Startups using artificial intelligence to reduce hiring bias and gain insights into their employees' development are among the latest companies accepted into the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator program.
The Milwaukee-based program provides a $100,000 investment, coaching from Northwestern Mutual executives and mentors, and 12 weeks of programming. The company launched the program in 2021 in partnership with the Wisconsin-based startup accelerator firm gener8tor.
The companies selected for the latest Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator cohort include:
- Home Lending Pal: This Orlando, Florida-based startup led by Bryan Young makes a platform that connects mortgage lenders with potential pre-vetted borrowers who are looking for home loans.
- Reveles: Led by founder and CEO R'Kes Starling, this startup in Southlake, Texas, is focused on supporting drug and clinical developments by expanding access and increasing awareness of clinical research among minority communities.
- Scout: Based in Clifton Park, New York, this startup led by Michael Haddix is building an investing platform designed to help close the wealth gap by making investing more accessible.
- Core Ai: Led by Ed Ross and based in Cary, North Carolina, this startup makes a conversational analysis platform designed to give enterprise leaders real-time insights into their employee development conversations.
- WeSolv: This Chicago-based startup led by Stella Ashaolu makes an artificial intelligence-based platform designed to reduce hiring bias by automating the sourcing of diverse candidates and objectively assessing skills based on real projects.
Milwaukee-based startups Tip a Scrxipt and CrossKudi were selected for previous cohorts of the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator. Wellacy Health, a startup that participated in the program last fall, relocated to Milwaukee from Dallas after being accepted into the program.
Northwestern Mutual and gener8tor will be running another cohort of the accelerator later this year.
