Quick Fit Bites, RoboBurger and The Cupcake Carriage receive grants at December 1 event

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., December 2, 2022 – Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions, is bringing its Back2Business program to New Jersey. Minority-owned small businesses based in the state can apply now to receive a $10,000 grant and access critical resources including complimentary small business coaching and community partnerships.

Fiserv launched the New Jersey program with the presentation of $10,000 grants to three businesses during a December 1 event at the company’s flagship Innovation Center in Berkeley Heights, which officially opened in November.

Businesses receiving grants during the event included:

• Quick Fit Bites (@quickfitbites) - Aleksandra Miloseska created Quick Fit Bites to provide natural, healthy energy bites made with all-natural and organic ingredients.
• The Cupcake Carriage (@thecupcakecarriage) - Tennille Ortiz turned her passion for baking into a full-time job after friends and family requested her cakes and cookies. She is a graduate of Rutgers Business School’s Entrepreneurship Pioneers Initiative, a program supporting first-generation entrepreneurs. 
• RoboBurger (@roboburger) - Audley Wilson started RoboBurger with a mission to change the way people get and eat burgers, forever. RoboBurger is the first plug-in burger chef in a box, which cooks a burger from scratch at the press of the button.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and providing additional resources through programs like Back2Business can help ensure they succeed in today’s challenging economy,” said Neil Wilcox, head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Fiserv. “We’re proud to be giving back as we continue to grow our presence and impact in New Jersey.” 

During the event, grant recipients shared the obstacles they face in today's economic climate, how they are succeeding despite these challenges, and how they plan to use the grant funds to strengthen their businesses.

Quick Fit Bites owner Aleksandra Miloseska, an immigrant from Macedonia, shared how she came to the U.S. with big dreams, and is now seeing them fulfilled.

“I’m so excited to receive this grant at what feels like the perfect time,” said Miloseska. “In combination with the all-natural ingredients of my product, my customers want environmentally sustainable packaging, and the grant will allow me to focus on making it a reality.”

Tennille Ortiz of The Cupcake Carriage spoke about her vision to use the grant to expand her business and spread awareness that anyone can be a successful entrepreneur.

“My goal is to add more corporate clients, build a larger team, purchase more equipment and acquire the resources needed to meet demand,” said Ortiz. “I would also love to go back to my community and teach other inner-city kids about the world of entrepreneurship so that they are given a positive path to gain control of their futures.”

After years of perfecting their innovation, the RoboBurger team looks forward to expanding their unique burger chef in a box business anywhere and everywhere. "Thanks to this grant, we’re going to be traveling far and wide to bring RoboBurger all across the country: to colleges, universities, hospitals, you name it," said owner Audley Wilson.

Fiserv and the grant recipients were joined at the event by community partners including Rutgers University-Newark, African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and B.I.G. (Believe, Inspire, Grow.)

Grant Applications Now Open

Fiserv is now accepting grant applications from eligible minority-owned small businesses based in New Jersey, with $1 million dedicated to the statewide program. Each selected business will receive $10,000. Small businesses must have revenues of less than $1 million annually, be founded prior to June 1, 2021 and have fewer than 11 employees. Grants will be administered in partnership with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a leading national voice for underserved entrepreneurs. Applications can be submitted at https://aeoworks.org/fiserv/ and will be open until all grant money is awarded.

About Back2Business

Recognizing the resilience – and needs – of diverse businesses during challenging times, the Back2Business program was launched in 2020 with a $50 million commitment. In addition to monetary grants, Back2Business connects minority-owned small businesses with critical resources, including complimentary business coaching, community partners, and leading technology solutions such as the Clover® point-of-sale and business management platform from Fiserv. In addition to New Jersey, Fiserv has sponsored Back2Business across the country, including New York, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, California, Texas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, and in the U.K. To date, the program has distributed more than 1,500 grants to small businesses.

About Fiserv

Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover® cloud-based point-of-sale and business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index, the FORTUNE® 500, and has been recognized as one of FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies® for 11 of the past 14 years and named among the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company for two consecutive years. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news.

About Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)

AEO is the leading voice of innovation for microfinance and microbusiness. Our mission is to create economic opportunity for underserved entrepreneurs throughout the United States. We engineer transformational change through research, grant facilitation, convenings, incubation, and advocacy to foster a robust and inclusive marketplace. For more than 30 years, AEO and our +2,700 member organizations have helped millions of entrepreneurs support themselves and their families while contributing to their communities through business ownership. To find out more about AEO, please visit: aeoworks.org.

Media Relations:
Torrie Miers
Communications Manager
Fiserv, Inc.
+1 678-206-7590
victoria.miers@fiserv.com

Additional Contact:
Ann Cave
Vice President, External Communications
Fiserv, Inc.
+1 678-325-9435
ann.cave@fiserv.com