"It took a team to create Playtime Edventures and to get our products into the hands of kids who really need them."
That's how Kevin Gatlin described his company, Playtime Edventures, after winning a $15,000 investment from the Charlotte Hornets at the team's third annual Innovation Summit.
Playtime Edventures is best known for its playtime bedsheets, which come in five languagesMandarin, Spanish, French, and American Sign Languageand are sold in hospitals and shelters as an alternative to watching TV and electronic devices, reports NBC Charlotte.
The company also makes reversible slumber bags, story-time pillowcases, and play pads.
"The Hornets really put their foot forward into the community in regard to helping minorities," Gatlin said in a video call with Hornets player Kelly Oubre Jr., who announced him as the winner.
"It took a team to create Playtime Edventures and to get our products into the hands of kids who really need them.
We're really happy to now have the Hornets as part of our team."
The Innovation Summit was open to entrepreneurs and businesses located within 150 miles of Spectrum Center that are at least 51% controlled by people of color.
More than 100 applicants participated in the summit,
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Caroline Diehl is a serial social entrepreneur in the impact media space. She is Executive Chair and Founder of the UK’s only charitable and co-operatively owned national broadcast television channel Together TV, the leading broadcaster for social change runs a national TV channel in the UK and digital platform which helps people find inspiration to do good in their lives and communities.