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Why We Exist
The future of work needs a new pipeline. We're building it from the community up.
Every day, students in cities like Atlanta live within miles of startup ecosystems, HBCUs, and major tech companies — and never once get a seat at the table. Not because they lack the ability. Because no one built the bridge.
TechRoots Collective exists to change that. We build community-rooted pathways that connect middle school, high school, and HBCU students to local industries, real-world experiences, and the home-grown talent ecosystems that will define the 2030 workforce.
K–12
Entry Point
HBCU
Near-Peer Fellows
Local
Industry Connections
MODEL
Not a classroom.
A startup simulation.
Our near-peer model places HBCU college students — entrepreneurship and STEM majors — as fellows who facilitate the program directly. Students aren't taught by teachers who talk about the industry. They're mentored by people who look like them and are already inside it.
01
Near-Peer Fellows
HBCU entrepreneurship and STEM students serve as program fellows — bringing lived proximity to the students they mentor and real-time industry access that no textbook can replicate.
02
Startup Simulation
Students don't just learn about entrepreneurship — they run a one-day startup simulation that mirrors the real decisions, pressures, and creativity of building something from scratch.
03
Real-World Site Visits
Classroom walls don't build careers. Site visits to local tech companies, incubators, and HBCU campuses give students physical proof that these spaces belong to them too.
Built for the students
everyone else overlooks.
From middle school curiosity to workforce readiness — every program is designed around one question: what does this student need to see themselves as a builder?
Middle School
Intro to Tech & Innovation
Students get their first real look inside the tech world — not through a screen, but through hands-on experiences with local innovators who reflect their communities.
01
High School
Startup Simulation Camp
A one-day immersive that drops students into the full startup experience. Ideation, pitching, feedback, iteration — with HBCU fellows running every room.
02
HBCU
Near-Peer Fellowship Program
College students become the mentors they never had. HBCU fellows gain real facilitation and leadership experience while directly shaping the next generation's path into tech.
03
App Platform
TRC Career Pathways App
A direct-access tool connecting students to universities, internships, and industry partners — built for students, counselors, and schools to actually use, not just download.
04
PARTNERS & TRACTION
Rooted locally.
Built to scale.
TechRoots is building its foundation in Atlanta — one of the most dynamic tech and HBCU ecosystems in the country. Our partners aren't just logos. They're infrastructure. Every relationship is built around one shared conviction: local talent deserves local opportunity.
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This is the moment
to build it right.
TechRoots Collective is actively seeking fellowship and grant support to build the app infrastructure and strategic connections that will turn a proven model into a scalable platform. The Google Data Center Community AI Fellowship represents exactly the kind of investment this work was built for.
Get In Touch
Let's build something that lasts.
Whether you're a university, industry partner, funder, or someone who believes the next generation of innovators deserves better — we want to hear from you.