Biennial ConnectUP! Summit on the Path to Sell Out…Again

ConnectUP! Institute proudly announces the return of the ConnectUP! Summit with the theme Capital Readiness Inside & Out, April 10-12, 2025 at the Wilder Center in St. Paul. Attracting over 200 underestimated entrepreneurs, investors and business support organizations from Minnesota and beyond. The Summit is the premier ecosystem event in Minnesota that brings together a curated group of 1. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+, and rural entrepreneurs 2. Investors, philanthropists, and 3. community development and ecosystem support organizations.

The Summit focuses on democratizing access to capital, challenging the exclusivity of traditional pitch competitions and the “winner-takes-all” model. It fosters investments in underrepresented founders, including Black, Indigenous, immigrant, Trans, and rural entrepreneurs. 

“We know two things are true, we are the sum average of our networks, and our networks tend to look like us,” says ConnectUP! Institute Founder and Executive Director, Y. Elaine Rasmussen. “We also know the people invest in people – we know this because on average 9 out of 10 venture investments fail…that indicates you invested in the person, not just the business. Founders of color are often left on the sidelines of investor networks, but investors want to put money into their local communities. ConnectUP! solves both problems, connecting founders to investors and to other founders who look like them!” This event features culturally responsive, action-oriented workshops, purposeful relationship-building opportunities, and the exchange of ideas across diverse networks. The Summit also includes interactive sessions designed to inspire connection, collaboration, and learning. Together, we aim to forge partnerships and create local investment opportunities that nurture inclusive, thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Celebrating its fifth year, the ConnectUP! Summit attracts leading business and community leaders across Minnesota and nationally. This year’s sessions range from “Leveraging the Power of Greater Minnesota” to “Exploring Entrepreneurship through Acquisition” to “Scaling the Investment Ladder”. Plus,  the list of impactful speakers includes:

  • Sarah Sengupta, St. Cloud State University
  • NeTia Bauman, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation
  • Scott Marquardt, Southwest Initiative Foundation
  • La Juana Whitmore, NextFemme Financial
  • Ashley Oolman, Minnesota Department of Human Services
  • Meg Steur, Minnestar

ConnectUP! Summits are a must-attend event, consistently selling out year after year while attracting visionary entrepreneurs and influential ecosystem leaders. An impressive 86% of past attendees reported forging new connections with investors, and 88% found these relationships invaluable for their business or personal growth.

ConnectUP! Institute has cultivated a strong collection of committed sponsors dedicated to racial equity and expanding access to capital and include: Opus Foundation, Target Foundation, CH Robinson Foundation, Carlson Family Foundation, St. Paul Minnesota Foundation, Hmong Chamber of Commerce, Costco and AM950.

Their support of the 2025 ConnectUP! Summit is a clear demonstration of this mission in action.

About ConnectUP! Institute 

ConnectUP! Institute is powered by Social Impact Now! is a 501(c)3 social finance and enterprise

development studio focused on providing capital, commerce, community connections and consulting for founders, investors and ecosystem partners. ConnectUP! Institute closes the 180-degrees of separation between underestimated founders, investors, and the entrepreneur ecosystem by providing accelerators, bootcamps, investments, partnerships, technical assistance, workshops and more. Most notable is their Lunar Startups and Capital Readiness Accelerator and the Integrated Capital Fund which provide investments to selected program participants. Stay up-to-date on all ConnectUP! Institute events, news, and information. Follow us on Instagram  @connectup_. www.connectupmn.org

Celebrating Blossoming Black Businesses in Minnesota

Throughout February, we celebrated Blossoming Black Business in Minnesota that are bringing joy, connection and education to our communities! These 2-5 year old businesses have been growing and blossoming over the past year and have some great things in store for 2024, meet them below:

Flava Cafe

Who is Flava Cafe? Flava Cafe was founded by Shaunie Grigsby and is a social enterprise community cafe and coffee shop located in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. We are committed to creating economic opportunity for young women of color and gender expansive youth one latte at a time. We are also cultivating a cafe/coffee shop culture that centers connection, intersectionality and imagination.

