ALUMNI VENTURE SEED FUND: GENIUS FOUNDERS SHOWCASE 2023

Gari’un Godfrey, RICH2 Hidden Genius Alum 

Since joining The Hidden Genius Project’s Richmond 2 Cohort in 2018, Gari’un Godfrey has shown a desire to help his community. During his second summer, he created an app called ALERT to help promote local Bay Area businesses to citizens and tourists. Gari’un believes that if we spend more of our time and money focusing on local businesses, the overall community will continue to grow and improve.

Today Gari’un is an 18-year-old freshman and SEED Scholar at the University of California: Berkeley who’s majoring in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science. His goal is to obtain his master’s degree and become a software engineer for a FAANG company while also giving back to the Bay Area by teaching students of color computer coding. 

Connect with Gari’un on Linkedin HERE.

Jeremy Samuel, OAK5 Hidden Genius Alum 

Jeremy Samuel is a third-year Computer Science major at Loyola University Maryland. After graduating, Jeremy wants to pursue a career in app/web development, with hopes to even start his own company. During his time in our Intensive Immersion Program, Jeremy sparked a new passion for using technology to solve often overlooked challenges. With his interest in music and computer programming, he combined the two to create DJU. This application is an online service that connects the party to a DJ by requesting songs without stopping the party.

Connect with Jeremy on Linkedin HERE.

Julian Wilson, OAK6 Hidden Genius Alum 

My Name is Julian Wilson I am 18 years old and from Oakland, California. I got my love for coding during my time in The Hidden Genius Project, and it has inspired me to make my program centered around teaching youth data analytics. I am a student-athlete at Lehigh University majoring in Computer Science and Business. My project idea is to create a program that teaches data analytics to youth, combining the technology and sports field along with showing kids there are other ways to work in sports without having to physically play it.

Connect with Julian on Linkedin HERE.

Brandon Pierre Bazile, RICH2 Hidden Genius Alum 

Brandon Pierre Bazile is a Youth Educator and an esteemed alumnus of The Hidden Genius Project’s Richmond Cohort 2. Brandon earned the “Best App” award at our 8th Annual End of Summer Celebration in 2019, and just 2 months after graduating from the program he went on to win the first Youth Pitch Competition at AfroTech–one of the largest multicultural tech conferences in the country.

Brandon aspires to build schools, lobby for the rights of the Black community, and increase Black representation on Wall Street. He is excited to continue building on his business ideas and further develop his skills as an entrepreneur and leader to funnel wealth back into communities of need. Now, as a rising junior studying computer science at Loyola Marymount University, Brandon is primed to become a key asset and leader in our 3rd Alumni Venture Seed Fund cohort.

Connect with Brandon on Linkedin HERE.

Langston Earl Scott, OAK4 Hidden Genius Alum 

Langston Earl Scott, alum of Oakland Cohort 4 of OAK4, aims to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder develop motor, sensory and auditory skills through different learning skills ACC and LAMP. With a blueprint ready, Langston looks to set his ideas in motion through the Alumni Venture Seed Fund and create the platform and service functions of his business. He also looks forward to conducting intensive research and different applied practices while elevating his leadership skills to build a team and reach out to potential advocates, partners, and funders for his business, MOTIV3.

Connect with Langston on Linkedin HERE.