Oakland has long lived in the tension between innovation and displacement, where the growth of the tech economy rarely reaches the communities that shaped the region’s culture.
Now, a hip-hop musical born in Oakland is turning that tension into something tangible: a live startup pitch competition rooted in equity, culture and community.
Co-Founders, created by Ryan Nicole Austin, Beau Lewis and Adesha Adefela, follows an Oakland coder navigating the high-stakes world of a San Francisco startup accelerator while trying to hold onto her home and community. What begins as a story about ambition unfolds into a critique of Silicon Valley, questioning who benefits from innovation and who gets left behind.
As the production evolved, so did its stakes. What started as a story about unlikely partnerships became a broader reflection of the Bay Area itself, shaped by gentrification and the influence of the tech industry. Austin describes it as a confrontation with a tech ecosystem “run by the top 1%,” where innovation often overlooks the needs of everyday people.
The impact of Co-Founders extends beyond the stage.
Following strong audience response and support from leaders like Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, the production began intersecting with real conversations about policy and investment in the arts. Austin, who sees her work as both creative and civic, described the show as “a bit of a tipping point,” helping elevate conversations about cultural infrastructure in Oakland. After attending, Lee pointed to the production’s ability not only to move audiences, but to generate economic activity, citing more than $2 million generated within a two-block radius during its San Francisco run.
Out of that momentum came “All People Powered,” a concert and pitch competition that brings the themes of Co-Founders into the real world.
In February, more than 70 participants took part in a daylong hackathon for a chance to compete. From there, organizers, including the Co-Founders creative team, the Kapor Center and Oakland-based HiiiWAV, selected three finalists.
The result is a live event on April 11 at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts that blends performance and entrepreneurship. Described as “Soul Beat meets Shark Tank,” the event will feature live pitches from three Bay Area startups grounded in community-driven ideas.
“Choice Scores,” led by Kev Choice and Sam Wilkins, explores the future of music orchestration. Chloe Hughes and Fatimah Hussein will present “Finnie,” a financial advising platform designed for students. Oakland native Jazz Hudson will introduce “Herbal Oracle,” an AI-powered wellness platform rooted in ancestral plant knowledge.
ENTREPRENEUR FINALIST Oakland native Jazz Hudson works with an event facilitator in a mentorship session for her pitch on ‘Herbal Oracle,’ an AI-powered wellness platform rooted in ancestral plant knowledge. (Photo by Bosko Kante & Ryan Austin)
Hudson’s path to the competition reflects the kind of perspective the event is trying to center. After spending part of her adolescence in foster care, she became a spoken-word artist, educator and nonprofit leader supporting high-trauma communities. While studying at San Francisco State with plans to pursue medicine, she began to notice the absence of Black women in science and the broader impact that absence has on health outcomes.
That realization shaped her vision for Herbal Oracle. Originally imagined as part of a neighborhood apothecary and wellness space, the concept evolved through the accelerator into a mobile platform, expanding its reach beyond a single location.
Like many participants, Hudson did not initially see herself reflected in the tech world. That shifted during the accelerator’s hackathon, where she encountered an intergenerational group of Black participants, from young coders to community organizers and elders. The environment challenged her assumptions about who belongs in those spaces and created an entry point into a field that had previously felt out of reach.
CHOICE SCORES Entrepreneurs Sam Wilkins, left, and Kev Choice focus on the future of music orchestration in their pitch. (Photo by Bosko Kante & Ryan Austin)
The choice of venue adds another layer of meaning. The Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts reopened earlier this year after nearly two decades, following a $100 million renovation. For Austin, an Oakland native, returning to the space carries personal and cultural significance. The Calvin Simmons Theatre, named after a pioneering Black conductor, reflects a legacy of Black innovation that aligns with the themes of both Co-Founders and “All People Powered.”
At the same time, the production is intentional about expanding who feels invited into theater spaces.
Austin acknowledges that musical theater has often felt insular, shaped by audiences who have grown up within it. Co-Founders takes a different approach. The music draws from a distinctly Bay Area sound, influenced by artists like Tony! Toni! Toné!, E-40 and En Vogue, creating a soundtrack that feels familiar and accessible rather than traditional.
PITCH PERFECT A facilitator (left) works with entrepreneurs Chloe Hughes and Fatimah Hussain on pitching their financial advising tool for students, Finnie. (Photo by Bosko Kante & Ryan Austin)
The production also incorporates layered projection and digital elements that allow the show to move at a faster pace, closer to television than conventional theater. The result is an experience that holds attention while still delivering a story grounded in community, displacement and survival.
In a region often defined by exclusionary tech ecosystems, “All People Powered” offers a different model, one where culture, creativity and capital intersect on Oakland’s terms.
‘All People Powered,’ Saturday, April 11, at 2pm, Calvin Simmons Theater at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, Oakland. Tickets: hjkarts.org. Info: allpeoplepower.com.