Michael B. Jordan and Serena Williams are teaming up to give students or alumni from an HBCU a chance to win $1 million, according to Blavity. Through the Black Panther actor’s Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, Serena Ventures, the tennis star’s investment company, and MaC Venture Capital, participants will have to submit their innovative business proposals in order to win.
“HBCUs are an integral part of our educational ecosystem and have long been centers of entrepreneurial excellence. We are thrilled to be partnering with Michael B. Jordan and MaC Ventures on highlighting the brilliant student and alumni founders,” Alison Stillman, general partner at Serena Ventures, said in a press release.
Jordan and Williams will award the winners during the halftime of the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase Finals, which is slated to take place in New Jersey on Dec. 18. North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T University, Hampton University and Howard University are the schools that will be featured at the HBCU college basketball showcase. The event will also air on TNT.
“Talent is ubiquitous but access to opportunity is not,” said MaC Venture Capital General Partner Michael Palank. “Two of our partners are HBCU alumni and we could not be more excited to uncover and support the amazing entrepreneurial talent we know is thriving at these universities.”
Executives from Invesco, Serena Ventures, MaC Ventures, Thirty Five Ventures, Cake Ventures and Harlem Capital Partners will work with the winners in the forthcoming months to help develop their proposals.
Earlier this month, Jordan spoke to Variety about his upcoming basketball classic. “I am thrilled to finally announce the four HBCUs that will be competing in the inaugural Legacy Classic,” the Creed actor said. “Invesco QQQ and Turner Sports have been amazing partners in helping bring this experience to life. I grew up watching basketball games on TNT, so I am confident they will deliver this set of games to a true audience of basketball fans and their families in an exciting way.”