How has your business blossomed over the past year? In the past 12 months, Flava has increased its customer base and demographic. As well as formed new partnerships with like-minded organizations that includes the arts, literacy, mentorship and so much more. We’ve added event rentals and catering to our services, which brought in a new revenue stream for us. We have also generously given to our local non profit organizations through in-kind donations of space, coffee, gift cards, branded apparel, and clothing drives for back-to-school.

What can we expect from Flava Cafe in 2024? In 2024, we hope to scale the current service offerings as well as move into hosting events, creating opportunities for formal mentorship with Flava youth staff,  and launching a micro grant fund to support their ambitions as well as to develop a model of self-care that ensures the sustainability of not only the cafe, but the people who care for and work in the space.

Check out Flava Cafe’s mission, menu and merch at flavacafe.org

ASCEND Entertainment Productions

Who is ASCEND Entertainment Productions? ASCEND Entertainment Productions was founded by Anthony DuBose and is a High End DJ & Video Production company. Our event types range from weddings to corporate events to school and sporting events to clubs, holidays,  and birthdays! 

Our overall goal is to curate an appropriate soundtrack for any event type, quality customer service, plus, a deeper than surface experience for each client and guest

How has your business blossomed over the past year?What’s happened over the last 12 months has been more of a “value” blossom. Doing about the same number of events in 2022 and 2023, except more, higher-end events. Overall, new clients have included: the Minnesota Vikings, Target Corp, Mall of America, MN Black Chamber of Commerce, Epilepsy Foundation MN among other corporations, schools and community organizations around the Twin Cities. It’s been great growing the ASCEND name in the Wedding world instead of just my personal name of 14 years. So, as my client list grows and requests for services grow, I’m looking to build the infrastructure to support it, beyond just me wearing 10 different hats.

What can we expect from ASCEND Entertainment Productions in 2024? At minimum, more consistency of high quality DJing, no matter what room I’m in. But this year, I’m hoping to finally expand services, as well as beginning to divide work flow amongst several others in the ASCEND company. Right now, ASCEND offers DJing services, some video production services, streaming, uplighting, plus add-ons such as karaoke & video mixing. However, I’m looking forward to adding on other components, such as a fog machine, a cloud machine, 360 photo booth, silent headphones and more, in order to accommodate the wide variety of clients that request services. 

 Learn more about ASCEND’s journey and services at ascendentertainmentproductions.com

Village Support Therapy

Who is Village Support Therapy? Village Support Therapy and Consulting was founded by Ebony Eromobor and is a group private mental health practice specializing in culturally specific mental health services. We have a focus in the black community across the diaspora. 

In addition to providing direct service, we also have a pathway program that focuses on increasing representation in the mental health industry in Minnesota. Through the pathway program we provide clinical trainee opportunities, including internships, fellowships and licensing supervision.

How has your business blossomed over the past year? Last year, we grew from a team of 3 to a team of 8 and had to move to a bigger office to accommodate our team. We previously had a single office that our smaller team used on a rotation but we now have an office suite with 5 offices in Brooklyn Park that we moved into in June 2023. We were also able to grow our internship program. Prior years we were only able to accept 1 intern per year but this year we were able to take on 2 and were able to increase the yearly stipend for our internship. As a result of having a larger team, we’ve been able to increase the number of people we are able to serve. Also, the practice was highlighted on the local news this month, which is a goal that I have had. (Check out the feature!

What can we expect from Village Support Therapy in 2024? This year we are focused on expanding our programming. We currently just offer mental health therapy. Village Support Therapy and Consulting is currently going through the process to add ARMHS (Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services) this year. We will also continue expanding our pathway program. We were previously a certified internship option for two MSW programs at local universities, but we are now a certified internship option for five MSW programs at local universities, which expands our reach.

Check out all that Village Support Therapy & Counseling has to offer at villagesupporttherapy.com

Sweet Heaven by Nne

Who is Sweet Heaven by Nne? I provide cake design services for weddings and other special occasions. I support strong relationships by building and maintaining human connections; utilizing cake decorating as the catalyst. I also curate special classes for everyone- individuals, groups, and organizations!

