B2B eCommerce market Alibaba.com has rolled out its second annual small business grants program, Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program.
The $750,000 Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program is targeted at promoting innovation in U.S. small and midsized businesses (SMBs) and boost competition, as well as help eCommerce entrepreneurs get ahead.
In addition, one grant recipient from the 50 winning businesses will be selected in February to receive additional funding and be featured at Alibaba.com’s next global event for having the most innovative product.
The company believes “there are three ways to help SMBs stay competitive: reducing costs, simplifying the sourcing process, and building brand equity”. The Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program this year has been designed “to highlight the creativity of small business owners and provide the tools for them to strengthen the competitiveness of their products.
ELIGIBILITY AND BENEFITS
Applicants must have a registered business based in the United States and have a new or existing innovative physical product, currently on the market or expected to be viable within six months
Participants will enjoy a one-on-one mentorship session with Daymond John for one lucky recipient and the opportunity for all 50 recipients to participate in a one-on-one crowdfunding campaign consultation with Indiegogo. Check eligibility
PARTNERS
The program is partnered by Hello Alice, a free resource helping small businesses launch and grow. Additional partners include crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, Amazon product research tool AMZScout, and Black Entrepreneurs Day, created by FUBU Founder Daymond John. Together, these partners will offer Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program applicants and recipients a wide range of resources to support the growth of their businesses.
Applications are open from September 12, 2022 till October 31, 2022.