We give power to the
young generation.
Enabling them to
dream bigger, build
with strong foundations
and thrive at an early
age.
See How We Do It
Gray Matter is a 501c3 that aims to educate, empower and assist students in creating their own businesses while providing them access to resources and support to ensure students understand that their ideas are valid and vital to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The
Experience
The Gray Matter Experience is the space for young Black innovation. We envision a future where all Black youth are empowered to embrace bold futures and where business leadership equitably includes the talents of Black entrepreneurs.
We believe that given equitable exposure and resources, our youth will be equipped to see entrepreneurship as a viable occupation option, and contribute economically to their communities.
We provide coaching, capital, curriculum, connections, and community to level the playing field for teens entering the entrepreneurial space. Through our programs, students gain knowledge, access and resources to navigate through our booming technological and entrepreneurial economy. They learn to be change agents within their communities who continue to rebuild and reinvigorate their neighborhoods. They are #GMEChangers.
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Gray Matter has invested over $95,000 in seed funding and pro bono services to our teen founders and worked with over 1000 students across the country to expose them to entrepreneurship practices. Gray Matter has been recognized by the Chicago Bulls, Chicago CS Magazine, Streetwise Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Essence Magazine and Fox 32.
Meet Our Founder
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Britney Robbins is the founder and CEO of The Gray Matter Experience. Britney has worked within Chicago's entrepreneurship and tech community for the past eight years working within some of Chicago's top venture capital firms and incubators including Sandbox Industries, Cleveland Avenue, Lightbank and 1871. She has been recognized as one of Ariel Investment, BMO Harris and WVON's 40 Under 40 Gamechangers, Essence Magazine's Woke 100, a finalist for Ebony Magazine's Power 100 People's Choice Award, featured on Fox32, Chicago Inno, BlackEntrepreneur.com, DNAInfo Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Forbes and Essence Magazine for her work through Gray Matter. Most recently, she's been named as one of the 26 Most Influential, 20 Most Inspiring Chicagoans and one of The Chicago Defender’s Women of the Year for 2021.
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In 2015, she authored and published her first children's book - The Adventures of Buster & Duval.
Britney is passionate about improving the well-being of Black communities and is focused on providing quality resources, more direct access and education to see that vision made reality.
Apply For The Gray Matter Experience
Gray Matter Experience exists to give opportunities for high school students to learn about and practice entrepreneurship at an early age. We hope that our students gain knowledge, access and resources to transform the way they and others view their communities. Through our programs, youth collaborate to develop solutions around problems that plague their communities and use their newfound knowledge gained through The Gray Matter Experience, to help shape their business approach.
These students are becoming well equipped to navigate through our booming technological and entrepreneurial economy. They're learning to use the resources and information gained through the program to catapult their futures to great success. They're learning to be change agents within their communities with the hope of continuing to rebuild and reinvigorate their neighborhoods as they achieve various forms of success. These students are #GMEChangers.
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Think You Have What It Takes To Become A #GMEChanger?
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Are You?:
• A current high school freshman, sophomore, junior or senior or in college
• Available to attend each virtual program session
• Full of determination, able to work well in teams, not afraid to take
risks, confident, reliable and passionate about finding ways to improve your communities/city
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Sponsors & Partners