How has your business blossomed over the past year? I have been able to collaborate with several businesses and organizations and have created beautiful pieces of edible art that have brought smiles and joy to many. I participated in my first large scale wedding exhibitions here in Minneapolis. I partnered with MN Black Box and many more black businesses.

What can we expect from Sweet Heaven by Nne in 2024? Some exciting new products and classes. I am also looking forward to establishing a program focused on restoring hope and joy for young Black and brown boys, by teaching them to bake. I also hope to teach cake decorating as a skill acquisition that can support earning a living by creating income.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with Sweet Heaven by Nne at sweetheavenbynne.com

Jessica Horton Coaching + Consulting

Who is Jessica Horton Coaching + Consulting? I am a certified Well-being + Life Coach Practitioner. I help working mamas reprioritize their lives and show up as their best selves every day. My approach is rooted in core values work. 

I believe in order to create a sustainable change, we must first become aware of how we are reacting to self, others and the world around us.

How has your business blossomed over the past year? Over the last year, I’ve brought on new clients as well as partnered with Finnovation Lab to become one of their contracted coaches for their fellowship program. I am also finishing up an online course that will be launched in Q2 all about discovering your core values to find alignment in your personal and professional life. 

What can we expect from Jessica Horton Coaching + Consulting in 2024? Jessica Horton Coaching + Consulting is launching an online course in Q2 all about discovering your core values to find alignment in your personal and professional life. I am also in the process of developing a group coaching program to accompany this course. I am continuing my partnership with Finnovation Lab with their 6th co-hort as well as exploring other opportunities to partner with organizations that support and amplify social impact businesses.

Check out Jessica’s array of support options for business and personal growth at jessicahortoncoaching.com

Technologist Computers

Who is Technologist Computers? Technologist Computers is a social enterprise. We believe in technology that is accessible and affordable to everyone. We are a B Corporation technology company that aims to balance profit and purpose. We sell technical support, computers, & cybersecurity services. A part of the profit generated by the company is reinvested back into the community.

How has your business blossomed over the past year? In the past 12 months, we became partners with Hennepin County to provide digital navigation services.  Our CEO was appointed to the Governor’s Taskforce on Broadband, also known as the Black Broadband Coalition,  an alliance formed to help and empower communities of color by providing proper tools, better internet service and good quality customer service. We also did the  2nd Annual Black Broadband Summit that discussed community solutions to the digital divide. 

What can we expect from Technologist Computers in 2024? My company’s goal for this year is to hire more web and app developers and get our apprenticeship program off the ground. We will have our Virtual Chief Technologist Officer (VCTO) program developed and have 25 consultants of color enrolled. In this way, we will be able to provide small to medium sized business owners access to affordable and reasonably priced Virtual Chief Technology Officers as on-call consultants to provide technical strategy, guidance and leadership to keep their IT costs in check, and develop synergies between technology, internal processes and business objectives.

Get connected with Technologist Computers and learn more at technologist.computer

Victory Business Solutions

Who is Victory Business Solutions? Victory Business Solutions  provides hands-on education and assistance and our services include tax preparation, payroll, bookkeeping, business consulting and tax corrections. 

We primarily work with women-owned and BIPOC small businesses that are overcoming the barriers that they were unaware of when first starting their business. We also provide free tax preparation for low income individuals and a summer cohort for small businesses

How has your business blossomed over the past year? Since opening in 2020 we have seen significant growth with 198% from 2022 to 2023. We went from only servicing only 10 clients to over 300 business owners throughout the year. As of today, we are partnered with Sola Salons, the Lake Street Council, lawyers at Fredrikson and Byron,  numerous financial advisors at Northwestern Mutual and US Bank, will be working with Chase to teach at business workshops and currently have other partnerships in the works.

What can we expect from Victory Business Solutions in 2024?This year we are working on contracts with local non-profits and will soon become one of the first accounting firm vendors through the city of Minneapolis. We are also currently working with the U of M and Rutgers university on a program for helping small businesses regain and stay compliant with state laws.

Check out their services for tax season or just see what all Victory has to offer at victorybusinesssolutions.org

Share this story with your people!

