Jump to:
- What exactly is the New C-Suite?
- And what, specifically, would I get out of it?
- Can you tell me more about your partnership with digitalundivided?
- Who can apply to the New C-Suite?
- Can both my cofounder and I apply?
- How exactly do I apply?
- Can I nominate a friend or peer to the New C-Suite?
- Okay, I’m going to apply! What happens next?
- What criteria will the judging panel use?
- Who is on the judging panel?
- How will I be notified if I’m an honoree?
- What’s the timeline for all this again?
- Meet the New C-Suite honorees from years past
So you’ve started a successful business (congrats, btw!), you’re a pro at wearing *all* the hats, and you’d love to finally put the acceptance speech that pops into your mind at 2 a.m. to good use. Sounds like you’re a good candidate for the New C-Suite, an initiative from Cosmopolitan and digitalundivided that celebrates women of color entrepreneurs. Keep reading for all the details, including how to apply.
What exactly is the New C-Suite?
We’re glad you asked! The New C-Suite is a program honoring women of color who have founded and currently operate their own businesses. It’s run by Cosmopolitan (hi!) and digitalundivided, a leading nonprofit that leverages data, programs, and thought leadership to catalyze economic growth for women of color entrepreneurs. The goal at digitalundivided is to drive systemic change in an effort to create an ecosystem where there is equitable access to investments and capital for all entrepreneurs. Together, we’ll be inducting 10 businesses into the New C-Suite for the fourth time this fall with a feature in our magazine, on our website, and across our social media.
By spotlighting these women, we hope to shape the future of entrepreneurship, which, to put it mildly, hasn’t always been an inclusive, equitable space. Currently, women of color receive just a tiny fraction of total venture capital investment, and they lack many of the resources and support that their white peers have easier access to. The New C-Suite’s mission is to help change this by celebrating women of color entrepreneurs, spreading awareness about their companies, and supporting them as they take their businesses to the next level.
And what, specifically, would I get out of it?
Meaningful business resources from digitalundivided plus major media exposure (Cosmopolitan is the largest young women’s media brand in the world).
More specifically, the New C-Suite members will:
- Collectively be included in a Cosmopolitan print magazine feature story.
- Collectively be included—along with their businesses and/or products—in a feature story on Cosmopolitan.com.
- Collectively receive promotion on Cosmopolitan and digitalundivided’s social media accounts.
- Receive tailored advice and actionable strategies for maximizing your brand visibility and impact.
- Have the opportunity to partake in digitalundivided initiatives, including speaking engagements and give-back opportunities through mentorship, providing a platform for knowledge sharing and thought leadership.
- Gain exclusive access to events, networking opportunities, and the New C-Suite Circle, a community of honorees from previous years
As a 2024 New C-Suite honoree, you may be expected to attend an in-person celebration in New York City in the fall. Travel will be provided. Should an event take place, we’ll share additional details once you’ve been accepted into the New C-Suite program.
Can you tell me more about your partnership with digitalundivided?
digitalundivided is one of the nation’s longest-running nonprofit organizations. Their main focus is researching and driving innovation and new pathways for women of color entrepreneurs to succeed in the start-up realm. This includes supporting Black and Latina-women-founded businesses in breaking the 1 percent venture-capital-funding barrier, as reported in the 2022 Project Diane Report. “Our commitment to equitable access to capital is steadfast,” says Leah D. Williams, digitalundivided's CEO. “digitalundivided raises and celebrates women of color founders in its celebration of all women founders, and in their uplifting of all communities.”
Cosmopolitan and digitalundivided launched the New C-Suite in 2021 and have since supported the rise of 35 women of color founders (30 start-ups in total). See the full list of past honorees at the very bottom of this story. “Our partnership is incredible and showcases the great things that happen when women come together,” says Williams. “We are thrilled to be joining with Cosmopolitan again as it is the voice and a beacon of innovation for women today and in the future.”
Who can apply to the New C-Suite?
To be eligible for the New C-Suite, you must:
- Identify as a woman of color.
- Be 18 years of age or older.
- Have majority ownership of an established, for-profit business that has been registered for at least a year.
