as what glues us together: our resilience, family roots, passion for food, and love for fútbol.

This year’s collection features movies and specials curated by Comcast’s in-house editor and content expert, Marcela Ramirez, as well as free content every week of the month as part of the “Free this Week” campaign. Check out which networks will be highlighted each week:

9/16: Sony Cine, RCN Novelas, and Canal SUR9/23: Kids Street en español, Vme Kids, Baby First en español, and Primo TV9/30: Cinelatino, FlixLatino, and Kanal D Drama10/7: ViendoMovies, Televisión Dominicana, and VideoRola

Xfinity Viewing Recommendations & New Features

Philanthropist, producer, director, and award-winning actress Eva Longoria will serve as a guest editor, providing a selection of must-watch movies to enjoy this month. Additionally, award-winning actor and activist John Leguizamo and Olympic Gold Medalist Laurie Hernandez will share their top picks. Xfinity customers can also check out exclusive interviews with John, Laurie, and award-winning DJ, producer, and musician Louie Vega, and view staff picks from our very own Unidos Employee Resource Group members.

The Network, a free, ad-supported streaming app on Flex, Xumo Stream Box, and coming soon to Xumo TV, is making its debut on X1. On The Network, customers can check out John Leguizamo’s latest TV series, The Green Veil, a compelling drama which Xfinity is proud to offer as an ad-free viewing experience during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Black Experience on Xfinity premiered Two Beats, One Soul, a documentary that celebrates and explores the synergies of two cultures by recreating traditional Cuban sounds and rhythms in today’s musical landscape on September 15. Created by powerhouse music producers Ray and Vivian Chew and Antonio Martinez, the film features Eric Benét, Louie Vega, and Latin Grammy Winner Sergio George.

Additional curations feature the best of what to watch from several of the Project UP community partners including the Hispanic Federation, UnidosUS, Esperanza, and Prospera, alongside nine films from the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival. And, until October 15, through the “Stream it Forward” program in partnership with Amazon Fire TV, Xfinity will sponsor a content hub with movies in Spanish and English that feature Hispanic leads in the cast or film production. Amazon will donate $1 for every hour streamed on this hub to our longtime partner organization, UnidosUS. 

To access the above content and more, Xfinity customers can just say “Latino” into their bilingual Xfinity and Xumo Voice Remote.

Xfinity Rewards

Customers who join Xfinity Rewards during Hispanic Heritage Month can enter to win exciting perks like a Telemundo Center Behind the Scenes VIP Tour and tickets to WWE Royal Rumble on February 1, 2025. Members can also receive Fandango BOGO movie tickets when signing up for NOW TV Latino, enjoy $1 movies from the Hispanic Heritage Month collection, and get $10 to read the books behind top hit shows available with NOW TV Latino like Dime quién soy (Peacock), El tiempo entre costuras (HITN), Cantinflas biography (Sony Cine). For more information visit Xfinity.com/rewards.

Monumentalizing the Latino Heroes of Today

Xfinity will also celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this fall with a social media campaign recognizing three monumental Latinos for their achievements in elevating Latino culture, representation, and stories. Monuments will appear in unique locations across the country.

Comcast Newsmakers

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Comcast Newsmakers is spotlighting leaders committed to championing America’s Hispanic community. Interviews focus on financial literacy education, farmworkers’ rights, and efforts to increase funding and support of the LGBTQ+ Hispanic community. Featured guests include Amy Hinojosa of MANA, A National Latina Organization; Ron Estrada of Farmworker Justice; and Frankie Miranda of the Hispanic Federation. Interviews are available at ComcastNewsmakers.com, and Xfinity customers can say “Comcast Newsmakers” into their Voice Remote to watch.

Connection Through Creation

The Connection through Creation program highlights content creators who are using art and the Internet to create community, honor culture, and spark positive change. Stay tuned throughout the month to see inspirational artwork from Aldo Delara, Andrea Cira, and Fabiola Lara across Comcast’s social media and Xfinity platforms.

