Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) 2024
Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) is an enterprise accelerator program designed to strengthen, energize, and support startups and small businesses led by Black entrepreneurs in the United States. ABLE identifies Black business leaders with impact-oriented solutions at the local and national level addressing essential community needs while spurring sustainable growth. 38 Black founders have graduated since the program launched in 2021.
Who can apply? Black entrepreneurs leading startups and small businesses. The target audience is those who are early-stage and revenue-generating (seed to Series A) for-profit enterprises.
The fourth cohort of ABLE will be composed of 15-20 entrepreneurs. Applications are welcome from all industries, with a preference for those that are impact-oriented.
Deadline: Applications are due by Friday, June 21, 2024, at 11:59 PM PST.
Important Note: Please only share non-confidential information in your application.
For more information, please contact brett@africandiasporanetwork.org.
Learn more at https://africandiasporanetwork.org/able/.
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Program Overview
Program Commitment 15-20 entrepreneurs will participate in a virtual enterprise and leadership training program from September - October 2024, leading up to a live, in-person pitch session at Santa Clara University. The program provides weekly training sessions (5 hours per week) and 3-4 hours of mentorship and network-building.
Benefits Overview
* The selected entrepreneurs will receive a fully paid entrepreneurship and leadership training program, complemented by mentorship and network-building forums.
* Program participants will have a platform to pitch in Silicon Valley to leading investors, venture capitalists, and impact investors among others.
* There is no cost to participate in the program, and companies do not need to give up any equity. Participants will receive a modest stipend as a financial award upon completion of the program.
Highlights
* Opportunity to participate in an in-person pitch session to Silicon Valley investor community
* Fully paid leadership and entrepreneurship training
* Regular virtual mentor meetings throughout the program to master the curriculum and solve specific challenges facing enterprises
* ABLE Financial Award - Modest stipend upon program completion
* Opportunity to participate in exclusive networking-building forums
* Opportunity to connect and network with venture capitalists and angel and impact investorsInvitation to the African Diaspora Investment Symposium 2025.
Eligibility Requirements
For consideration, prospective candidates must meet the basic requirements:
* Founder or executive of a scalable, for-profit startup
* Company must be led or co-led by Black or African Diasporan entrepreneurs
* The company is early-stage and revenue-generating (seed to Series A).
* Enterprise must be headquartered in the United States
* Must be an established legal entity already in operation for 6 months or more
Primary Selection Criteria
* Must demonstrate early traction evidenced in growing usage, revenue, or other metrics. (Pitches or prototypes are not eligible.) The business should have a website and a tangible digital or physical product or service.
* Potential for financial sustainability and investment. Potential for scalability. Demonstrate quantifiable impact and market reach
* The entrepreneur must be able to dedicate time to program activities, including enterprise training, mentorship sessions, networking events, and the pitch day.
Finalists are expected to meet with program peers, ADN network members, mentors, and sponsors as part of their commitment. Participants are expected to adhere to a high level of personal and professional integrity, respect for one another, and accountability.
Secondary Selection Criteria
* A strong preference for businesses that are impact-oriented.
Applications are welcome from all industries, with priority for those in underserved/ represented sectors. Balanced gender representation among entrepreneurs. In the United States, Black women receive the smallest amount of VC funding and should be well-represented in the selected cohort.
Reasonable geographic distribution among the United States and territories. Cross-sector diversity and a comprehensive mix that showcases impact and innovation among multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, finance, connectivity, agriculture, and renewable energy.
Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) 2024
Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) 2024
Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) is an enterprise accelerator program designed to strengthen, energize, and support startups and small businesses led by Black entrepreneurs in the United States. ABLE identifies Black business leaders with impact-oriented solutions at the local and national level addressing essential community needs while spurring sustainable growth. 38 Black founders have graduated since the program launched in 2021.
Who can apply? Black entrepreneurs leading startups and small businesses. The target audience is those who are early-stage and revenue-generating (seed to Series A) for-profit enterprises.
The fourth cohort of ABLE will be composed of 15-20 entrepreneurs. Applications are welcome from all industries, with a preference for those that are impact-oriented.
Deadline: Applications are due by Friday, June 21, 2024, at 11:59 PM PST.
Important Note: Please only share non-confidential information in your application.
For more information, please contact brett@africandiasporanetwork.org.
Learn more at https://africandiasporanetwork.org/able/.
----
Program Overview
Program Commitment 15-20 entrepreneurs will participate in a virtual enterprise and leadership training program from September - October 2024, leading up to a live, in-person pitch session at Santa Clara University. The program provides weekly training sessions (5 hours per week) and 3-4 hours of mentorship and network-building.
Benefits Overview
* The selected entrepreneurs will receive a fully paid entrepreneurship and leadership training program, complemented by mentorship and network-building forums.
* Program participants will have a platform to pitch in Silicon Valley to leading investors, venture capitalists, and impact investors among others.
* There is no cost to participate in the program, and companies do not need to give up any equity. Participants will receive a modest stipend as a financial award upon completion of the program.
Highlights
* Opportunity to participate in an in-person pitch session to Silicon Valley investor community
* Fully paid leadership and entrepreneurship training
* Regular virtual mentor meetings throughout the program to master the curriculum and solve specific challenges facing enterprises
* ABLE Financial Award - Modest stipend upon program completion
* Opportunity to participate in exclusive networking-building forums
* Opportunity to connect and network with venture capitalists and angel and impact investorsInvitation to the African Diaspora Investment Symposium 2025.
Eligibility Requirements
For consideration, prospective candidates must meet the basic requirements:
* Founder or executive of a scalable, for-profit startup
* Company must be led or co-led by Black or African Diasporan entrepreneurs
* The company is early-stage and revenue-generating (seed to Series A).
* Enterprise must be headquartered in the United States
* Must be an established legal entity already in operation for 6 months or more
Primary Selection Criteria
* Must demonstrate early traction evidenced in growing usage, revenue, or other metrics. (Pitches or prototypes are not eligible.) The business should have a website and a tangible digital or physical product or service.
* Potential for financial sustainability and investment. Potential for scalability. Demonstrate quantifiable impact and market reach
* The entrepreneur must be able to dedicate time to program activities, including enterprise training, mentorship sessions, networking events, and the pitch day.
Finalists are expected to meet with program peers, ADN network members, mentors, and sponsors as part of their commitment. Participants are expected to adhere to a high level of personal and professional integrity, respect for one another, and accountability.
Secondary Selection Criteria
* A strong preference for businesses that are impact-oriented.
Applications are welcome from all industries, with priority for those in underserved/ represented sectors. Balanced gender representation among entrepreneurs. In the United States, Black women receive the smallest amount of VC funding and should be well-represented in the selected cohort.
Reasonable geographic distribution among the United States and territories. Cross-sector diversity and a comprehensive mix that showcases impact and innovation among multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, finance, connectivity, agriculture, and renewable energy.