- Annual revenue of over $1MM or over $500,000 in funding within a year
- Have launched a business in—and that’s still based in—the United States and its territories.
- Run a successful company that stands out as innovative or disruptive in your industry and is on track for long-term growth.
- Be willing to provide your expertise to digitalundivided's earlier stages entrepreneurs; a minimum of two hours pro bono (e.g., speaker or thought leader)
Ideally, the New C-Suite applicants will work in or across industries including beauty and fashion, arts and entertainment, hospitality and food/drink, communications and media, health and wellness, sports and gaming, and science, technology, finance, or education. But if you don’t see your field on this list, feel free to still apply and check “other” in the appropriate spot on the application.
Can both my cofounder and I apply?
We love a dynamic duo. If you’re selected, we can honor you and up to one (1) cofounder, as long as your business partner also falls within our eligibility requirements (take one more peek at those above) and you’ve noted on your application that your submission is on behalf of you and your cofounder. If your partner does not meet those requirements—or if you want to apply on your own—we’d still love to honor you and your business (just note that you, not your partner, will be the official member of the New C-Suite).
How exactly do I apply?
Simply click here for the application page and follow the instructions (be prepared to humblebrag about yourself and your company)! Submissions open at 9 a.m. ET on Monday, March 11, 2024, and close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 14, 2024.
Can I nominate a friend or peer to the New C-Suite?
You can definitely encourage them to apply: Visit the application page and click Nominate a Friend. Fill out the form and the team at digitalundivided will follow up with your friend, sharing information about the program and encouraging them to apply. From there, it’s up to them to determine if they want to go for it (ofc, we hope they do!).
Okay, I’m going to apply! What happens next?
Cosmopolitan and digitalundivided will vet applications over the course of a few weeks following the submission deadline. We will base our vetting on eligibility criteria and also take innovation, creativity, and the longevity of your business into account. We’d also love for your business to be tech-enabled, with a website and/or social media presence.
Once the vetting process is over, we will pass a list of potential honorees to our all-female judging panel, who will ultimately select 10 businesses to join the New C-Suite.
What criteria will the judging panel use?
In addition to the eligibility criteria listed above, our judges will be looking for women of color entrepreneurs with companies that:
- Have been operating for at least one (1) year.
- Have proven to be financially viable or show strong traction with a quantifiable ability to grow (aka they’re on track for long-term success).
- Stand out in some way in their industry with, including (but not limited to!), problem-solving products, original ideas for untapped markets, and creative business executions.
Who is on the judging panel?
All we can tell you right now is that it’ll be Jessica Giles, Cosmopolitan’s editor-in-chief, Lisa Burton, Vice President & Investor at HearstLab, Leah Williams, digitalundivided’s CEO, and Patricia Mota, President & CEO of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement and digitalundivided board member. But you may want to watch this space because we’ll be adding a few more industry leaders to the judging panel soon.
How will I be notified if I’m an honoree?
Representatives from Cosmopolitan and/or digitalundivided will notify you via phone or email no later than July 17, 2024, if you have been selected to be a part of the New C-Suite.
What’s the timeline for all this again?
The deadline to apply for the New C-Suite is Sunday, April 14, 2024. Sorry, no late submissions—we thrive on deadlines over here!
The selection process will begin on Monday, April 15 and conclude with the judges’ final selections on July 12. If you are chosen as an honoree, you will be notified no later than July 17. Then the real fun begins: Cosmopolitan’s editorial team will be in touch about planning our editorial coverage, which may include interviews and photo requests in mid-to-late summer. The official announcement of the New C-Suite will be in the Winter issue of Cosmopolitan along with a digital feature in November on Cosmopolitan.com.
Meet the New C-Suite honorees from years past
The 2023 Honorees
Dafna Mizrahi
Shaira + Mabel Frías
Jasmine Jones
Candace Mitchell Harris
Riana Lynn
Kristen Sonday
Mary Hernandez + Beatriz Acevedo
Newsha Ghaeli + Mariana Matus
Daniela Blanco
Courtney Caldwell
The 2022 Honorees
The 2021 Honorees
2022 honorees photographed by Tyler Joe.
