How I Built This Summit Announces The 2021 Class of How I Built This Fellows
April 19, 2021; Washington, D.C.- NPR's How I Built This Fellowship with Guy Raz received close to two thousand applications and is excited to announce their 2021 selection of 10 Fellows. Since 2018 the How I Built This Fellowship has aimed to discover, empower and elevate promising entrepreneurs who have innovative business ideas, perseverance and grit. The Fellows have become an important part of the How I Built This community which started online as followers of the podcast.
"This Fellowship is life-changing. This program allows people like me, who have built companies around a mission to change the world, to access high quality mentors, funding, and a network of peers," said Kaitlin McGreyes, Founder of Be Her Village. "I have worked night and day on my business, pouring my heart and soul into my endeavor to create a tool to improve maternal health outcomes. It is an honor to be able to share my vision and my business with the HIBT community. To be selected as a Fellow is a dream come true."
"The quality of applicants for the Fellowship we received blew us away," said Guy Raz. "If anyone doubts that the entrepreneurship spirit is alive, well, and booming in America, look no further than the How I Built This community and the outpouring of interest we received in our Fellowship program this year."
Hailing from around the country, this year's How I Built This Fellows cohort will participate in three weeks of educational programming to prepare them for NPR's first-ever pitch competition, the 'How I Built This Fellows Pitch Day,' where one of them can win a grand prize of $50,000. The panel of judges for the 'How I Built This Fellows Pitch Day' includes Guy Raz, Eric Ryan Founder and CEO of method, Olly, and Welly; Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams; Melissa Butler Founder and CEO of The Lip Bar; Payal Kadakia, Founder & Executive Chairman of ClassPass; and Tristan Walker, Founder and CEO of Walker & Company.
"I couldn't be happier to be joining the HIBT Fellowship program. I've been listening to the podcast for years, and I'm well aware of the great network of entrepreneurs that have been on the show," said Toby Egbuna, CEO & Co-Founder of Chezie. "As first-time founders, we don't know what we don't know, so having access to a group of people that have been where we are and succeeded is invaluable. I'm also really looking forward to connecting with the other fellows and working through this entrepreneurial journey together."
Stay tuned for updates on this year's How I Built This Fellows through How I Built This emails and connect with Guy Raz & the How I Built This Team on social:
And follow #HIBTSummit
Listen to How I Built This on NPR One and wherever podcasts are available.
NPR's How I Built This Fellowship is an opportunity for innovators at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey to take part in the virtual Summit May 24-27, join a supportive community of entrepreneurs and gain resources to help them succeed in their business ventures. The 2021 class of How I Built This Fellows comes from a diverse set of industries ranging from education, technology, health and wellness, food and beverage, sustainability, and more. You can learn more about each 2021 How I Built This Fellow at summit.npr.org/fellows
GoDaddy is the presenting sponsor of this year's How I Built This Summit and Fellows Program.
"Our mission at GoDaddy is to empower the everyday entrepreneur and NPR's How I Built This Fellowship program seeks to do just that" said Melissa Schneider, VP Global Marketing Operations at GoDaddy. "We are inspired by these ten finalists and their passion for bringing some truly world-changing ideas to life."
The Fellowship application opened on Monday, March 1st at 10:00 a.m. ET and closed at 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 31st.
About NPR
NPR, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, is widely known for its rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling that connects with millions of Americans every day — on the air, online, and in-person. NPR strives to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners can find NPR by tuning in to their local Member stations (npr.org/stations), and now on smart speaker devices — where listeners can simply say, "Play NPR" to tune into their local Member station's live stream. Users can also access NPR podcasts, NPR One, NPR News Now, and the Visual Newscast on screened speakers. For more information visit npr.org/about and follow NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Press Contact
Interested in covering the Summit or interviewing Guy Raz? Please contact:
NPR Media Relations