Automatic AI Receives i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant, Fueling Innovation in Basketball Training

New Orleans, LA - November 6, 2023 - Automatic AI, a pioneering startup redefining basketball skills training, has been awarded the esteemed i.Invest Competition Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant, signifying a boost for their mission to revolutionize the world of basketball training.

i.Invest is a youth entrepreneurship program and business competition designed to showcase the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation’s brightest young leaders. The organization has trained and provided over $50,000 in funding and in-kind resources to more than 30 youth start-up teams. The Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant is a new program created to inspire entrepreneurship across the state to business leaders 13 to 19 years old and to provide a $500 grant, mentorship, and training to help youth leaders launch their business ventures.

"This grant exemplifies the commitment of i.Invest Competitions to empower young entrepreneurs and startups like Automatic AI," said Michelle Jackson, Founder and Executive Director of i.Invest Competitions. "Our goal is to foster innovation, growth, and a brighter future for all.

The i.Invest team interviewed Automatic AI’s co-founders Julien Bourgeois, 18, a student at The University of Mississippi, and Andrew Bradford,19, a student at The University of New Orleans, about their new technology.

Question: Tell us about Automatic AI.

Answer: We are beyond excited to present Automatic AI, a groundbreaking product that aims to revolutionize basketball skills training. It's an easily accessible app that targets the fundamental deficiencies in basketball jump shots. Our app integrates with the Apple Watch and iPhone, utilizing their motion sensors and AI technology to track and analyze a user's shots in real-time automatically. This eliminates the need for constant user-screen interaction, offering a seamless and enjoyable workout experience. Automatic captures essential basketball metrics like release angle, shot force, and release speed, empowering users to make immediate adjustments to enhance their shooting technique.

The synergy between the Apple Watch and iPhone components is a key strength of Automatic AI. The Apple Watch provides real-time feedback during workouts, while the iPhone app offers a comprehensive platform for long-term data analysis and goal-setting. Users can access a wealth of data from their shooting sessions, enabling them to track their progress, identify areas for improvement, and develop a personalized training regimen. This innovative approach, supported by extensive research and testing, is poised to make a significant impact in the basketball community, inspiring athletes to reach new heights of excellence.

Question: What is the social impact of the app?

Answer: Automatic AI demonstrates a significant social impact by cultivating a culture that embraces failure, celebrates hard work, and translates it into success. Our technology enables basketball players to observe their progress, set goals, and track their metrics, promoting continuous improvement and personal growth. By fostering a growth mindset and encouraging resilience, Automatic AI instills valuable values in individuals both on and off the basketball court. We believe that by embracing failure as an opportunity for learning, players develop the determination and perseverance necessary for success in various aspects of their lives.

As young entrepreneurs, we are passionate about inspiring and empowering young people to pursue their dreams regardless of their age. Through our own journey in the sports technology industry, we aim to motivate others to follow their passions, take risks, and explore innovative ideas.

Question: What are your next steps?

Answer: To propel Automatic to the next level, we require a strategic combination of resources. This includes funding to support our growth plans, encompassing critical areas such as product development, marketing, and scaling operations. Continued investment in research and development is essential to enhance our AI algorithms and expand the range of basketball metrics analyzed, ensuring our users receive unparalleled insights into their performance.

Question: How will the grant be used to advance your business idea?

Answer: As Automatic AI is in the soft launch stage and post-revenue, the funds from the i.Invest grant will be used to push forth our inorganic marketing strategy via an Instagram ad campaign. We are currently at around $0.54 per download within our Instagram Ad campaigns, so this grant will ensure that we attract around 1,000 new customers to our product!

With the support of the i.Invest Louisiana Grant, Automatic AI is well-positioned to solidify its leadership in the basketball training market, inspiring athletes worldwide to reach new heights of excellence.

For more information about Automatic AI and its innovative basketball training solution, visit www.authomatictrainer.com.

To stay abreast of our grant programs, visit www.i-investmaryland.com.

Contact Information:

Michelle Jackson

mjackson@i-investcompetition.com

2020 i.Invest Winners Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Sept. 28, 2020 - Today PR Solutions, LLC announced the winners of the fifth annual i.Invest National Youth Business Competition. Four teams consisting of youth entrepreneurs, 13 to 19 years-old, were selected to receive cash and in-kind prizes after successfully completing a six-month web-based mentoring program and competition that included three rounds of scoring led by business and academic leaders from across the country. Teams were required to participate in group coaching, one-on-one mentoring, and a virtual finale pitch event. Winners were selected based on their ability to create a scalable business model using the guidance and recommendations of experienced industry leaders.

This year’s winners are:

• First Place - Cognality. Developed by Espen Garner, 17, of Laguna Hills, CA, Ian Kim,18, of Fairfax, VA, and Giana Valencia, 18, of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Cognality is a virtual reality startup that provides cutting edge rehabilitative technology for autistic children to help mitigate the effect of meltdowns. Prize: $2,000 and the title of i.Invest 2020 Youth Business of the Year.

• Second Place – AmityConnections. Founded by Karthik Ramu, 17, and Kushi Sethuram, 16, of Aldie, VA, AmityConnections is a healthcare startup working to develop a mobile platform that will connect families with the real-time health data of their eldest members so that they may have the continuous ability to monitor their health conditions. Prize: $1,000.

