BROOKLYN — Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) awarded over $40,000 to eight Brooklyn-based businesses and entrepreneurs through its 21st annual PowerUp! competition on Thursday, Nov. 14. CBS News New York’s Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger hosted the ceremony which honored Noir Yoga of Bedford-Stuyvesant with a $40,000 grand prize presented by Dime Community Bank.

“It is our pleasure and, more importantly, our honor to be the lead sponsor of PowerUP! for the eighth year. We believe that this program unleashes the next generation of business leaders in Brooklyn,” said Stuart H. Lubow, president and CEO of Dime.

May King Innovations was awarded the $10,000 prize for its language interpretation cards that help non-English speaking patients communicate in hospitals. Bushwick-based queer bookstore Hive Mind Books was awarded $5,000. Hive Mind Books sells both new and used books for all ages and across all genres along with a selection of pastries, coffee and tea. The bookstore is the first to focus exclusively on LGBTQ+ authors according to Patch.

The PowerUp! program also includes five merit awardees who each receive $1,000 of seed money for their businesses. The five merit award winners were Outside with Recess Village, U&O, Home Harvest, Stepping Stones Studio and Sublime Psych. Steeven Nelson of Outside with Recess Village won the audience favorite award and an additional $1,000 for the nonprofit that creates inclusive outdoor experiences for Black, Brown and other underserved individuals of all ages.