Dene Matadeen ’12
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (August 12, 2022) – Upcoming Prairie View A&M University Executive MBA graduates Daniel Smith ’99 and Dene Matadeen ’12 have a partnership that works.
In 2020, the duo led their team of seven to first place in the HBCU Battle of the Brains competition, beating out 34 other HBCUs to cinch $25,000 in prize money.
This summer, Smith and Matadeen hope to launch a new exciting business venture with the same success, using the skills they learned from PVAMU’s Executive MBA program in an effort to bridge what they called a socioeconomic gap in minority communities.
“We are D World Marketplace” is a minority-owned online marketplace similar to voice.com where technology, digital currency and art converge for the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFT) and mining of key cryptocurrencies.
Daniel Smith ’99
“Cryptocurrency is here to stay and will play a role, much like the internet played its role in the 1990s,” Smith said. “We will be at the forefront of the NFT and cryptocurrency development.”
How It Started
A cryptocurrency seminar at PVAMU in the spring of 2021 was Smith’s first introduction to NFTs.
He learned about the value of smart contracts on Ethereum and blockchain technology that secures authenticity with verifiable digital certificates, as well as the NFT technology that allows artists to earn royalties whenever their works are sold, rather than a one-time commission that is paid when the piece is sold.
Capitalizing on his idea, his first pick for a partner was Matadeen. Smith remembered their shared success during the Battle of the Brains and knew they “just clicked” during the first semester of their EMBA program, adding: “The Lord works in mysterious ways and brings people into your life for a reason.”
When he approached her with his idea, Matadeen said she was intrigued and anxious.
“It was a pursuit that I had no knowledge about and had to learn everything from the ground up,” she said. “In the end, I expanded my knowledge and developed a unique vantage point from this project.”
One of Smith’s main goals for the marketplace is to help close the socioeconomic gap in technology literacy and availability in minority communities.
The father of two said his motivation was his children, to provide a better life for them.
“We may not be the originators of NFTs or cryptocurrency, but there is a chance for us to leave a significant legacy for our children,” he said.
Where It’s Going
Matadeen, who graduates summa cum laude on August 13, envisioned an online marketplace that encourages artists to share their work without fear of rejection or plagiarism, as well as serves as a communication platform for cultural exchange.
“It will be a safe space for minorities across the globe to maintain the authenticity of their products,” she said.
The two entrepreneurs hope to ultimately devote a percentage of their profits to develop outreach programs by year eight for people in disadvantaged socioeconomic situations in order to teach them about NFTs and their investment potential.
“By allocating a portion of our profits to educating persons in poorer socioeconomic circumstances, we also hope to contribute back to the community,” Matadeen said.
Smith foresaw a future in which crypto leads to decentralized finance, where people can use crypto to buy physical items. He also hoped to allow special digital coins to represent specific artwork that cannot be copied, as well as educate people about the technology and teach them how to trade and sell NFTs, bitcoin and Ethereum.
“The cryptocurrency realm is still developing, and there are multiple opportunities to enter,” Matadeen said. “Developing a niche market for minorities to freely express themselves within our moral standards is an awesome business venture to pursue.”
The two soon-to-be PVAMU alumni hope to regenerate their winning synergy once again. They aim to launch the new venture as a side business with the help of a small business loan and angel investors.
Looking forward to sleep, Smith said if he can do it while working full-time to support a family and fulfilling his role as a husband and a father, then anyone can do it.
Smith, a project manager at Harris Health System in Harris County, Texas, is already planning how he can use his PVAMU Executive MBA to boost his career.
He encouraged PVAMU students and other entrepreneurs to read William Ernest Henley’s poem, “Invictus” – “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
Matadeen’s advice to students is to constantly put forth their best effort, work hard, stay focused, establish high standards for themselves, and never settle for mediocrity.
“Perseverance always wins success, so keep the momentum going. Also, remember this quote from Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
Click here to view a complete listing of this semester’s notable graduates.
By Christine Won
-PVAMU-