LaGuardia Community College student Ibrahima Njiaye is one step closer to realizing his dream of starting a video and film production business thanks to his participation in the Capital One Student Design Entrepreneur Center, which gave him invaluable business training and $1,000 in working capital. The program is a partnership between Capital One Bank and LaGuardia Community College’s Small Business Development Center and NYDesigns, an incubator for design businesses ranging from fashion to architecture.

Ibrahima was among eight students who participated in the intensive, three-month entrepreneurial program, funded by Capital One Bank, and ultimately received venture capital from the bank to help them launch their own businesses. The program also included a series of business workshops and a mentoring component. 

Each aspiring entrepreneur received an award on May 6 ranging from $500 to $1,000 based on the strength of their proposed business plan and pitch that they presented to a panel of judges representing Capital One Bank, LaGuardia’s NYDesigns and members of the design community.

While Ibrahima took the first prize, Delfin Martes and Suchuntra Kawpunna each came away with $750 and five $500 gifts went to Diana Castillo, Alvarez Gonzalez, Marquis Gray, Yuri Guanilo and Athena Ivey.