Featured photo: From left to right – Dean Tracy Dunn, Benedict College; Shondra Washington, Catalyst Labs; Jennifer Spears, The Africa Violet Tea Co; Ashley McCall, Welloe Health; Georgina Dukes-Harris, Swishvo; Dez Gerald, ACRELS; Michelle Dugar, Jiluna; Kaylan Joseph, GlamourBae; Millicent B. Lann, Benedict College; Louv Ford, ACRELS; Harold Hughes, Catalyst Labs; and Jordan ”JJ” Jenkins, JJ’s Learning Academy.
Columbia, SC – June 4, 2025 — Benedict College proudly hosted Demo Day for Cohort #4 of the Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator (BCSIA). Demo Day celebrated the achievements of seven dynamic early-stage founders from across South Carolina. The festive presentation was held in the Little Theater of the Fine Arts Building on the campus of Benedict College and the event drew an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, including investors, banking partners, and members of the community.
Since its inception in 2023, the BCSIA has supported 20 early-stage founders, helping to launch and scale promising businesses that contribute to the economic development of the South Carolina entrepreneurial ecosystem. Demo Day serves as a capstone event—showcasing the innovation, dedication, and entrepreneurial growth of each founder.
This was the second Demo Day event held since Wells Fargo Foundation and Truist Bank joined as key financial supporters of the program, reinforcing the Accelerator’s mission to empower diverse entrepreneurs statewide.
“We are immensely proud of our alumni and all they have accomplished,” said Millicent B. Lann, Program Director. “Their dedication and resilience throughout the Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator have prepared our founders for a successful future.”
Lann also extend a heartfelt thanks to BCSIA partners at Catalyst Labs—Shondra Washington (CEO), Harold Hughes (CXO), and Tiffany Hughes (Program Manager), for delivering their impactful curriculum that has proven instrumental in the success of their founders.
The event was a powerful demonstration of entrepreneurial spirit, with family, friends, investors, and community members rallying behind the graduates as they prepare to take their ventures to the next level.
For more information, or to apply for the next cohort, visit www.bc-sia.org.
BCSIA Cohort #4 Businesses Listing
Michele Dugar| Jiluna | https://Jiluna.com [email protected] Jiluna provides an AI powered app, telehealth services, & hormone replacement therapy through our online pharmacy to provide holistic, data-backed menopause support empowers women to be their best.
Kaylan Joseph | GlamourBae | https://glamourbae.com/ [email protected] GlamourBae is a beauty-on-demand app delivering premium beauty products in 60 minutes, offering a seamless, convenient shopping experience for customers who need beauty essentials anytime, anywhere.
Georgina Dukes-Harris| Swishvo | https://swishvo.com/ Swishvo is a technology platform that provides the financial backbone for holistic health, helping underutilized providers get paid, expand access, and integrate into mainstream healthcare.
Ashley McCall |Welloe Health | https://welloehealth.com Welloe Health is an employee mental health platform that uses assistance from AI to connect users with services and mental health to providers.
Louvina Ford |ACRELS | https://www.acrels.com ACRELS connects the African diaspora with property ownership in Ghana. They offer education advice, transaction facilitation, and property management, empowering communities through real estate.
Jenkins |JJ’s Learning Academy, LLC | https://jjslearningacademy.com JJ’s Learning Academy is a community actively creating an atmosphere that fosters and shapes future leaders.
Jennifer Spears |The African Violet Tea Co. | https://www.theafricanviolettea.com The African Violet Tea Co. blends culture, wellness, and flavor through artisanal teas, infused honeys, and luxury tea experiences, each sip crafted with intention and inspired by global flavors.
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