Cortex Square One supports minority entrepreneurs

“The people I’ve had the opportunity to interact with, from my peers in the program to the coordinators Ben and Gabriella, have helped me tremendously to take myself and my ideas seriously.  I have found phenomenal mentors through the program,” he said. 

Antonio Brazelton  always knew he had big ideas for starting his own business. He also knew he didn’t have the framework in place to sharpen and shape those ideas in a way that would really explore his passion for plant science and feeding the world. Like many budding entrepreneurs, Cortex One helped make his dream come true.

The Cortex Square One program is a series of programs that helps early-stage entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life through learning and networking opportunities, resources, and mentorship. Last year, Square One’s programs produced 103 graduates, including 23 in its Square One Bootcamp. 65% of the graduates are women, and 70% are people of color.  

Brazelton joined in 2022 because he felt he needed a formal setting with clear guidelines to help bring his ideas to life. He also believed he would benefit from being with a network of peers and people who were moving in the same direction.

“The Square One Ignite program helped me to take the customer discovery interviews I had done during SLU-ICOR and funnel them into a tangible set of problems I could address,” Brazelton said.  “It also helped me realize that I needed to completely pivot from my original idea to better serve the needs of my potential customers.” 

Brazelton owns HerbanAg Tech, a software company devoted to providing scalable digital resources to the farm-to-table movement. His company is prototyping an app to connect urban farmers and chefs here in the city.  

“Urban farmers benefit from the ability to grow niche varieties of produce at scale,” he said.  “This makes them a great partner for chefs, artisans, and local grocers who want to provide premium, hyperlocal ingredients to their customers.” 

 He wants to help empower new urban farmers growing niche products by making it as simple as possible to connect to new markets.    

The heart of Square One’s mission is empowering those from underserved communities who may have traditionally been shut out of the entrepreneurial ecosystem so that St. Louisans, regardless of their backgrounds, may contribute to creating a vibrant, inclusive ecosystem.

The program focuses on IT, bio-science, advanced manufacturing, consumer manufacturing, and food. Cortex Square One provides entrepreneurs with the tools they need to successfully launch their businesses, said Ben Molina, Entrepreneur Manager of the program.

“We give them idea validation, teaching them target market discovery, and connecting them with the local ecosystem,” Molina said when describing Square One Ignite. Square One Ignite is stage one of the program and is a four-week session available twice a year. 

Square One Bootcamp is stage two, and it’s a 10-week program designed for entrepreneurs to learn the fundamentals of running a business, connecting with mentors and other experts. Entrepreneurs are trained in budgeting, building a pitch, and marketing. They also learn details about product design and personal credit. Partnerships with the St. Louis Empowerment Center, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce St. Louis, Afghan Chamber of Commerce St. Louis, and African Chamber of Commerce St. Louis help keep the program connected with the community. 

“We realize Cortex has a responsibility, we try to make sure we are collaborating across the region with people doing similar work,” said Vice President of Entrepreneurship Gabriela Ramirez-Arellano. Piggybacking off of her comment, Molina added, “ Our role is to provide them with the support and tools they need to be successful.” 

Ramirez-Arellano said it was clear that Brazelton, who participated in all three stages of the program, had the drive needed to succeed. 

“He showed extreme resilience,” said Ramirez-Arellano. Brazelton would sometimes bring his young son to class with him. “ It’s very inspiring to see him show so much commitment to his future,” she added. Many of the entrepreneurs have full-time jobs, families, and other responsibilities. Participants are provided with transportation such as Uber and Metro Bus/Link passes. “This is to ensure there are no barriers keeping people from coming here,” said Ramirez-Arellano.

Molina said Adjo Honsou, owner of FuFu n’ Sauce food truck, first joined Cortex Square One knowing that she wanted to be in the food business but needed help getting started. The program gave her access to a commercial kitchen and taught her how to develop a resource networking circle.

“We meet [entrepreneurs] where they are,” said Molina.

Honsou said that she liked how the program moved at a slower pace. “ I got more in-depth information from the classes I took and resources,” she said. She said this gave her time to think about how to incorporate the material she was learning into her business. For example, she learned how and when to use the mentors she was meeting. Honsou came from a more corporate environment, and said she also needed to learn how to transition into the entrepreneurial arena. 

Trinity Griffin joined the program in 2021 after looking for small business resources in the St. Louis area. The program helped her move through the idea validation process and develop a better understanding of market fit. Griffin created a mobile app to help people on their emotional journey. 

Tracking My Tears tracks the number of times the user cries. The app tracks relevant data about each cry and connects with other users. Tracking My Tears has a user track only one physical response across a range of emotions. This helps users identify how their body can use one response for many different emotions.

To learn more visit https://squareone.cortexstl.org/

Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.