Correction: A previous version of this story included an incorrect description of a cohort participant. It has since been updated.
A group of Black and Latino Portland entrepreneurs working in safety, sports and outdoor recreation will make up the 2023 cohort of Adidas' startup accelerator program.
Adidas Community Lab, offers participating entrepreneurs $75,000 in funding and access to industry experts, mentors and workshops. This year, it decided to support BIPOC entrepreneurs in Portland specifically.
The accelerator is focused on entrepreneurs working in the areas of equitable access to sports, health and wellness who have had their companies for less than three years. This year’s cohort includes:
- Anibal Rocheta of Loco Por la Aventura
- Brennan Scarlett of Big Yard Foundation
- Julian Alexander of Street Soccer USA PDX
- Lestarya Molloy of Fridie Outdoors
- Mashari Tyson of Black Excellence Group
- Pamela Slaughter of People of Color Outdoors
- Tory Campbell of Play it Safe Flagging System
- Vanessa Gomez of Flow in the City
"The cohort of Portland founders for this chapter of our impact accelerator are exceptional! The way in which we've fostered community, sparked connection and journeyed forward as a collective is a testament to how brands can co-create change through action," said Ayesha Martin, senior director for Adidas Purpose, in a statement. "The energy, ambition and determination to drive equity in sport is palpable — it's wonderful to continue to expand the Adidas Purpose team's ecosystem of change in the city we call home."
Loco por la Aventura works to bridge the Latino community with outdoor activities by organizing outdoor activities like hiking, camping and climbing and offer how-to information in Spanish. It also recently participated in this year’s Pitch Latino.
Big Yard Foundation works with marginalized youth in Portland by improving literacy and access to literature, providing access to the arts, encouraging creativity and offering recreational activities to support overall wellness.
Street Soccer USA PDX fights poverty through sport, offering an alternative to the pay-to-play model of youth sports. It also provides safe places for kids to play sports by supplying trained coaches and focusing on youth below the poverty line.
Fridie Outdoors is an app that offers camping tips and training accessible offline, specifically for BIPOC campers. The company has participated in several local pitch competitions, as well as the Embark accelerator run by outdoor retailer REI.
Black Excellence Group is an organization that works through the Portland Public School system to provide access to sport and advocacy for Black student well-being.
People of Color Outdoors is a nonprofit that offers BIPOC Portlanders nature education and encourages them to have outdoor experiences through organized trips and community outreach.
Play it Safe Flagging System is a new program that alerts drivers that kids are at play along their route. Its founder, Campbell, said on LinkedIn that he worked on the system with his 14-year-old son for the last year and a half.
Campbell is also the founder of the food startup, Felton and Mary's.
Flow in the City is a yoga studio in Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood focused on building community and making yoga more accessible.
As the first woman in her family to own a business, Flow in the City's Gomez said she feels blessed to be part of the program.
“My hope is to come out of this with the knowledge to be able to turn the ideas in my head for Flow in the City into something not just sustainable, but repeatable, to be able to expand beyond Portland and Oregon,” Gomez said.
Once the founders complete the accelerator they are part of a global network courtesy of Adidas’ partner Impact Hub, which supports social impact entrepreneurs with community and education resources.
