Meet the 2023-2024 cohort of Genius Founders in our Alumni Venture Seed Fund Program — a dynamic mentorship experience designed to support the advancement of our young entrepreneurs through the five phases of startup development, while intentionally supporting a deeper understanding of the space and application.
Over the next five months, these Hidden Genius Alumni will participate in this rigorous program to receive coaching, training, and early-stage funding to empower them with the resources, networks, and capital needed to support their entrepreneurial ambitions. These young men will partake in a series of workshops and exercises focused on these core startup phases; Business Ideation and Validation, Legal, Technology, Marketing, and Venture Capital.
MEET OUR 2023-2024 GENIUS FOUNDERS
Jahrai Haile, RICH4 Hidden Genius Alum
Since joining The Hidden Genius Project’s Rich 4 Cohort, Jahrai Haile has shown a desire to make the world a better place through business technology. During his time in the Hidden Genius Project, he created an app/business called Pipleline for good to cater towards the inequity found within minority communities. Jahra Haile believes that access to resources and information is crucial in one’s success.
Today, Jahrai is a 20-year-old sophomore at Boston University who’s majoring in Business Finance. His goal is to create a successful database/app that will be able to filter out scholarships and other program/internship opportunities for low-income minority students.
Connect with Jahrai on Linkedin HERE.
Imminent Victory, RICH1 Hidden Genius Alum
Having been a Genius since 2017, Imminent Victory has shown a desire to make entertainment affordable and accessible to all. During 2023, he created an app called DJmote that enables inclusive music selection at events, ensuring accessibility for everyone and to be able to connect with people with similar music taste. Imminent believes that through technology creation, entrepreneurship and leadership skills you can transform your lives and communities.
Now, Imminent is an 20-year-old Junior at the University of San Diego State who’s majoring in Business Finance. His goal is to understand the inner workings of finance and share this knowledge with students from underprivileged communities, providing them access to valuable financial education.
Connect with Imminent on Linkedin HERE.
Paris Irving, OAK3 Hidden Genius Alum
Following his participation in our Intensive Immersion Program in 2014, Paris Irving has shown a desire to create value for the world using A.I. During 2023, he created an app called Charity Driver to Funnel resources to homeless people using Artificial Intelligence. Paris Irving believes in creating value for the world and supports his local community by uplifting young black male youth through the principles of The Hidden Genius Project; technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.
Paris Irving is now a 23-year-old Genius Alum working full-time with The Hidden Genius Project. who’s using integrated thinking to allow brother’s just like him to aspire to learn and become value creators for themselves and the world.
Connect with Paris on Linkedin HERE.
Elijah Hynson, OAK5 Hidden Genius Alum
Ever since Elijah was a member of The Hidden Genius Project’s Oak 5 cohort, he has shown a desire to work in the gaming industry. Elijah Hynson believes that there is a space for video games to educate as much as they entertain and that they can ignite discussions on topics that are usually obscured. Elijah Hynson is a 21-year-old junior at UC Santa Cruz who’s majoring in Art and Design: Games and Playable Media. His goal is to gain insight into each aspect of game design and become as close to a jack of all trades as possible. Outside of his studies, Elijah enjoys playing video games and producing beats on FL Studio.
Connect with Elijah on Linkedin HERE.
FOUNDING PROGRAM ARCHITECTS
Jackson Cummings
Investor, Salesforce Ventures
Jackson Georges Jr.
Vice President, Capital G
Zach Singleton
Sr. Product Manager, Marketplace Trust & Privacy Engineering, Uber
Joey Flores
Chief Marketing Officer, Chefling Inc.
PROGRAM SUPPORTERS
Tanya Diggs
Partner, Going Public PR
Keenan D. Williams
Co-Founder, President & Head of Partnerships, Rezi
John Roussel
Founding Executive Director, Colorwave
Karen Lewis
Founder & President, Going Public PR
Temisan Hambraeus
Concept Development, Juxtapose
Princess K. Allen
Consultant, Slalom
Erin Rowe
Founder & CEO, Allspring
Nicolas Toper
Co-Founder and CEO, Manycore
Nikkisha Smith
Corporate Associate, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Griffin Wheeler
Founder, NFT Access
Marc Guirand
Foudner & CEO, Derisk.vc
Arjun Madra
Senior Analyst, Corporate Development – M&A Integration, Salesforce
Florent Cantat
Director, CRM Backcountry
Allison Baum Gates
General Partner, SemperVirens Venture Capital
Lisa Love
Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Tanoshi
Daniel Jhin Yoo
Founder, Goalbook
Janine O’ Neill
Director, Talent, Sequoia Capital
Allison Caragan
Administrative Business Partner, Capital G
Barbara G. Robinson
Director, Client Contracting
Barath Chari
Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Andrew Overton
Director of Engineering, Learn In
Darian Chornodolsky
VP Platform Growth, Wirewax
Brandon Quinn
Senior Product Manager, Linkedin
Chance Martin
Full Stack Software Engineer, Johnson & Johnson
Kenny Stone
Angel Investor and Advisor
Eli Taylor
Sr. Software Engineering, Cypher LLC.
Dan Garraway
VP Strategy, Interactive at Vimeo
Adarius Bell
Designer, Jordan Brand Global, Nike
John MacFarlane
Advisor, Self-employed
Matthew Dedon
Attorney, Start Art Legal
Ted Paff
Founder, Bootstrap Thinking
Shubhi Nigam
Senior Product Manager, Carta
Andrew Sacks-Hopenfeld
Director, Marketing ZO
Scott Hanselman
Partner Program Manager, Microsoft
Jesse Sacks-Hopenfeld
Manager, Social Media Operations, Analytics, and Influencers, Salesforce
Brandon J. Middleton-Pratt
Attorney, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
OUR PARTNERS