Andrea CiraFabiola LaraAldo Delara

Before moving to the US, Andrea Cira grew up in Mexico where she gained an appreciation for handmade crafts. She shares with Comcast how that influenced her to becoming a cut paper artist. Follow her @acirastudio.

Watch the video above

Fabiola Lara is an illustrator and content creator based in Philadelphia, PA. Using the Internet, she’s been able to connect with other Latin American and Hispanic artists to help share their stories. Follow @fabioladraws for more.

Watch the video above

Oklahoma City-based photographer Aldo Delara embraces his Mexican heritage as he captures stunning landscapes and slices of life on film. Follow @aldodelara for more.

Watch the video above

Digital Equity & Social Impact
Through Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and economic mobility, we are proud to partner with organizations that address digital-skills programming across the country. Nationally, it is working with UnidosUS and Hispanic Federation to fuel workforce training and digital-skills programs that address the digital divide and provide job seekers and small-business owners with the resources they need to advance their careers.

Locally, it is supporting Esperanza with providing and promoting digital resources and assistance to Spanish-language communities in North Philadelphia. In Florida and Georgia, it is partnering with Prospera, which works to educate Hispanic small-business owners on connectivity and strategies to help grow their businesses. It is also helping Encuentro cultivate a network of Spanish-language Digital Navigators who offer support services, affordable connectivity, device access, and critical digital-skill building to low-literacy Hispanic populations in New Mexico.

In addition to supporting digital equity initiatives, it is also investing in small businesses and innovators through Comcast RISE and Comcast LIFT Labs. These two teams recently joined forces to produce and release a three-part docuseries, Culture Capital. The docuseries showcases nine game-changing and diverse entrepreneurs who are laying the foundation for future founders and features conversations with an array of business owners and founders at all stages of the journey.

Featured in Culture Capital is Melinda Archuleta, founder of Bar Carlo, a full-service, neighborhood Mexican American restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Growing up in Southern California as a Mexican American, Melinda frequented Mexico with her family to connect to her heritage. Those experiences inspired her to explore the flavors of her culture. After working in various San Diego restaurants, Melinda had the opportunity to create Bar Carlo and quickly infused it with vibrant and authentic flavors that reflect her roots.

Learn more about Melinda’s journey and Comcast RISE on Black Experience on Xfinity, Peacock, and the Xumo Play app.

Our Employees

Comcast employees are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month across the country with local and national employee-led events exploring the diversity of Latino cultures from cooking and dancing to professional development opportunities, allyship, and more.

As part of the DE&I Speaker Series, employees heard from astronaut and author, José Hernández on September 24. Jose shared his inspiring journey from migrant farmworker to NASA astronaut and offered insights into the complexities of his Latino American experience and the role of allyship in creating inclusive spaces.

PORTLAND, Wash., October 11, 2024 /3BL/ – KeyBank’s Key4Women program, Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO), and the Portland Thorns FC announced that local business, DTOCS LLC, is the winner of a business pitch contest for women-owned businesses (WOBs) located in Oregon and SW Washington. The event was held October 10th at Providence Park in Portland.

Owner Pallavi Pande won the grand prize of $20,000, which will go toward their eco-friendly sustainable single use dinnerware solution for a plastic free world.

Pande was one of 10 finalists that were selected to compete for cash awards totaling $50,000 from a pool of 89 applicants. MESO worked to review and select entries that satisfied the competition criteria. Businesses were required to include a detailed business plan, mini-market analysis and profit projections for their service or product. The finalists presented a 4-minute pitch, and fielded questions for 6-minutes to a panel of 6 judges. Out of the 10 finalists, there was 5 start-ups and 5 existing businesses. The grand prize winner could be from either category, while the runners-up were chosen from both categories. Other winners include:

