Broward College Student Entrepreneur Wins First Place at National Competition for Technology Startups

The PitchHER Contest takes place at the Grace Hopper Celebration, the world's largest gathering of female technologists

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (Oct. 19, 2018) – Shakeia Kegler, student veteran and member of Broward College's Startup NOW program, received first place and a $25,000 grant at the Grace Hopper Celebration Awards. She competed in the GHC's PitchHER Contest, where she presented her startup company, GovLia.com.

GovLia serves as a marketplace for government agencies and small businesses. Through the platform, contractors place bids that businesses, in turn, respond to, based on their qualifications. GovLia also allows businesses to increase their visibility through individualized public profiles. Agencies can create certifications and if a business meets all the necessary qualifications, a certification badge is then added to their profile.

“We’re the first to market with a solution for entire procurement process that’s paperless and equally distributes opportunities, saving time and money for small businesses,” said Kegler. “By providing opportunities, we’re not just simplifying the process, we’re creating economic opportunities for women, veterans, and minorities, along with the communities they serve.”

Startup NOW is an accelerator program offered through the Broward College Innovation Hub. It provides student entrepreneurs with $20,000 worth of training, mentoring and college credit, all at no cost. It is Broward County's leading accelerator program, in partnership with Career Source Broward, and is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"At Broward College, we want our future business leaders and entrepreneurs to access any resources they need to succeed," said Enrique Triay, director of the Broward College Innovation Hub. "We help them turn ideas into the businesses of their dreams, with support every step of the way."