News from 36 Degrees North

January 11, 2022

Born and raised in Tulsa, Bryan Meador spent the most recent 12 years of his life in NYC missing the connection to nature that the midwest offers in abundance. So, what did he do? He founded Plant Seads, a sustainable company whose debut product is a vertical garden planter. And last year, Bryan packed up the company, moved back to his hometown, and landed Plant Seads planters in over 450 Walmart stores across the country. Dare we call it a grassroots movement??

December 3, 2021

Our friends at 9b celebrated their third anniversary in October with an exciting announcement- they are now one of only three B Corp Certified organizations in Oklahoma! In great company with businesses like Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Seventh Generation— B Corps meet the "highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose". Check out how they did it and where they are headed next!

November 16, 2021

Last week was packed with 15+ events carefully designed to show Tulsa's entrepreneurial minds new ways to explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. From a pitch competition to a panel on venture capital to a wrap party at Mother Road Market, there was something for every entrepreneur, and Tulsa, you really showed up! Check out some photos from the week and rewatch your favorite sessions here!

October 17, 2021

On paper, Crystal is an author, entrepreneur, mother, board member, and a DEI advocate; and we have to admit- that’s a lot of things to be! What many don’t know about Crystal is that she has truly overcome all odds to become the successful, powerhouse of a woman that we know today.

August 27, 2021

Respond Flow is making huge moves in Tulsa! The software startup just announced that they’ve secured $2.5M in a seed round led by Mercury, Atento Capital, and Cortado Ventures. Respond Flow steers users through the complexities of mass text message compliance to avoid fines and confidently connect with their customers. Using their platform, they empower organizations to connect with their customers and build authentic relationships.

August 22, 2021

If you’ve been around 36 Degrees North at all in the past year, you’ve met Maria Kim. She doesn’t miss a member lunch, happy hour, or a chance to make a new friend, and we love her for it. But what you might not know about Maria is that before she planted her roots in Tulsa six months ago, she was living the “digital nomad” life, moving from country to country with her laptop and a knack for copywriting.

August 15, 2021

Huge shoutout to our partners and friends at Devon Energy, who stopped by on Thursday to check out the new 36°N Incubator! We are grateful for their support of our incubation program and their dedication to empowering entrepreneurs in Tulsa. We are thrilled to announce the launch of the new 36°N Innovation Scholarship powered by Devon Energy!

July 30, 2021

We are so proud of ACT Tulsa for launching its first accelerator cohort right here at the 36 Degrees North Incubator! ACT Tulsa is a joint venture between i2E and ACT House. Their 6-month cohort-driven accelerator program is designed to cultivate and drive innovation of minority-led technology startups located in Tulsa. The program provides each startup with $70k investments with 0% interest and equity. Check out all the awesome startups and founders in the first cohort!

July 23, 2021

We’re celebrating big time over here at 36 Degrees North because two of our Member Companies were selected as winners of Pharrell William’s Black Ambition Initiative! Both companies received seed funding from the initiave, totaling $300,000.

June 25, 2021

And that’s a wrap on Black Gold Series 1! We had the best time partnering with Greenwood Cultural Center to bring the Black Gold Speaker Series to 36 Degrees North. Throughout the month of June, we set aside time to honor the contributions of the entrepreneurs and business owners of historic Black Wall Street, and glean wisdom from current-day Black entrepreneurs. We are so grateful for the amazing entrepreneurs who joined us to share their stories and the legacies of Black Wall Street’s titans. Check it out!

April 30, 2021

Our very own Dustin Baker premiered the first season of the SBA Roadshow here at 36°N on Monday, April 26. The SBA Roadshow is a mini-series dreamed up by Dustin that showcases the positive impact of the Small Business Administration's loan programs on communities all over the U.S. The series follows Dustin, Founder, and CEO of Baker Lewis, on a cross-country roadshow visiting small businesses who benefited from SBA and Paycheck Protection Program loans during the pandemic, and the banks who helped them. Dustin’s mission in creating the SBA Roadshow is to build community through shared stories—stories of resilience, determination, and persistence that define the entrepreneurs who are the backbone of the U.S. economy. In the series, Dustin travels across the country to check in with the business founders and owners who received PPP loans that were necessary to keep their businesses alive through the pandemic.

March 26, 2021

Born and raised in the Home of Sliced Bread, Alan Kline is 36°N’s resident Van Guru. Yep, that’s a thing. If you’re wondering, the Home of Sliced Bread is Chillicothe, Missouri and it’s also the Home of Vandoit Adventure Vans. Vandoit is a family-owned business that turns Ford Transit Vans into cool, multi-functional vans that you could live out of if you wanted to (yes, sometimes “down by the river”). It all started when Alan’s family was looking for a solution to their own adventure itch.

February 26, 2021

Paige Young is the owner and head floral designer of Bella Blooms, a couture floral service that specializes in customizable commercial and residential flower subscriptions. The position that she’s in now is quite the pivot from last year when she was burnt out, overworked and ready to quit the floral business all together. Instead, Paige did something bold and started her own floral business in a city she’d only been living in for a month. You guessed it- we’re talking about Tulsa, baby!

February 2, 2021

36 Degrees North is partnering with GAN to launch their newest initiative, GAN Spaces. Through this partnership, 36 Degrees North members get access to over $1M in discounts and access to corporate connections nationwide.

January 14, 2021

Hailing from Harlem, NYC, Troy Johnson is settling into his new life as a Tulsa resident, checking out all the local eats and awaiting the day the music scene comes back swinging. After spending most of his career in the defense and financial services industries, Troy founded The African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com) in March of 1998. Today, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited website dedicated to books written by or about people of African descent.