ConnectUP! Institute Acquires Lunar Accelerator to Further Advance Access to Capital for Underinvested Entrepreneurs

ConnectUP! Institute today announces the acquisition of the Lunar Accelerator program, developed by Lunar Startups.

This acquisition combines two trailblazing organizations committed to fostering a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, driving community wealth, and creating high-quality jobs in the Twin Cities. After experiencing the Lunar Accelerator’s proprietary system of support, resources, and community, underinvested founders will now have a clear pathway to access ConnectUP’s capital allocation programs. 

“The Lunar Accelerator expands our capacity to connect more entrepreneurs to inclusive capital options and achieve their highest potential,” said Y. Elaine Rasmussen, Founder and Executive Director of ConnectUP! Institute. “Thanks to Lunar Accelerator’s track record of creating capital-ready startups, our Integrated Capital Fund can be deployed even more strategically to drive inclusive economic growth.”

“Since our launch in 2018, Lunar has emphasized that access to capital is a key ingredient for creating real, sustainable change in the ecosystem for underinvested entrepreneurs,” added Lunar Startups Executive Director, Danielle Steer. “Our accelerator program has already generated nearly $250 million in economic impact – without a capital allocation vehicle of our own. ConnectUP! Institute’s leadership and core competencies are the perfect complement to the Lunar Accelerator.” 
The Lunar Accelerator will be embedded within ConnectUP! Institute starting with Cohort 7. Applications will open in early 2024. Sign up for Accelerator Alerts here. For answers to commonly-asked questions about the acquisition process, click here.

August 23 Newsletter – Beyond Networking: How to Build Your Entrepreneur Community

View this email in your browser
Beyond Networking: How to Build Your Entrepreneur Community
Building your entrepreneur community goes beyond networking and into relationship- and trust-building between you, your business, other entrepreneurs and entrepreneur support systems. We can’t wait to bring new events and opportunities to our ConnectUP! community. PLUS, we will be launching an exciting website rebrand later this month AND we have a special announcement that will bring together more entrepreneurs and experts!
In August, we’re sharing new ways to: 1. Join in-person and virtual entrepreneur communities focused on education, relationships, and connection
2. Tap into your affiliate networks (Divine Nine entrepreneurs, read on for some specific ways to engage with your local community below!)
3. Maintain your growing network
4. Realistically balance your professional development and your business needs
Connect with us on social media to get the latest ConnectUP! updates.
 
 
Happy National Black Business Month!
As a Black woman-led and operated organization, ConnectUP! Institute is proud to celebrate National Black Business Month! We are grateful to be able to collaborate with, support and inspire Black entrepreneurs and leaders in our community. The Black businesses founders in our community in the Twin Cities, Minnesota and beyond face unique barriers and create unique solutions and opportunities for our collective community to grow and support each other. To celebrate National Black Business Month, we want to highlight Black businesses in our community, especially those who are affiliated with any of the Divine Nine organizations (see below!).
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram to check out our August Black Business highlights throughout the month!
 
Calling All Divine Nine Members: Get Connected with ConnectUP!
August is National Black Business Month AND Black Philanthropy Month and we want to connect with our innovative and supportive Divine Nine entrepreneur community in Minnesota! Last summer, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (also known as the Divine Nine), the collective of the nation’s nine historically Black fraternities and sororities, established a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration to address the widening wealth gap that disproportionately affects Black Americans. This ongoing collaboration sparks a focus on supporting Divine Nine members who are entrepreneurs and this summer we want to continue to contribute to that work as we celebrate National Black Business Month and Black Philanthropy Month!
Are you a Divine Nine member and a Black business owner? 
Throughout August, we will be highlighting Minnesota businesses owned by Black Divine Nine members on our social media platforms and we want to support YOU! Complete the form below by 8/16 to be added to our highlight posts!
Divine Nine Business Highlight Form
Are you a Divine Nine member who wants to support Black entrepreneurs?

