ABOUT US

Human Augmentation and Collective Investment

Economic Development: Build the GDP
Social Development: Improve the TRUST
Soul Development: Advance the CULTURE

Urban U is the newest type of High Tech Start-Up Incubator and Accelerator that provides underrepresented founders and their startups with a location and the tools required to enable rapid transformational growth and success. Our flagship is at the former Sharp End District inside Vibez based in Columbia, Missouri, the birthplace of prodigy pianist Blind Boone, one of the creators of Ragtime and the first female African-American millionaire, Annie Fisher. 

We seek BLACK, INDIGENOUS, and DISADVANTAGED ENTREPRENEURS who possess unique, disruptive ideas and aim to convert these concepts into thriving, global-based billion-dollar legacy brands and high-tech businesses.

We seek INSTITUTIONS (governments, organizations, and communities) who want to change their statistics and demographics for the better, instead of losing the contest against reducing generational poverty, violent crime, youth unemployment, year after year. 

​

We seek INVESTORS (Seed, Angel Media, VC, Philanthropist, and Social Good Foundations) who want to invest responsibly into the next big thing that will give them a huge ROI, but also that feels just since it creates balance in the soul of the tech industry, instead of continuing to lose bets on inflated evaluations like Uber, WeWork and those attached to the PayPal Mafia in Silicon Valley. Where is the fun in that?  Did you see that WeWork documentary?  We called it!  😂 

Contact us today and let's collaborate with you on how we can help all of you to discover your destiny and achieve your visions on Earth.

BLACK DEMOGRAPHICS

The Blueprint For Black America

BlackDemographics.com is a single resource for information and statistics about African-Americans, and how we work, live, learn, vote, and worship. They assist communities who are ready for action, recommendations, solutions and accompaniment to change and evolve their cities forward, towards betterment, equity, and justice. 

Urban U assisted them to focus their brand, find their sweet spot, and add emerging technology to their future goals.  Currently working on designing their app to take their website mobile and add premium services. 

Industries Disrupted: Primary Data, Census Accuracy, Community Engagement, Urban Affairs Outsourcing and Disparity Studies Affordability.

STAFF SMART STAFFING

The Smartest Solution

When we first met the founders of Staff Smart Staffing, we knew we had met a talented team of professionals. We quickly became invested in developing their innovative idea, and have been watching them grow ever since.  There are 10M Small Business in America and 93% are soloprenuers.  We plan to help these soloprenuers build the capacity to get to their second employee.

Industries Disrupted: HRM, Staffing, Payroll, Unemployment Offices, Social and Economic Development and SBA's.

SAM BROWN COSMETOLOGY AND BARBER INSTITUTE

Beautification of the Whole Tribe

A Cut Above The Rest Hair Salon was one of the first companies we invested in. Their team members were extremely talented and passionate about their business ideas and we continue to provide ongoing support in all their ventures.  We assisted their owners in the acquisition of the Sam Brown Cosmetology and Barber Institute and plan to help them scale up their operations as they master each area of their market.

​

Industries Disrupted: Beauty, Hair Salons, Cosmetology, Online Learning, Chemistry, Distribution, and Administrative Capacity and Uniformity.

PAN-AFRICAN CONNECTION BOOKSTORE, ART GALLERY AND RESOURCE CENTER

Culturally Rich | Historically Relevant

"Shortest trip to Africa without getting on a plane"

Pan-African Connection Bookstore, Art Gallery and Resource Center was established in 2000 to fill a void: to bring a real high-quality Rare Bookstore to the Dallas area. Our passion for excellence is what drove us from the beginning and it still drives us now. In fact, it’s what makes us tick.

We worked with them to revamp their brand, website, organize their wonderful team, and position them to provide high-volume high-quality, affordable, everyday items, by mail order to the whole African Diaspora numbering at about 1B families worldwide and to supply local hubs in each main city.

​

Industries Disrupted: Black Culture, History and Identity Ownership, Urban Literature Accessibility, and Offering Quality Everyday Items For the Global African Diaspora. 

COMMON EXCELLENCE COACHING, LLC

Making Excellence Common

Common Excellence Coaching was the brain for Urban U, and their team, data, and technology was acquired in 2015 and was the MVP for the Urban U methodology in order to discover how to create wholesome, healthy souls and families and identify all of the main aspects of their lives, that lead to excellence.  We coached over 300 people, from all continents, and fine-tuned the curriculum, the market niche, and services that those people required to attain excellence and discover their destiny.  Most incubators don't accompany their founders through all life changes, as spiritual life coaches but CEC does exactly that.

​

Industries Disrupted: Coaching, Counseling, Mental Health, Religion, Spirituality, Confusion, and Decision Fatigue.

VIBEZ LOUNGE AND SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT

Attracting Those With Soul

#IssaVibe

Vibez has the mission to feed everyone a soulful meal, lovingly prepared, that reminds you of home, and offers a social space where you can connect with incredible locals in your community. Located in the #SharpEnd business district in CoMo.  

​

We met with their leadership team and worked to advance their true mission and focus, enhanced their digital imprint and brand, and added some financial goals and elements to help them to have a blueprint to hit their first $1M in sales by 2022.  We also loved their vibe so much we teamed up to add the Urban U brand to their platform and facility to maximize their total weekly schedule.

​

Industries Disrupted: Entertainment, Stress Management, Violence Interruption, Conflict Resolution, Non-traditional Counseling, Minority Business Participation, Community Engagement, and Scheduling, Socialization, Urban Dietary, and Culinary Industry Attraction, Event Planning and Soul Development.

​

​

Let us accompany you on your journey to turn your vision into reality.

Connecting The Ancestors To The Unborn