Happy Oreo Cookie Day! I'm still off junk food until Easter, so have an mint Oreo flavored milkshake for me. Keep reading to learn about Ascender's new mini-grants for Black entrepreneurs, and get details on our new Preferred Partners Program.

— Atiya, Pittsburgh tech reporter

Small business require funding, but acquiring it can be more challenging for some founders than others. That's where Ascender comes in, by offering a mini-grant program aimed at Black business owners in Allegheny County, Ascender Executive Director Nadyli Nuñez told Technical.ly the goal is to give entrepreneurs a quick infusion of cash without the usual barriers in place.  

“We work with entrepreneurs every day,” Nuñez said. “And we can teach them about marketing and sales all we want, [but] at the end of the day, they need money to do these things.”

➡️ Get all the details on the mini-grant program here

After 15 years of journalism about technology and entrepreneurship, we've seen the best (and the worst) of tech vendors, service providers and other resources and programs. So we’ve gathered a list of trusted people and firms we can directly connect you with for your next career or business move.

Each vendor has been vetted, is active in our local markets and contributes to our independent newsroom, via either a client relationship or referral agreement. When you leverage Technical.ly to connect with our Preferred Partners, you're not just enhancing your prospects — you're also contributing to the sustainability of our journalism. Win-win-win.

➡️ Find out more about becoming a Preferred Partner or browse the list to find your next vendor

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