By Nicole D. Miller

No stranger to creativity and artistic expression, Cleveland has grown another limb to flex its capabilities. If technology is the arm, then FutureLAND is its hand. FutureLAND is a thriving tech movement sweeping the urban sector by storm.

FutureLAND attendees, including artist Lacey Talley, 2nd from right. (Photo: Brian Kartisan Photography)

Last year, the first FutureLAND tech conference was held, inclusive of heavy hitters Rich Paul, Mayor Justin Bibb, and many more. But the conference isn’t just about names. FutureLAND puts money where its mouth is.

 

Chad Porter, CEO and founder of CHVDJUSTIN™, a company that sells savvy backpacks called the WEARPACK®, is just one beneficiary of FutureLAND’S generosity. In the 2022 first annual conference, his business was awarded an impressive $25,000 as the 1st place winner of the President’s Council’s annual Pitch Competition. The President’s Council is Northeast Ohio’s primary Black business chamber.

 

The Pitch Competition’s stunning seed capital propelled CHVDJUSTIN™ into a six-figure revenue business they’ve maintained over the last year. Their expansion into a downtown warehouse in Cleveland, evolving into a wholesale business model, securing intellectual property, and establishing a full-on staff were just some of the perks of partnering with FutureLAND.

 

FutureLAND went one step further with sowing into this local business by purchasing custom-made bags for their VIP guests at the 2023 conference. Chad shares that as an Ohio State University Economics major, he couldn’t gain traction and receive the support he needed to experience this level of success. It was only when he moved back to his hometown that his business soared.

 

“While living in Columbus, I was denied every opportunity to raise capital and partner with local organizations,” says the six-figure innovator. “I thought it would be the best environment, but I had absolutely no luck. Most of our sales were coming from Cleveland. Cleveland saw our value. I knew I needed to move back home.”

 

This is the stuff FutureLAND is made of. Everyone is impacted when the mission to transform the community with thriving businesses via qualified participants is accomplished. Everyone can eat.

Corey James & Courtney Lynn Ottrix of Courtney Covers Cleveland, with other attendees. (Photo: Brian Kartisan Photography)

Through events held by FutureLAND, minorities, and small business owners get the playing field leveled. They can then experience the elite opportunity to own the dreams they’ve worked so hard to invest in. But the challenge is ensuring that those needing assistance know of its availability.

To bring this awareness for the 2023 conference, several media outlets displaying advertisements for FutureLAND were tapped into, such as WZAK 93.1 and WOIO Channel 19 News.

A “For the Culture Mixer” was also held at Worthington Yards Art Gallery, nestled between W. 6th and W. 9th St. off St. Clair in the heart of downtown Cleveland. Per the Director, Liz Maugans, this gallery specializes in hosting non-profit cultural events. Stashed inside an upscale remodeled apartment building, the by-product of an adaptive reuse project, this hidden gem aims to be an activator of representation of all Clevelanders on its walls.

“Moses” by Artist Joanna Mitchell (Photo credit: Liz Maugans)

“It’s important for buildings not to be stagnant,” says Liz, “but be porous, engaging in the community, so that Clevelanders feel like they belong.” This pivotal partnership with FutureLAND exposed more artists, innovators, and creatives to the gallery and connected FutureLAND to its audience. The mixer was a win-win for all. “It’s amazing to see these types of opportunities for minorities in these spaces and this kind of support for local neighborhoods,” Liz adds. “FutureLAND is well on its way.”

The connections in getting the word out do not stop there. Taste Makers United, who sponsored the “For the Culture Mixer,” is also a key player. Owned by Camille Genise, a cofounder of FutureLAND, Taste Maker’s desire to “…provide community, top tier networking experiences, and capital to affect change in various industries…” was adeptly in line with all parties involved.

“FutureLAND has personally helped my organization, Tastemakers United, by hiring us last year to execute parts of the 2022 conference and sponsor the 2023 For the Culture Mixer,” informs Camille. “This monetary support by hiring and sponsoring us allowed me to bootstrap much-needed funds into Tastemakers United to continue community building for creative entrepreneurs and ‘tastemakers’ in our city. “

The testimonies keep flowing when it comes to this tech forerunner. The second annual conference, held in Cleveland’s beloved Playhouse Square Theater on Oct. 5 and 6, was a picture-perfect portrait of the infusion of innovation, creativity, and technology. This home to the arts housed panel discussions and workshops on branding and marketing, women in tech, critical investment knowledge, and a plethora of other vital topics for every entrepreneur.

Though Cleveland has yet to receive its just due when it comes to innovation, FutureLAND is a megaphone for the voices of youthful, diverse, driven visionaries sure to make that happen. When these conferences are executed, they dropkick doors and shatter glass ceilings for big dreamers by providing much-needed capital.

In 2023, the annual Pitch Cypher distributed this much-needed capital. A JumpStart-produced event in collaboration with The Urban League of Greater Cleveland, ECDI, The Hispanic Business Center, and The President’s Council, the Pitch Cypher awarded the following businesses:

1st place- Dr. Wendy Slone (founder + CEO) bTech ($25,000)
2nd place- Dr. Aparna Agarwal (cofounder), Auxilium Health ($15,000)
3rd place- Aleksandra Brankov (co-founder), Cafilia ($10,000)
4th place- Dr. Onomoe Scott-Emuakpor (cofounder) HyphenMade ($2,500)
5th place- Jay R. Fogle (founder) Lokul Media ($2,500)

That’s $55,000 in cold hard cash sown into minority and small business owners in one event alone. With numbers like these, the city can’t help but prosper.

(from left to right) Pitch Cypher judge Luke Cooper, grand prize winner Dr. Wendy Slone, and Pitch Cypher Finalist, Jay R. Fogle (Photo: Mariana Edelman)

The FutureLAND team knew they needed to upgrade for this year’s conference with the anticipation of thousands of attendees, so they developed community-initiated steering committees and a fellowship program.

But what’s next? The overall goal is to transform the tech and innovation systems through diversity and inclusion. To execute these forward thinkers’ lofty objectives, they require support from like-minded organizations. Key diverse founders from other marginalized groups are vital for this next-level execution.

“FutureLAND is more than a conference; it’s a movement,” says Alysha Ellis, another cofounder of FutureLAND. “We have a long way to go because we’re building Cleveland’s future together. We need true collaboration, equitable leadership, and, most importantly, ownership, because if we build it together, our people will come, partake, and co-own!”

Stay abreast of all upcoming events by visiting futurelandcle.com.