Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge
StartR - Smart Retail Work
One-line solution summary:
Upskilling workers with tech skills in their current industry through startup externships opportunities.
Pitch your solution.
StartR is committed to solving the problem of access to new skills by workers that are replaced by technology and automation. Not only can the workers offer insight related to new technology that may help improve their work environment or industry, but they can also work directly with under-represented startups to learn new skills related to their industry in the area of tech. Our solution can be scaled in each city while working directly with the startup community and local workforce initiatives.
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and as of October 2020, there were nearly 11.1 million unemployed Americans. There were 3.2 million temporary unemployed Americans. These unprecedented numbers are highly related to the global pandemic, lack of resources, and preparedness. Those impacted are workers in retail, hospitality, small businesses, and businesses in general that are unable to survey or employed workers that are unable to continue working via remote work for example.
What is your solution?
StartR connects under-skilled and unemployed workers that were employed pre-COVID with startups in the area that have or are working on a solution to solve a problem within that worker's industry. For example, StartR would connect a hospitality professional with a under-represented startup in the food space and develop a 3 to 6-month externship that provides new skills, specifically tech skills that would allow the worker to either continue working with the startup or apply for new opportunities in their industry.
Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?
Increase access to high-quality, affordable learning, skill-building, and training opportunities for those entering the workforce, transitioning between jobs, or facing unemploymentWho does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
To understand these population's needs, StartR would work directly with the department of labor to review and gather demographic and industry-specific data. The data will allow us to make informed decisions about the industry and how to best serve the population. We'll work closely with the startups to develop an externship that provides specific tech skillsets needed to advance in their industry or with the startup.
Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge and your selected dimension.
The StartR solution falls into two categories. Not only will the program help to provide hands-on training for many affected by COVID-19, but it will also spotlight under-represented (Black, Indigenous, and Latinx entrepreneurs and innovators) startups that help showcase or develop industry-specific solutions. Startups are nimble, agile, and able to pivot more quickly than large corporate organizations. Providing an externship with a thriving startup will allow the worker to gain invaluable hands-on tech experience and design thinking processes.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Atlanta, GA, USAIn which US state(s) will you be operating within the next year?
What is your solution’s stage of development?
Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business modelWho is the team lead for your solution?
Quiana Cloud
How many people work on your solution team?
FT - one
PT - two
Contractors - at least two to three
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: What is your approach to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization?
We'll align with other diverse organizations to open up opportunities in their virtual communities.
What type of organization is your solution team?
Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofitIf you selected Other, please explain here.
StartR is a project under Barazzo, LLC.
Barazzo's® smart shopping technology is ideal for retailers and resorts to create a seamless, cashless, limited contact shopping experience and convenience to shoppers.
Our team consists of the Founder & CEO with 15 years of combined experience in strategic marketing and design with fortune 500 companies and startups, a CTO with 20 years of development experience, a Lead Designer with over ten years of experience, and three senior-level Advisors in retail, manufacturing, and design.
How many people are on your leadership team? (Of these, please provide the number of individuals from your leadership team that are full time, part time, and volunteer)
3 plus 3 advisors
Solution Team
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Solution Name:
StartR - Smart Retail Work