Pana Mina

Origin: Jaipur, India |

Grant Awarded: 2023 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is Pana Mina?

“”We Make Clothing Personal”
Pana Mina is a made-to-order clothing startup at the intersection of sustainability and size-inclusivity. Pana Mina uses natural, eco-friendly fabrics to make custom-sized garments, encouraging customers to embrace their individuality and use their unique body measurements, rather than restrictive standard sizes, to purchase clothing online.

Company Leadership

ELEANOR SWANSTROM

Co-Founder

Eleanore was first exposed to the fashion industry when she modeled for St. Louis Fashion Week as a teenager. She later graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Marketing degree, and then worked for a marketing agency in Minneapolis serving apparel brands like Calvin Klein and Lane Bryant. In 2019, Eleanore traveled through India and met her partner and fellow Co-Founder, Jay. She then spent 3 years living in Jay’s vibrant hometown: Jaipur, India. Eleanore’s apparel marketing expertise and international experience prepared her to co-found Pana Mina, and bring sustainable, size-inclusive clothing to a global audience.

Connect on LinkedIn →

dhananjay sharma

Co-founder

Dhananjay grew up in Jaipur, India, an international hub for apparel production. His local connections, combined with his efficient and detail-oriented work style, allow him to vet production facilities, evaluate fabric options, and ensure products meet the highest quality standards.

Dhananjay’s motto, “Sab Kuch Milega” – meaning “Everything is Possible” in Hindi – reflects his can-do attitude and optimism that any manufacturing or logistics challenge can be solved through the right local partners and processes. He helps Pana Mina navigate the complexities of apparel production in India, and realize the vision of sustainable clothing for all.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Shades of Color

Origin: MO | Grant Awarded: 2023 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is Shades of Color?

Shades of Color provides a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible global platform using artificial intelligence and augmented reality to empower beauty brands and consumers with personalized solutions to buy and sell products for their unique needs, cultures, and lifestyles.

Their interactive personalized beauty marketplace enhances the shopping experience by connecting beauty brands and beauty shoppers with unique skin tones, skin conditions, and allergies.

Company Leadership

TASHARA EARL

FOUNDER & CEO

Tashara Earl is a multifaceted entrepreneur, artist & licensed cosmetologist. Growing up in the Baden Neighborhood of North St. Louis led her to embark on the beauty, entertainment, and entrepreneurship journey. Like millions of others, Tashara struggled to find products that worked for her unique needs. With her experience, Tashara passionately founded Shades of Color to address an unmet beauty industry need and empower economic growth in our communities.

Connect on LinkedIn →

TASHA EARL

Co-founder & CTO

Tasha Earl is the CTO of Shades of Color and a driven senior advisor in the Missouri Air National Guard. Her expertise is enhancing organizational effectiveness, fostering cultural diversity and inclusion, and adapting to evolving operational and technological demands. Tasha earned her B.S. in Information Technology from Lindenwood University. Over the past nine years, Tasha has honed her skills through a series of roles: Systems and Database Manager, Cyber Security Liaison, and IT Specialist.

Connect on LinkedIn →

michelle storey

co-founder

Michelle Storey is a licensed cosmetologist with 30 years of experience and over 14 years of commercial insurance experience. As a Business Developer, Michelle’s affectionate personality ensures an exceptional client experience.

Connect on LinkedIn →

The Girls Company

Origin: Salt Lake City, UT |

Grant Awarded: 2023 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is The Girls Company?

One fateful day in an entrepreneurship class at Brigham Young University, Abby Warner, Taimi Kennerley and Zoia Ali were placed together at random in a group. They became fast-friends, and were coined “The Girls.” Little did they know that this class would lead them to eventually found The Girls Company, and launch their signature product: The Band (the world’s thinnest heated band, no electrical cords or outlets required).
Their mission? To make period cramps suck less. Because life shouldn’t stop when your period starts. Period.
In order to bring their vision to life and get the necessary funding, The Girls entered a variety of business competitions. They stood out at every event they attended, and went on to become the first all-female team to win first place at the International Business Model Competition.
Their journey has not always been easy. The Girls are often up against rooms filled with men, who do not understand the need for their products. The Girls keep persevering, educating and captivating their audiences. They have done the heavy lifting, the research, the interviews, the case-studies, the prototypes, and many, many tests.
How exactly does their signature product work? The Band comes with three pockets in the front, and three in the back. The user takes their thin, disposable warmers, and inserts them in the desired pockets. The warmers provide all-day heat (eight to ten hours). Once finished, the warmers can be disposed of. The ingredients are environmentally safe, and the band is machine-washable. This extremely discrete band can be worn under clothes during a variety of daily activities, without being noticed.
The Girls are continually working to destigmatize period talk, and are developing more products for this underserved market. Not only does The Girls Company create unique period solutions, they have built a safe community for women to have those open and important conversations.

