Cureate Awards $10,000 and Celebrates Maryland-based, Health-focused Food & Beverage Entrepreneurs
Baltimore, MD - November 25, 2024 – Cureate, in partnership with University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and Baltimore Community Lending (BCL), celebrated health and entrepreneurship at their most recent Cureate Courses capstone event. The event featured a collaborative community dinner prepared by graduates of the program with an emphasis on connection and community.
The capstone event was held on Thursday, November 21st at Prince George’s Community College’s Culinary Arts Center. In addition to graduation from the 10-week Cureate Courses program, two businesses were awarded $5,000 each to invest in the growth goals that they defined and pitched as part of the curriculum.
Sixty attendees gathered around the table to share a healthy and delicious community meal prepared by paired cohort participants. Guests included supporters from the participants’ networks, special guests from UMMS and BCL that are spearheading food security and health-focused programs, and Cureate Courses alumni and staff.
Cureate Courses Fall 2024 participants included the following local wholesale and hospitality-based businesses:
The winners of this year’s cash prizes, Revvl and Tom Cat’s Kitchen, were chosen based on weekly attendance and participation, in addition to scores for a 5-minute pitch showcase and answers to live questions posed by judges at the event.
"Cureate Courses provides valuable training and technical assistance to entrepreneurs to help their businesses thrive and provide jobs and fresh food to their local community," said Kim Bryden, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cureate. “Food brings people together and we can make lasting connections through these community-centric businesses.”
Cureate partners with businesses, governments and non-profit organizations to cureate location-specific educational programs that take the guesswork out of starting and running a successful business, empowering entrepreneurs to build a solid foundation to grow, scale, and best-serve their customers in the highly-competitive food industry. This particular installment of Cureate Courses included local food and beverage businesses with health-centered missions and innovative approaches toward combatting and reducing food insecurity in their local communities. With a shared commitment to serving historically underserved communities, 77% of the businesses selected for the 2024 Cureate Courses program are woman-owned, and 63% are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color)-owned.
“At Cureate we celebrate community and build connectivity to boost businesses, but also in support of the health and wellness of the communities in which we operate,” Kim Bryden, CEO, Cureate. “Our incredible partners at UMMS and BCL enable and support the critical work of uplifting diverse, local entrepreneurs and transforming local economies through innovative food industry solutions, fostering interconnected and economically vibrant communities.”
“We’re so thankful, not only for the mentorship and guidance that we’ve gotten from Cureate,” stated Lexx Mills, co-founder and CEO of Revvl, “but also the community of entrepreneurs. We get to learn from each other, support each other, and partner with each other so that we can all grow together.”
“It feels great to win,” said Anna Kent, owner of Tom Cat’s Kitchen. “It’s a huge recognition of the work that’s gone into this program, the work that’s gone into my business, and also just to be here among other small business owners who are working just as hard - if not harder - on their dreams as well. It’s just an incredible acknowledgment to be recognized out of such an accomplished group of people.”
Former Cureate Courses participants have praised the program’s collaborative environment and information sharing – which can be challenging as a solo operator – as well as access to essential resources and solutions.
To date, Cureate, UMMS and BCL have provided free business education to over 70 food and beverage entrepreneurs in Maryland.
For more information on Cureate Courses programming, visit: http://cureate.co/courses
About Cureate
Cureate Courses programming and leadership derives from Cureate. Cureate is a for profit, woman-owned small business building an empowered food & beverage supply to meet a changing consumer demand. Through small business development, food systems strategy, and local procurement programs, Cureate helps build interconnected, economically-vibrant communities. Visit www.cureate.co to learn more and watch our Impact Videos here.