Fair City Challenge Pitch Competition Event
Congratulations to our Fair City Challenge contestants winning $10,000!
Bold Ideas, Big Impact, and Community Transformation
Thank you to all of our attendees, participants, and stakeholders who made the Fair City Challenge Pitch Competition, presented by the Economy League’s Impact Labs, a success.
On Wednesday, May 21, at the Center for Architecture and Design in Market East/Chinatown, more than a dozen teams pitched bold ideas to revalue properties in Philadelphia’s historically disinvested neighborhoods before a panel of expert judges.
The 2025 Fair City Challenge Cohort delivered powerful, community-centered solutions. Five teams received $10,000 prizes, including the “People’s Choice” award, and earned entry into the Fair City Challenge Accelerator powered by Launch Point Labs.
The evening featured host Dr. Kyle The Conductor, music by DJ Ron Jeez, and complimentary wine and bites—creating an atmosphere of celebration, innovation, and connection.
(L to R) BRANDY FORTUNE, GARRISON HINES
North Roots Orchard & Farm is transforming North Philadelphia’s Logan Triangle into a thriving urban farm, food forest, and cultural hub. Partnering with Brandy Fortune’s Bossed Up, we merge agriculture and public art to revitalize abandoned spaces, fostering food justice, workforce development, and community pride.
(L to R) ALMITRA TANKERSLY, VONETTA HAWKINS, CLARA LYONS-DEVAUGHN
The WEALTH Collective is a team of Black women in real estate, banking and finance on a mission to eliminate racial appraisal bias of Black and Brown people and communities in the city of Philadelphia and across the nation.
KERSY AZOCAR. Not pictured: ROXANNA ENCARNACION
Becoming a real estate investor seems impossible for most people - JumpStart Philly was started to help people purchase and rehab houses in underinvested neighborhoods. The Raíces Capital Fund plans to address the capital gap needed for people of color, specifically Latinos, to become real estate investors.
SOMALISA SAHOO
The Climate Equity Home Fund (CEHF) is a climate fintech platform that helps low- and moderate-income homeowners in Philadelphia finance energy-efficient home upgrades—boosting home equity while reducing energy costs.
Highlights Gallery
