Young Entrepreneurs: A New Generation of Business Pioneers

A young black woman holding a chalkboard sign that says “open” outside a business

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Key Takeaways:

  • According to 2022 data, 60% of teens want to start their own business.
  • Many young entrepreneurs operate throughout the U.S., including Gabby Goodwin and brothers Brandon and Sebastian Martinez.
  • Becoming an entrepreneur at any age can be intimidating. To become a successful young entrepreneur, you should take strategic steps, including knowing your finances and understanding your passions.

Age does not determine capability or success. Whether someone is 18 or 81, they could have the same entrepreneurial spirit to chase their dreams. 

In the world of entrepreneurship, a new generation of trailblazers is emerging, challenging the status quo and changing industries for the better. We are not talking about experienced executives — we are referring to the young entrepreneurs who are defying convention. 

Ahead, we explore the stories of 15 young entrepreneurs in the U.S. In addition, we cover tips on how to become a young entrepreneur.

15 Young Entrepreneurs in the U.S.

Data shows that more teenagers than ever are interested in pursuing entrepreneurship. According to a 2022 survey from Junior Achievement USA, 60% of teenagers want to start their own business rather than work for someone else. Many young individuals have already started working to make their dreams a reality. Get ready to be impressed as we highlight 15 young entrepreneurs from across the U.S.

1. Aline Morse – Zolli Candy

At age seven, Aline Morse came up with a revolutionary concept: candy that tastes good and will not damage the health of your teeth. Shortly after the idea came to Morse, she created Zollipops, a vegan and tooth-healthy candy. Zollipops quickly expanded to become Zolli Candy and is sold in stores around the U.S. The young female entrepreneur has recently expanded her offering to taffy and drops. In addition, Morse established the Million Smiles Initiative, a program that promotes dental health education in schools.

2. Asia Newson – Super Business Girl

Asia Newson, a young Black entrepreneur, started her business, Super Business Girl, when she was just five years old. Newson began by reselling candles, while she learned to make her own, with her father acting as her mentor. With time, Newson started solely creating and selling her custom candles. To inspire other people her age, Newson has trained 40 other children across Detroit, MI, about her entrepreneurial skills

3. Benjamin Stern – Nohbo

As a freshman in high school, Benjamin Stern sought a solution to plastic consumption in his biology class. His ambition resulted in the formation of the sustainability startup Nohbo. The company develops Nohbo Drops, single-use packets that contain personal care products, such as hair, body wash or shaving cream. These packets dissolve in water after the product inside is dispensed. 

At 16 years old, Stern pitched his creation on “Shark Tank” and received an investment from entrepreneur Mark Cuban. Today, Stern is the CEO and is coming up with new solutions for plastic pollution.

4. Brandon and Sebastian Martinez – Are You Kidding 

Brothers Brendon and Sebastian Martinez started their business, Are You Kidding, in 2014 when they were just preteens. The brothers design and sell a range of fun socks that help people elevate their style and support a range of causes. They partner with local and national charities and design a sock specifically for their cause to raise awareness and critical funds. Charities they work with include Stand Up To Cancer, Amigos for Kids and Autism Speaks.

5. Brighton Hood – Be the Change Bands 

At just 14 years old, Brighton Hood started his business, Be the Change Bands, which creates rings, pendants and bracelets out of coins. He sources his materials from antique stores and coin shops and sells the finished products at U.S. craft fairs and through the e-commerce website Etsy. For every item sold, Hood donates 5% of the proceeds to charities.

6. Caleb Nelson – Romeo’s Rickshaws

In 2017, 14-year-old Caleb Nelson launched his business, Romeo’s Rickshaws, with his dad’s help. The pair launched the tip-only business during the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival, one of the state’s largest events. When he pitched the idea to his dad, he was challenged to come up with half of the funds needed to purchase two pedicabs. 

By the end of the week, the teen raised the $5,000 he needed to get started. He did it by selling the spaces on the sides of each pedicab to local businesses to advertise. Nelson expanded the business to offer pedicab rides around downtown Cedar City and for events, such as weddings. In addition, the teen hired more riders and started offering tours of the city.

7. Cory Nieves – Mr. Cory’s Cookies

When he was only six years old, Cory Nieves started his entrepreneurial journey, which led to the creation of Mr. Cory’s Cookies, an all-natural cookie company. A craving for a cookie did not inspire his journey, as you may expect. It was a desire to get a family car so he would no longer have to take the bus to school. 

The young Black entrepreneur started by selling hot cocoa around his community to raise money for the car. After raising enough money for a car, he started selling cocoa to raise money for college. Fueled to do more, Nieves expanded his business to sell cookies and lemonade. He and his mom worked on their cookie recipes, which they sold out of their home. Eventually, they moved their operations into a commercial kitchen, where they currently produce their product to sell across the U.S.

