Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT), the AI Search Company, today announced its participation in Visa's 2021 She's Next Grant Program. In collaboration with IFundWomen, a startup funding marketplace, the initiative aims to address the disproportionate barriers Black women entrepreneurs face when founding and running businesses.
Through the program, 60 Black women-owned businesses across the U.S. were selected to receive a $10,000 grant, a year of coaching through IFundWomen, and the opportunity to work with an array of tech providers like Yext.
Grant recipients who enroll in Yext will have a year's worth of complimentary access to the search company's best-in-class Listings solution, which improves a business's digital footprint and delivers accurate information about hours of operation, locations, COVID safety protocols, and more to approximately 200 online platforms (Amazon Alexa, Facebook, Google, Siri, etc.) with the click of a button. Recipients will also have access to Yext's White Glove Services team for dedicated platform onboarding, training, and support.
"Our She's Next Grant Program aims to make a meaningful difference, quickly, for the communities and their business owners who need it most," said Gloria Colgan, Global Head of Card Products and Platforms, Visa Business Solutions. "Through our work with Yext, today's most ambitious Black, female entrepreneurs can take advantage of modern, powerful technology for search solutions," she added.
"We're incredibly proud to work with Visa and IFundWomen to support Black women-owned businesses across the country," said Brian Distelburger, Co-Founder and President of Yext. "One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is making sure their business details are showing up online — and showing up accurately — on the multitude of platforms where customers might be searching for them. With Yext, She's Next grant recipients can rest assured that their listings are optimized for maximum discoverability, allowing them to focus on their business without worrying about how they're going to foot the bill."