Former NBA Star Baron Davis Joins Hennessy’s Black Investment Program
Businessman and investor Baron Davis has announced his partnership with Hennessy for their “Never Stop Never Settle Society” campaign. The serial entrepreneur and former NBA player is set to join the team as a board member and hopes to use his experiences to help champion Black entrepreneurs.
The initiative, launched by the famous liquor brand in 2021, works to accelerate the growth of Black business owners across the US. The $1 million campaign, which Hennessy developed in partnership with talent development platform Marcus Graham Project, provides 20 Black entrepreneurs with a lump-sum payment of $50,000.
Not only do businesses receive extra funding, but they are also given access to an advanced working space at Moet Hennessy’s office in New York City. In addition, the program provides members with unlimited access to a Black-owned private member’s club, The Gathering Spot, a platform that offers spaces for professionals to work, connect, and socialize.
Baron Davis’ addition to the Never Stop Never Settle Society’s Board, following their first inaugural program last year, marks the platform’s continued effort to support Black entrepreneurs and their communities further.
“The Never Stop Never Settle Society is all about Black entrepreneurship and Black excellence – finding the right like-minded individuals, collaborating, inspiring, and building aspirations for that next generation,” Davis said in an interview with AfroTech.
“For me, in my walk, everything I’ve been doing since I’ve retired has been about that. ‘How do we find these important Black founders and entrepreneurs?’ And ‘How do we highlight them, connect them, invest in them, and empower them to go forward to build bigger platforms and bigger opportunities?”
The bestselling cognac brand unveiled the project during the NAACP Image Awards last year, with musician Nas presenting the first-ever “Never Stop, Never Settle” award to celebrate Black entrepreneurship. The platform also paid tribute to the Greenwood District, which a white mob burned to the ground from May 31 to June 1, 1921.
