We prepare 2nd-stage BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+ and rural founders to scale and build authentic, values-aligned relationships for sustainable business growth.
Statistics indicate that women claimed just 2% of the VC funds, and women of color claimed just under 1% in 2021.
In a 2019 study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York it was noted that only 17% of firms with non-Hispanic Black ownership reported their funding needs were satisfied.
29.4% of BIPOC business owners receive all the funding they request from the bank compared to 54.2% of that of white business owners.
With only 1.2% of BPOC entrepreneurs receiving venture capital funding, there is an obvious gap in accessing money and resources that are essential in growing any business.
From our accelerators to our Integrated Capital Fund to our ConnectUP! Summit, we provide our community of founders with equitable access and culturally-informed resources, funding and networks. Our programming prioritizes women of color and is informed by the lived experiences of Black women – but all are welcome. We believe when we work for the most marginalized, we do better for all. This has been our secret to success.
Applications for #Cohort7 of the Capital Readiness Accelerator have been EXTENDED through Monday, February 10, 2025 at 11:59pm CST. The application fee for the Capital Readiness Accelerator is $49 and takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Get ready (and stay ready) to access funding for your small business with our Capital Readiness Accelerator! The number one need of entrepreneurs is capital – to start, scale, and sustain their businesses but if you aren’t ready with the right documentation and mindset, those dollars can only go so far!
This 14-week accelerator will help dig into your dollars and understand the financial story of your business. Why? So you can build your confidence while preparing your mind and business for financial management.
You’ll work with an executive business coach to build and understand:
The Capital Readiness Accelerator aims to provide action-oriented content for second stage stage founders that are looking for capital to grow their businesses.
The application fee for the Capital Readiness Accelerator is $49 and takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Applications for #Cohort9 of the Lunar Startups Accelerator have been EXTENDED through Monday, February 10, 2025 at 11:59pm CST. The application fee for the Lunar Startups Accelerator is $49 and takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Tired of hustling? Build the community and toolbox you need to take your budding business to the next level with our Lunar Startups Accelerator! This program specializes in growth, connection, and innovation for Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, women, and non-binary entrepreneurs.
This 12-week, customized cohort program is best suited for a wide variety of companies focusing on figuring out the business of their business with big plans to grow. Lunar alumni have gone on to raise seed funding, land on shelves in major stores, open new brick and mortar locations, and even launch NEW businesses after completing the program. Plus, everyone becomes part of our #HypeSquad for life!
The application fee for the Lunar Startups Accelerator is $49 and takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Connect and learn with your niche industry!
One day of action-driven workshops, deep-relationship building, and networking opportunities. Each Mini-Summit is tailored for a specific industry sector. Some industry focuses for our upcoming Mini-Summits include Cannabis, CPG, and Food businesses. This one-day gathering to revamp your business goals, operations and connections is just what you need to #LevelUp
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to postpone our April 2024 Mini-Summit for creatives and freelancers. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest details on our next Mini-Summit and everything entrepreneur!
Our Integrated Capital Fund, a.k.a. ICF, supports 2nd-stage Black, Brown, Queer and Rural Founders across Minnesota by addressing the capital and resource gap that those communities face in the entrpreneur ecosystem. We power access, opportunity and success by providing the three C’s: capital, capacity and community.
CEO Circles are designed to equip second-stage CEOs with actionable strategies to overcome the hurdles of surviving in the market space, maintaining good business practices, and scaling up. Each 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. In 2023, we’ve explored budgetting, personal growth, business pitches and more!
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our upcoming CEO Circes in 2024!
Thursday, April 10-Saturday, April 1 | St. Paul, MN
The ConnectUP! Summit brings together entrepreneurs, investors and entrepreneur support organization leaders from Minnesota and across the country for two days of culturally responsive talks, action-driven workshops, deep-relationship building and diverse networking opportunities. With an emphasis on entrepreneur needs and realities, the ConnectUP! Summit provides founders with tools, resources and connections to #LevelUp themselves and their businesses!
ConnectUP! Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
EIN# 85-2918250.
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CONNECTUP! MN © 2023 All Rights Reserved.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay current with our work, our programming, and opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors alike!