ConnectUP! Institute is a Black-woman led 501(c)(3) non-profit that directly supports Black entrepreneurs in Minnesota and beyond with programs like our ConnectUP! Summit, CEO Circles, and Integrated Capital Fund, just to name a few! Last year, we deployed $200,000 to women of color entrepreneurs, four of them Black women, in the Twin Cities Metro Area. We want to keep providing capital, capacity and community for Black and Brown entrepreneurs and we need YOUR help! 
August 28th is the 6th annual Black Giving Day or Give 8/28, an effort started by the Young, Black & Giving Back Institute in 2018. Give 8/28 perfectly closes out Black Philanthropy Month and is the ONLY giving event dedicated to giving back to Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations! 
ConnectUP! Institute is excited to launch our Black Giving Day campaign this month and your contribution directly supports a Black business owner! This fundraiser will allow us to keep providing coaching, products and services to help Black entrepreneurs #LevelUp their growing business. Click the link below to show your support!
Raising $250 will provide a founder with two hours of executive coachingRaising $1,000 will allow a founder to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systemRaising $2,500 will cover the cost of travel and registration to key industry trade showsRaising $5,000 will support five founders in our Garage StartUP! Program, which provides micro-grants to Minnesota BIPOC businessesMake a Donation
 
CEO Circles: Connect with Other Small Business CEOs and Learn from Expert Coaches
This week, we kicked off the first of our twice-monthly CEO Circles! Our CEO Circles equip second-stage CEOs with actionable strategies to overcome the hurdles of surviving in the market space, maintaining good business practices, and scaling up. Twice a month, 3-4 CEOs will join us to sit down with Expert Mentors and work through issues they may be facing. These topic-specific meetings are also a space for CEOs to seek advice from their peers who may have experienced similar hurdles in the past. 
Ready to connect with other small business CEOs and get answers to your questions? Join us for our upcoming free virtual CEO Circle on Wednesday, August 23 at 4pm! Submit an interest form to get your invite.
8/23 CEO Circle Sign-Up
Want to join our CEO Circles as an Expert Coach?
We’re looking for Investors, entrepreneur service providers, CDCs, and other ecosystem professionals to bring their expertise to our upcoming CEO Circles in 2023! Submit an interest form to be considered!
CEO Circles Expert Coach Form
 
A Special Announcement from ConnectUP! Executive Director, Y. Elaine Rasmussen
 
 
Due Diligence is a Must Do for Founders!
The number one need of entrepreneurs is capital – to start, scale, and sustain their businesses. Due diligence documents serve an important role in entrepreneurs receiving capital but entrepreneurs often think of due diligence documents as a burdensome requirement that doesn’t serve them. Now, it is true that banks, investors, and other financial institutions use due diligence documents to make decisions about lending– but these documents also provide important data that inform critical business decisions. Due diligence documents provide a comprehensive overview of a company’s operations, finances, legal compliance, and other crucial areas. By meticulously examining due diligence documents, founders can glean insights into their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats. A detailed understanding like this can guide strategic planning and decision-making processes, and that makes a business run much smoother.
Not just that, due diligence documents can aid in identifying potential pitfalls and red flags within a business before they escalate into more significant issues. With this information at their disposal, founders are better equipped to make informed decisions, mitigate potential risks, and seize opportunities for growth and expansion. That’s why ConnectUP! Institute’s Due Diligence Accelerator prepares businesses to receive capital and is required to be considered for our Integrated Capital Fund. Through the accelerator, potential Integrated Capital Fund recipients work with a consultant for 60-90 days to build their due diligence documentation. This documentation shows that they are capital ready and gives them data to make business decisions.
We’re excited to announce our current Due Diligence Accelerator cohort, check them out!
Rasheda Jenkins- Gone BananasJonathan Johnson- The Homegrown CompanyLiza Maya & Sylvia Williams- Soul GrainVee Washington- Vanlice LemonadeJasmine Sorensen- Yin BotanicalsWe can’t wait to watch all of our trailblazer Due Diligence Accelerator participants get ready (and stay ready) to receive capital!
Want help compiling due diligence materials and getting your business ready for growth? Email ixchel@connectupmn.org with the subject line “Due Diligence Help”
 