Runner Up- Callie’s Custom Hat Wigs– $8,000 prizeRunner Up- For Bitter For Worse– $8,000 prizeElla Dean– $2,000 prizeBus Camp LLC– $2,000 prizeI’M UKRAINIAN– $2,000 prizeHull-some Foods, LLC– $2,000 prizeMimi’s Fresh Tees– $2,000 prizeCoast Fork Brewing– $2,000 prizeGal Pal Productions– $2,000 prize

“We congratulate Pallavi and her team at DTOCS LLC on winning the grand prize. Their pitch was inspiring, and we are so glad to help them grow and expand,” said Josh Lyons, KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington Market President. “Women business owners and leaders positively impact our economy and communities in powerful ways every day, which is evident based on the strength and diversity of the applications we received.”

To be eligible, businesses must be fifty-one percent (51%) or more owned and controlled by a woman, women and/or by an individual or individuals who self-identify as women. They must also be headquartered in one of the following Oregon counties: Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Columbia, Hood River, Yamhill, Marion, Benton, Lane, Linn, Jackson, Polk – OR one of the following Washington counties: Clark, Cowlitz, or Skamania.

Final awards were chosen by a panel of judges, which included:

Heather Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the Portland TimbersJosh Lyons, KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington Market PresidentAlexis Lee. President of Business Operations of the Portland ThornsJon Maroney, General Partner of Oregon Venture FundMayra Arreola, Chief Shared Prosperity Officer of the Port of PortlandMelody Brown, Founder of L&M Hair Company and 2024 Key4Women Pitch Contest Winner

Criteria used to determine winners included the quality of the presentation, clarity of business vision and mission, economic impact of the idea and the soundness of value proposition.

ABOUT MESO

Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) elevates and empowers under-resourced and excluded entrepreneurs to build resilience, equity, and thriving communities through access to capital, tailored business assistance, and education. Founded in 2005 to assist Black-owned small businesses that were experiencing challenges in the wake of gentrification in North and Northeast Portland, the nonprofit now serves more than 600 entrepreneurs and small businesses in Oregon and Southwest Washington each year. MESO is a designated SBA microlender, an IDA fiduciary, and a Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

ABOUT PORTLAND THORNS FC

Founded in 2012, Portland Thorns FC have set the standard for fan support and on-field success in women’s soccer since its inaugural 2013 season. One of the world’s most supported women’s soccer clubs, Portland has led the league in attendance for eight seasons and set a new club playoff attendance record last year with 25,218 fans supporting Thorns FC in the 2023 semifinal match at Providence Park. Thorns FC have won the NWSL Championship a league-record three times (2013, 2017, 2022) and finished as runners-up in 2018. The club has made the postseason a league-high nine times and has won the NWSL Shield in 2016 and 2021.

In January of 2024 the Club was purchased by the Bhathal Family of RAJ Sport, with Lisa Bhathal Merage serving as Governor and Alex Bhathal as Alternate Governor, with Marta Bhathal and Raj Bhathal rounding out the family-led ownership group. The Bhathal family is also Principal Co-Owners of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, which was recently named NBA Team of the Year in large part due to the team’s positive impact on the local Sacramento community. The Kings parent organization also owns the Sacramento RiverCats AAA baseball club, Stockton Kings NBA-G League club, and Kings Guard NBA 2K esports team.

ABOUT KEYCORP 
KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at June 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

ABOUT KEY4WOMEN 
Key4Women started in 2005 as a campaign to lend $1 billion to qualified women-owned businesses within three years. The program achieved that in two years and has now generated more than $12 billion in loans to women-owned businesses. Membership in Key4Women is free. In addition to helping women business leaders and owners tap into capital to build and grow their businesses, Key4Women members gain valuable access to a team of local Certified Key4Wome Advisors who advocate, connect and empower women on their journey to financial wellness. For more information, visit key.com/key4women.

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MEDIA CONTACTS
Laura Suter | KeyBank Regional Communications Manager | 206.343.6953 | laura_suter@keybank.com 
Meaghan Evans | MESO | Digital Marketing Manager | 971.393.2785 | mevans@mesopdx.org