AOL, Jackson Start Investment Forum

Thursday, January 25th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) â€” The Rev. Jesse Jackson and AOL Time Warner executives launched a program Wednesday intended to boost opportunities for minority business owners by bringing them face-to-face with investors.

``We do not know how good business could be until everybody can play,'' Jackson said. ``There is no talent deficit in the barrio and in the ghetto. There are opportunity deficits.''

The project, called i-DealFlow, involves several companies and organizations, including AOL Time Warner, Coca-Cola, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Telecommunications Development Fund and Jackson's Rainbow Coalition-Wall Street Project.

``The venture capitalists say they never see great minority-owned businesses and the companies say they can't get their ideas heard,'' said Bob Pittman, AOL Time Warner's co-chief operating officer. ``If you bring minority businesses and investors together, they'll make a deal.''

A ``boot camp'' for minority entrepreneurs to hone business plans is scheduled for Sept. 19-22 in Atlanta. A venture capital fair, where businesses will be able to meet with investors, is scheduled for Nov. 2 in Atlanta.

Asked whether signs of an economic slowdown make this a bad time to launch i-DealFlow, Jackson said: ``Underserved Americans, with underutilized talent, represent the key to stopping a recession, because that would be our growth market.''

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On the Net:

http://aoltimewarnerfoundation.org