• Third Place – The Dobber Digger. Created by Clayton Rasche, 18, of Baton Rouge, LA, The Dobber Digger is a tool that removes dirt dauber nests, a form of wasp common throughout the U.S. that build their nests out of the mud, causing a major problem for homeowners. Prize: $500.

• Rising Star Award – JoJo’s Outstanding Jojoba Oil. Started by Adjo Evonlah, 18, of Germantown, MD, JoJo’s Outstanding Jojoba Oil is an all-natural hair product for all-natural hair types using avocado seeds, among other natural ingredients. Prize: $150.

To learn more about each team, visit the i.Invest website.

In addition, all finalists will receive in-kind prizes from PR Solutions LLC (New Orleans, LA), a strategic marketing and public relations firm and the founder of the i.Invest Competition; #EYECON Youth Conference (Baltimore, MD), an annual youth entrepreneurship event; Cherin Law Firm’s (Pittsburgh, PA) "Ask the Start-Up Attorney," a no-fee virtual consulting program and My College Map (New York, NY), a college counseling and career coaching service. This year’s principal sponsor was Premier Pediatrics of Houston (Texas).

"This year’s competition will never be forgotten,” said Michelle Jackson, the program’s executive director. “The unique circumstances our applicants were forced to navigate because of the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to take on three vigorous rounds of scoring with limited access to their teachers and mentors. They soldiered through, competed with passion and excellence, and brought forth the type of business concepts that will take the marketplace by storm."

This year’s judges included:

Amber Ravenscroft, The EdVenture Group

Anthony Dobbins, North Star Development

Atisha Patel, NotiCare

Chadd Carr, KPMG US

Desiree Young, VentureWalk

Emily Hartnett, InspireNOLA Charter Schools

Erica Rothschild, Paper Crane Associates

Gene Coulson, Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (EntreEd)

Gerard Doris, DXC Technology

Karen Zuccardi, Winrock International

Kimberly Ha, Microsoft

Latoya Staten, SecuLore Solutions

Linda Bethea, Danone

Mojdeh Bahar, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Natasha Muhammad, EYE for Change

Omar Muhammad, EYE for Change

Pamela Cook, Coca-Cola UNITED Bottling

Ryan Makhani, My College Map

Sahitya Senapathy, 2019 i.Invest Youth Business of the Year

Sarah Glatt, Paper Crane Associates

Tamecka Knight, Premier Pediatrics of Houston

Tiffany Henry, Conductor

Vernon Lee, The Marathon Fund

Vonna Matthews, CEOKID Magazine/For Her Media

The 2021 competition will start accepting applications on March 1st. Applicants must be between the ages of 13-19 and have a demonstrable product or service to compete. The application fee is $29. To receive event updates and to register as a judge or sponsor visit, the i.Invest website or contact Michelle Jackson at mjackson@i-investcompetition.com.

About PR Solutions LLC

PR Solutions LLC is a New Orleans - based strategic marketing and corporate event planning firm that specializes in working with new and established ventures to build viable business models and to integrate innovative marketing tools into for-profit and nonprofit business strategies. PR Solutions is the parent company of the i.Invest competition. i.Invest is a grassroots effort that receives funding and support from donations to LifeSkills Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization, and the entrepreneurial community. To learn more, visit www.prsllc.org.

Youth Startup Seeks to Create Platform for Bipartisan Political Discussion, Commentary

Manaswi Mancha, 17, of Elmhurst, NY, is one of this year's competitors in the i.Invest National Youth Business Competition. Manaswi is the founder of Politalk, a bipartisan national political opinion and discussion platform where young adults can make commentary on current events and public policy in their country.

We spoke with Manaswi to learn more about the startup:

Tell us about your startup:

Politalk is a bipartisan national political opinion and discussion platform. People interested in current events and politics can go on our website to publish their opinions while having political discourse with other users. Our main competitive advantage is the platform's simplicity and ease of use. Politalk will provide a dedicated platform for customers to express and share their political opinions and learn about other political perspectives. The bipartisan nature of the platform will allow people from all sides of the political spectrum to discuss the nuances of American politics.

Who or what inspired you to start Politalk?

I was inspired to start Politalk because I saw how passionate people are regarding politics, especially following the 2016 elections. I saw an increasing number of my high school friends taking part in political rallies, such as the climate change strike and the gun violence school walkout, while also discussing politics in class. I saw how frustrated my friends were because they felt as though their voices were not being heard. To them, it seemed like many people were ignoring what the younger generations had to say about politics. Not only that, but I saw a large disconnect between political pundits on television and the general public. Therefore, I was inspired to create a platform to give Americans from all walks of life a dedicated space to have political discourse and share their opinions on almost any current event or policy issue.

How will Politalk impact the world?

Politalk is centered around expressing the opinion of the "average Joe" rather than political experts. Politalk will empower young people and give them a voice in politics. We want to give representation to the full spectrum of political perspectives and want to give users from all walks of life a chance to have their voices heard. Politalk will provide a constructive platform to bring Americans of different political beliefs together to discuss politics safely and civilly, with a design that facilitates a mutual understanding and respect for each other's views.

What are the next steps?

We are seeking funding for the development of our app with all the sophisticated features we have planned, hosting on third-party servers, along with maintenance (fixing bugs, scaling the application, and creating data security patches). We'll also invest in the marketing and customer acquisition process, which will require efforts in digital marketing (through Facebook, Reddit, and Youtube ads) and live promotional events.

To learn more about Politalk, visit their website, https://mmisc.com/mainpolitalk/. To mentor or offer support, email info@i-investcompetition.com.