TULSA, Okla.–Launch Ahead, a platform dedicated to supporting youth in foster care as they transition into adulthood, has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2025 SXSW Pitch in the Enterprise, Smart Data, Fintech and Future of Work category.
This milestone highlights the growing impact of innovative technologies designed to address social challenges and create systemic change. It also highlights the resilience of a woman who made a way out of no way.
Founded by entrepreneur and advocate Amnoni Laren Myers, Launch Ahead was chosen among 589 applicants for the annual competition held during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas. The two-day pitch event, which takes places March 8-9, will showcase trailblazing startups to an audience of industry leaders and judges.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as a finalist for SXSW Pitch 2025,” Myers said in a statement. “Our platform bridges the gap for youth in foster care by offering personalized pathways, mentorship, and gamified learning experiences. This recognition underscores the critical need for innovation in child welfare and the power of technology to create lasting impact.”
A personal mission turned global solution
Myers’ selection as a finalist is rooted in a deeply personal mission. A former foster care youth and survivor of systemic challenges, Myers moved to Tulsa through the Tulsa Remote program, which brings remote workers to the city with a $10,000 incentive. Since her arrival, Myers has broken into community authentically, authoring the book You Are the Prize and founding Launch Ahead.
In a previous interview with The Black Wall Street Times, Myers reflected on her journey to Tulsa and the challenges she faced integrating into the community.
“A lot of us as Black people who come from California, New York, Boston, all of these metropolitan cities, we all have experienced and have seen gentrification. We’re experiencing it, we’ve experienced it in real time. And Tulsa is experiencing it in real time,” she said.
Empowering foster care youth
Launch Ahead’s digital platform is designed to help foster care youth access critical resources, overcome trauma, and navigate their transition into adulthood. Inspired by her own experiences aging out of foster care, Myers developed the app to ensure that no child in the system feels unsupported.
“The app came out of my own journey of aging out of foster care and learning that many young people are not accessing resources because they don’t know about them or because they’ve been so traumatized by the system that they just want to get out,” Myers previously told TheBWSTimes.
“My hope is that my app will help young people have access to resources and support to transition successfully,” she added.
Amplifying Tulsa on the national stage
Launch Ahead’s recognition at SXSW further cements Tulsa’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and social entrepreneurship. Myers’ work embodies the resilience and forward-thinking vision that reflects the spirit of Tulsa, a city still healing from the legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
As Myers envisions a future where healing and systemic change are prioritized, she continues to advocate for solutions that blend innovation with social justice. Her upcoming appearance at SXSW will spotlight not only her platform but also the potential for technology to drive meaningful change in marginalized communities.
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