Springfield company named semifinalist in Pharrell Williams entrepreneurial competition

SBJ file

Dami Odunewu is the CEO and founder of Purpose Connect.

A Springfield-based hiring and staffing firm has been named a semifinalist in an entrepreneurial competition with a $1 million grand prize.

Purpose Connect is among 250 semifinalists selected for this year's Black Ambition Prize Competition, according to a news release. Black Ambition, which invests capital and resources in startups founded by Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs, was founded by musician Pharrell Williams.

Purpose Connect, led by CEO and founder Dami Odunewu, operates software that takes a new approach to hiring by eliminating resumes, according to past reporting.

Purpose Connect is one of more than 60 semifinalists in the technology category. Semifinalists also have been named in the areas of artificial intelligence, consumer products and services, health care, and media and entertainment.

"At Black Ambition, we are dedicated to supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs, and our mission is to bridge the racial opportunity and wealth gap by fostering environments where innovation can flourish," officials with the organization said in the release. "These visionary founders have shown remarkable potential and commitment to positive change. Their ventures are poised to reshape industries, open new opportunities, and contribute to a more equitable society."

Semifinalists are being offered a spot in the Black Ambitionist Mentorship Program, a three-month program in collaboration with Cinematica Labs.

The $1 million prize at Black Ambition's 2023 Demo Day event went to Antoinette Banks, CEO and founder of Expert IEP, a parent-facing app for children diagnosed with a disability. The top 36 finalists received prizes ranging from $20,000 to $250,000, with the final eight pitching live for a chance at the $1 million prize.