Company Leadership

ABBY WARNER

CO-FOUNDER & CEO

Abby Warner graduated from BYU with a degree in entrepreneurship and a minor in international development. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, she manages all of the bookkeeping, finances and accounting, for The Girls Co., along partner relations and maintaining a long-term vision for the company.

Connect on LinkedIn →

TAIMI KENNERLEY

Co-founder & CMO

Taimi Kennerley moved from Lynfield, New Zealand, to the U.S. when she was ten years old. Taimi is half-samoan and her name means “time.” She received an entrepreneurship degree from BYU, and handles brand building, digital and physical assets, socials and customer experience for The Girls Co.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Zoia Ali

CO-FOUNDER & COO

Zoia Ali grew up in a Pakistani household in the Dallas, Texas area. Inspired by her father’s entrepreneurial spirit, she went on to graduate from BYU with a degree in entrepreneurship. She focuses on operations, product development, SEO, digital and outbound marketing for The Girls Co. and likes to problem solve.

Connect on LinkedIn →

MOODEAUX

Origin: GA | Grant Awarded: 2022 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is MOODEAUX?

When the world commands you to shrink, we say do the opposite: Flaunt How You Feel.® As a clean fragrance label rooted in the scientific connection between scent, memory and emotion, MOODEAUX® turns accessorizing your mood into mindful self-care and “luxury” into a lifestyle —  all minus any harsh alcohol, weird chemicals or unnecessary dyes. It’s through this attitude, along with our unique blends of drool-worthy accords and skin-nourishing ingredients, we’re changing the game forever. Welcome to a new era in beauty.

Company Leadership

Brianna Arps

founder & cEO

Brianna Arps is a former editor-turned-marketing expert whose passion for people, storytelling and all things beauty finally led to the birth of her very own “brand-children” MOODEAUX® and Black In Fragrance.™ In the same way as her bold sense of style, Brianna wears her emotions like a badge of honor — navigating through life by the simple motto: Flaunt How You Feel.® A St. Louis native, she’s known as an outspoken, charismatic big thinker working to make the world around her better — starting with perfume. Brianna holds a bachelor’s degree from the world’s first School of Journalism seated at the University of Missouri.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Optikal Care Inc.

Origin: GA | Grant Awarded: 2021 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is Optikal Care Inc.?

Optikal is a subscription that breaks down the cost of an online vision test, contact lenses and contact care supplies into easy monthly payments; while delivering everything needed to your doorstep.

Company Leadership

SueAnn Hollowell

CEO/Co-Founder

SueAnn Hollowell serves as the CEO of Optikal. She is a second time founder that started her first business at 18 years old and grew it over 13 years. She holds a bachelor’s in Marketing from Clayton State University and MBA in Marketing from Mercer University. She has several years of marketing experience with companies like Kellogg’s, Chick-fil-A and UPS.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Norman Stuart III

COO/Co-Founder

Norman Stuart III serves the COO of Optikal and holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Hampton University. Norman has over 8 years of experience in customer service, business operations and analytics from Verizon Wireless and more recently served as a healthcare analyst.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Involved Industries

Be a Part of the Movement

We champion extraordinary entrepreneurs to create positive change – for St. Louis and for the world. Join us by applying to our Global Startup Competition, becoming a financial supporter, volunteering your time or amplifying our message.

Nebula Media Group

Origin: PA | Grant Awarded: 2021 | Status: Acquired

Visit Website →

What is Nebula Media Group?

Nebula Media Group is a full-service website and content accessibility consultancy for small and mid-size businesses. From WCAG to ADA compliance, our ‘accessibility-as-a-service’ platform combines people, technology, processes, and legal expertise to help attain and maintain true accessibility for our clients. Let’s build a more inclusive web, together.

Nebula Media Group was fully acquired by CurbCutOS in February of 2023.

Company Leadership

Will Bubenik

Founder

Will Bubenik is a St. Louis native and has three siblings with intellectual disabilities. Seeing his siblings struggle to use the internet showed him that it wasn’t that his siblings weren’t able to access the world…it was that the world was made inaccessible to them. Nebula was born from that experience. Will is an avid sports fan and a proud Temple University alumni, having professional experience with Special Olympics International and the Philadelphia 76ers. Ask Will about Philly sports!

