Cohorts

Our Cohorts Create Solutions That Help Increase Capital and Service Flow to Main Street Businesses

For a full description, hover over each name…

Capital Access
Black Owned Businesses
Reimagining Technical Assistance
Returning Citizens Entrepreneurship Readiness

Capital Access

 

The first-ever bank referral marketplace for small business lending, myWay to Credit was developed with JP Morgan Chase, Woodforest National Bank, Legacy Texas, and the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund. myWay to Credit gives options to small businesses that don’t currently qualify for financing by connecting them to a vetted network of community lenders and small business mentors. 

 

DreamFund was developed with OnDeck and a variety of other organizations to address the gap between demand for and supply of capital in underserved communities, by giving CDFIs access to additional products from third parties. It serves as a liquidity solution for cash-constrained CDFIs. Through DreamFund, business owners who would not have otherwise qualified for loans are able to borrow at below-market rates through a CDFI.

 

 

Black Owned Businesses

The Action Lab features multi-city collaboration and experimentation. The Project Registry provides a network and database for project activities and participants.

Reimagining Technical Assistance

 

Powered by AEO and GoDaddy, Empower by GoDaddy in Partnership with AEO equips microbusiness owners with training, mentorship, support, and products to establish and amplify their digital presence in the marketplace.

This cohort combines research with collaborative work to: identify gaps in returning citizen entrepreneurship readiness system and co-create a framework for a new initiative.