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NEW YORK, OCTOBER 20, 2025 – MADE, a verification system developed to protect Black creativity, was declared the winner of the inaugural “Keep It 100” Pitch Competition sponsored by Elite Media. The winner was announced at The One Club’s “Where Are All the Black People” Conference in New York City on Friday evening, October 17. A $50,000 grant was presented to Tommy Johnson, Founder and CEO of MADE, by Chris Crawford, Founder and CEO of Elite Media, who was joined on stage by the entire panel of judges. From left to right:
MADE was selected from a group of five finalists, each of whom also received $12,500 towards their dream endeavors. These included:
Mec Zilla, Founder of CrackedVC – a new system to replace traditional venture capital
Morgan Means, CEO and Founder of Evental – a digital marketplace that allows suppliers to monetize their inventory while offering real-time pricing, availability, and booking for users
Adam Franklin, Founder of Twendi – a sports media platform spotlighting African and diaspora athletes through short-form, cinematic stories
Ayo Abigail, Director of Strategy and Outreach for Walk of Same – an enterprise that is pioneering the “empowerment jewelry” category – a new standard that blends fashion, function, and fearlessness
MADE was selected, in part, because its mission to support Black-owned businesses and Black creativity dovetails with the vision of the “Where Are All the Black People” Conference. Said Chris Crawford, “The ‘Keep It 100’ pitch competition celebrates the power of attention, the power of purpose, the power of supporting one another. Today, the community won. Every contestant brought it. Their audacity and ambition were on full display. We’re proud to help this inaugural group of creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs bring their visionary ideas to life.”
Elite Media, a black-owned, women-led independent agency based in Harlem, conceived the “Keep It 100” Pitch Competition as a way to shake up the industry and reinforce its belief in a community-based business model. Elite Media is challenging the industry to outdo one another and create change that will transform and empower communities.
