Spelpreneur
Meet Our Spring Cohort Tier 3 Spelpreneurs 
Ana Villavasso, C'2026, art major with a minor in mathematics | Hometown: Decatur, Ga. | View her portfolio: Ana Paints LLC.
Why is entrepreneurship important to you? Entrepreneurship signifies the future of innovation, of leading communities with need into the next generation of what's possible. As a product designer, entrepreneurship is what makes us successful- values such as market research, needfinding, prototyping, meeting with stakeholders, leadership and more are all intertwined in business and product. Having Black, queer womxn leading the forefront of business on a global scale means guaranteeing that consumers are safe, heard, and accommodated.
What did you learn from your experience in Spelpreneur?
Spelpreneur gave me much-needed exposure to professionals of all disciplines in my field. Specifically, what is unique about Spelpreneur is that it is entrepreneurship and knowledge-centered around the Black female experience. We learn directly from Black lawyers, financial advisors, product managers and CEOs; we interact with startups in our very own HBCU community through pitch competitions; and we are surrounded by Black investors and leaders that truly want to see our ideas get oW the ground. It is rare to find an entrepreneurial network this intentional, this invested in the growth of Black female entrepreneurs!
What are your next steps as a result of participating in Spelpreneur?
Pursuing a Master's degree in Integrated Product Design means furthering my understanding of business, engineering, and design in both corporate and entrepreneurial facets. Through my degree, I hope to learn how to more efficiently prototype and discover needs in my community, supported by a top Ivy League education. I hope to later start my own business in Product Development and Design Consultancy, working alongside government agencies and non-profits to use product design to serve marginalized and underserved populations.
Janii Corneh, C'2029, economics major, management and organization minor, | Hometown: Douglasville, Ga.
Why is entrepreneurship important to you? From an early age, I have always found myself analyzing businesses and imagining how they could be improved or reinvented. Entrepreneurship allows me to act on that curiosity by creating something of my own. For example, what started as a hair braiding service in high school evolved into my nonprofit, Make Ends Meet Inc., where we bridge the gap between natural hair care resources and education for students of color. I was curious about how I could become a community staple to those who could not afford my services. Today, we create educational content on social media and are planning workshops within the AUC. Entrepreneurship is important to me because it lets me be the visionary, the creator, and the executor all in one.
What did you learn from your experience in Spelpreneur?
A highlight of my Spelpreneur experience was the Jane E. Smith 10-Day Pitch Competition. The biggest lesson I learned was the power of community. When my team and I pitched ShadeSync, a virtual try-on makeup tool, we leaned heavily on our Spelman community to share what makeup means to them and how we could improve their experience. Through those conversations, we learned that consumers of color want accurate shade matches and are eager for beauty technology that finally reflects them. When it came time to gather votes for the Viewers' Choice Award, that same community showed up at the polls. Part of that lesson is learning how to convey your belief in your vision to others; authentic storytelling will always garner more support than something lackluster.
What are your next steps as a result of participating in Spelpreneur?
As a result of participating in Spelpreneur, my next step is to continue to take ShadeSync to the next level. My team and I were paired with incredible mentors who are embarking on this journey alongside us. Thanks to the Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE), I will also be attending an accelerated startup program in Porto, Portugal, through the European Innovation Academy, where I will learn from industry leaders how to build a scalable business model and expand my global network. My goal is to return with a stronger framework for taking any idea I have on the ground. Without taking full advantage of what Spelpreneur has to offer, these opportunities would not be possible, and I am extremely grateful.
Spelpreneur Core Focus Areas
EDUCATE
With the Spelpreneur Fundamental Series, students learn about the entrepreneurial mindset as well as key concepts of starting, running and growing a business.
INSPIRE
Entrepreneur Chats where students engage with successful entrepreneurs and our Speed Mentoring where students meet 1-on-1 with entrepreneurs.
EMPOWER
With our Jane E. Smith 10-Day Start-up Competition, students identify a unique problem and pitch at a “Shark Tank” style event, competing for financial prize packages.