Help Us Reach Our Follower Goal on LinkedIn!
Last November, ConnectUP! Institute joined LinkedIn to professionally connect with founders, investors and entrepreneur support leaders and by the end of this month, we want to reach 300 followers, and you can help us! We use LinkedIn to share our funding, networking and educational opportunities for the entrepreneur community in Minnesota and beyond. Once we reach our 300-follower goal, we will be giving away ConnectUP! Swag Boxes to 2 lucky LinkedIn followers!
How can you help us reach our goal of 300 LinkedIn followers? Follow us on LinkedIn– you don’t want to miss the great opportunities, articles and events we share on our page!Share our posts on LinkedIn– chances are, you’re connected with founders on LinkedIn that want to access local, relevant resources. Sharing our posts helps them do just that!Turn on our post notifications- Click the bell icon at the top of our LinkedIn page and choose “All posts” or “Top posts” to get notified about the new opportunities and updates we share every week!
Check Out ConnectUP! Institute on LinkedIn
 
A Shared Commercial Kitchen Opportunity is Coming to Twin Cities businesses and CPGs!
 Are you a food business founder in the Twin Cities? Are you ready to scale your product and business by moving to a commercial kitchen? We are looking to provide a Twin Cities shared commercial kitchen space for food businesses and CPGs like yours to cook, create and grow. A shared commercial kitchen space can enhance your business operations, efficiency and revenue, let us know what that means for your business in our survey!
Share Your Thoughts
 
What’s the Tea?
We have a surprise launching on Friday, September 1 for entrepreneurs that are ready to build community digitally and grow their knowledge and capacity for marketing, branding and operations! Stay tuned throughout August because we will be dropping more hints and details this month as we gear up to launch on September 1!
If you’re an entrepreneur looking for more digital education and connection opportunities, complete the interest form below and be the first to get the tea!
Get the Tea!
 
Shop Local Black Businesses and Enjoy Black Dance Performances at the August Black Business is Beautiful Market!
Want to meet and connect with Black small business owners and creators in the Twin Cities? Celebrate #NationalBlackBusinessMonth and head out to the Black Business is Beautiful August Market happening this Saturday 8/12 from 2pm–7pm in St. Paul! This special market will feature BLOOM by Body_Prayers_Practice and Deja Joelle.
You won’t want to miss this fun event that includes dance performances, games, music, food, and so much more! From beaded jewelry to beard care to books, you’ll get it all at the market, including a large selection of sweet treats and meals from local Black businesses. 
Follow Black Market Minneapolis on Instagram
 
Support Black, Brown, and Rural Entrepreneurs in Minnesota!
We have  sponsorship opportunities to get your organization in front of Minnesota business owners and demonstrate your organization as a supporter of diverse founders across the state including: CEO Circles (ongoing)90-day Due Diligence AcceleratorUpcoming ConnectUP! Summits
Contact us to learn more about our packages and become a sponsor!
connect@connectupmn.org
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
 
ConnectUP! Institute Founder and Executive Director, Y. Elaine Rasmussen, was featured by Boston Impact Initiative (BII) sharing her thoughts on Black Girl Magic, equitable funding, and how BII support and mentorship in their inaugural cohort of emerging fund managers helped birth our Integrated Capital Fund. Give it a read!
Read the Article
 
  • Red Wing, MN entrepreneurs can join Welcome Wednesdays for small businesses, an all-day open house event at Red Wing Ignite that happens every 2nd Wednesday- Learn more
  • Join Forward Fest on 8/22 for their free virtual workshop and learn how to build financial projections for your business!- Learn more and register
  • NAWBO-MN and MEDA are partnering to bring together women entrepreneurs for Women Ignite and share community resources on 8/23- Register today
  • Join Impact Hub Minneapolis for Finance Friday on 8/25, a free, casual meetup- Learn more
  • The Fearless Strivers Grant will award four Black woman-owned businesses across the country with $20,000 grants and more, applications close on 8/31. –Learn more and apply
  • Become a Black Business is Beautiful Market vendor, the market happens every 2nd Saturday- Apply here
  • Heyven is a new directory platform that connects you with other small businesses, creators, and nonprofits in Minnesota. Learn more and join!
  • Seasoned Specialty Food Market in St. Paul is looking for food vendors through co-retail especially from women and people of color-owned businesses. Learn more
 
 
Logo
Copyright (C) 2023 ConnectUP! Institute. All rights reserved.