Connect on LinkedIn →

Be a Part of the Movement

We champion extraordinary entrepreneurs to create positive change – for St. Louis and for the world. Join us by applying to our Global Startup Competition, becoming a financial supporter, volunteering your time or amplifying our message.

oneKIN

Origin: NY| Grant Awarded: 2021 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is oneKIN?

oneKIN is a mission-driven, retail-tech company, and we are singularly focused on providing small businesses creative technology solutions to help them increase their visibility and grow sustainably. Our hyper-focus on small business is very deliberate. We believe that they harness the collective resourcefulness, creativity, and genius of their respective communities. By providing them tech-enabled solutions to grow, we are empowering them to effect widespread socio-economic change.

#STLOnward Awards – Powered by NISA

Company Leadership

Marvin A. François

ceo & Co-Founder

A former Wall Street banker turned self-taught engineer-in-training, Marvin is incredibly passionate about building and investing in disenfranchised communities, and leveraging technology to disrupt the invisible market forces that exacerbate the wealth and opportunity gaps. He completed undergraduate studies at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management where he studied Finance; and later completed graduate studies with a focus on public finance, policy, and economics at New York University.

Connect on LinkedIn →

jennifer gomez

CmO & Co-Founder

Prior to oneKIN, Jennifer helped brands and startups leverage data and creative storytelling to reach and build authentic relationships with their consumers. She was a marketing force behind some of the biggest brands, multimedia marketing campaigns and global influencer-led projects in recent years including sports & media giants like Major League Baseball and Time Inc., to beauty giants like L’Oréal and NARS, Sephora and more. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Involved Industries

Be a Part of the Movement

We champion extraordinary entrepreneurs to create positive change – for St. Louis and for the world. Join us by applying to our Global Startup Competition, becoming a financial supporter, volunteering your time or amplifying our message.

No Limbits

Origin: IA | Grant Awarded: 2021 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is No Limbits?

No Limbits is a ready-to-wear adaptive clothing brand with the mission of increasing comfort, confidence, and independence in those who struggle to dress themselves due to a disability. With options for amputees, wheelchair users, and those with sensory processing disorders, No Limbits uses human-centered design to make fashion accessible.

Company Leadership

erica cole

ceo & Founder

Erica started No Limbits after personal experience struggling to find clothing that worked with her prosthesis. Erica has led the company through the prestigious Target Incubator and was a 2021 Halcyon Fellow. She was awarded the University of Iowa’s Female Founder of the Year in 2020.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Involved Industries

Be a Part of the Movement

We champion extraordinary entrepreneurs to create positive change – for St. Louis and for the world. Join us by applying to our Global Startup Competition, becoming a financial supporter, volunteering your time or amplifying our message.

3D Gloop!

Origin: IL | Grant Awarded: 2020 | Status: Active

Visit Website →

What is 3D Gloop!?

3D Gloop! is a quirky science-loving startup company that produces adhesives and coatings for the 3D printing industry; that is dedicated to producing the highest quality products and providing excellent customer service. 3D Gloop! Has a growing line of products that tackles the two primary adhesive problems in the 3D printing industry; gluing plastic prints together, and adhering the first layers of prints to build platforms. The company produces unparalleled “multi-use” adhesives engineered to have best-in-class performance for the most common 3D printing plastics. 3D Gloop! is unrivaled in the sale of plastic-specific adhesives in this industry. The company is constantly formulating new solutions to unsolved problems for a rapidly expanding market.

Company Leadership

Andrew Mayhall

Co-Founder

Andrew Mayhall is a serial entrepreneur with expansive experience in startups; who raised over $2 million in private equity for past ventures in the technology hardware space. Mr. Mayhall is highly skilled in nearly every facet of business operations including manufacturing, customer service, marketing, and product branding. He possesses in-depth knowledge of chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering, with nearly ten years of experience as a multi-disciplinary engineer.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Andrew Martinussen

Co-Founder

Andrew Martinussen is a first-generation American and co-founder of 3D Gloop!. Mr. Martinussen graduated from SIUE with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Andrew is a talented, multi-disciplined engineer who is also skilled in project management, marketing, and product branding. Mr. Martinussen additionally possesses extensive knowledge of business operations, strategy, and development.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Involved Industries

Be a Part of the Movement

We champion extraordinary entrepreneurs to create positive change – for St. Louis and for the world. Join us by applying to our Global Startup Competition, becoming a financial supporter, volunteering your time or amplifying our message.