8. Evan Moana – EvanTubeHD YouTube Channel

When Evan Moana was eight years old, he started a YouTube channel with his dad. He called the channel EvanTubeHD and featured stop-motion videos. The channel expanded to feature video reviews of toys and video games and started raking in millions of dollars a year. With time, Moana grew his channel with more content and now has more than seven million followers. In recent years, he also launched a TikTok channel.

9. Gabby Goodwin – GaBBy Bows

When Gabby Goodwin was seven years old, she developed the double-faced double snap barrette with the help of her mom. The pair patented the hair clip design and established GaBBy Bows. Several years later, Goodwin created Confidence by GaBBy, a plant-based hair care line of products. Today, Goodwin serves as the CEO of the company and gives back to her community by offering business mentorship and hair care advice.

10. Hannah Grace – BeYOUtiful

In 2016, Hannah Grace’s father challenged her to create her artisanal bath bombs, one of her favorite products. After studying how to create them, Grace started a bath and beauty brand, BeYOUtiful. Within several weeks, Grace’s products were available for sale at local gift shops. Now, BeYOUtiful products are available online and at retail stores across the country. Since she has type 1 diabetes, Grace donates 10% of each purchase made online to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF).

11. Maddie Rae – Maddie Rae’s Slime Glue

When she was just 11, Maddie Rae set out to create her slime at the height of the craze. Determined not to get discouraged by a glue shortage, Rae spent months developing a new glue. At the same time, she created special packaging and developed her brand. In 2017, Rae launched Maddie Rae’s Slime Glue on Amazon and at select retailers. Over the years, the young female entrepreneur grew her brand to include several additional slime-making products.

12. Maya Penn – Maya’s Ideas

Young Black entrepreneur Maya Penn started her sustainably made clothing line, Maya’s Ideas, when she was only eight. At that time, she exclusively made colorful headbands with hand-dyed, organic materials. Three years after launching her line, she started a nonprofit called Maya’s Ideas 4 The Planet, which supports environmental justice and mental health, among other social efforts.

Today, Penn is the designer and CEO of the company, which expanded to include other sustainably made clothing items. In addition to her role at Maya’s Ideas, Penn is an environmental activist, accomplished author, artist and speaker.

13. Mikaila Ulmer – Me & The Bees Lemonade

Mikaila Ulmer was first inspired to start her company, Me & The Bees Lemonade, when she was just four years old. After getting stung by some bees at that age, she started researching the insects and the important role they play in our ecosystem. When she entered a children’s business competition, she developed the first iteration of her lemonade. Instead of using a standard lemonade mix, she used her grandma’s recipe, which she adapted by adding honey. 

She started selling lemonade at local events and in front of her home and donated a portion of the proceeds to organizations working to help honeybees — something she still does today. With time, Ulmer’s business has grown more than 500% and is offered in five different flavors at many supermarkets, restaurants and other businesses. In her spare time, Ulmer speaks at events about social entrepreneurship and leads workshops about ways people can help the bees.

14. Michael Wahba – Hover-1 Cruze

At 14 years old, Michael Wahba decided to invent an electric skateboard. At the time, Wahba was frustrated with the electric skateboards on the market, all of which required a remote control. He started by partnering with the now-disbanded invention company, Quirky, to make his remote-less electric skateboard a reality. With time, the electric skateboard inspired the creation of Hover-1, a company that offers a line of hoverboards and e-scooters. Wahba’s products are for sale at BestBuy, Walmart and other retailers.

15. Miracle Olatunji – OpportuniMe

In her junior year of high school, Miracle Olatunji saw an opportunity to start a business after she participated in an entrepreneurship program. The result was OpportuniMe, a company dedicated to helping students find ways to gain career experience, network and explore their passions before attending college. Excited to do more, the young female entrepreneur has pushed herself to pursue several different passions. Most recently, she published her first book, became a public speaker and worked with major brands to launch campaigns.

Eight Tips to Become a Young Entrepreneur

No one is ever too young to pursue their entrepreneurial goals or create a life like that of these young, successful entrepreneurs. However, it is important to understand that preparing and getting started can be overwhelming. To increase your chances of becoming successful like one of these famous young entrepreneurs in the future, we put together a few tips below.

  1. Discover Your Passion: It is important to do work that aligns with your interests and skills. Before you start your entrepreneurial journey, take time to reflect on what makes you happy. If you are not passionate about what you do, you may lack the motivation and creativity you need to succeed. 
  2. Understand Your Market: Having a good idea of how your market works is critical for success. This knowledge can help you identify unmet needs, which can guide you in creating a product or service that resonates with others. It can also help you tailor your business plan and marketing efforts.
  3. Know Your Finances: Understanding the ins and outs of your finances is crucial for entrepreneurial success. It can help you estimate whether your idea is feasible and ensure that you have enough funds and resources to open and sustain your business.
  4. Find a Mentor: Starting a new business requires work. Having someone with experience to refer to for guidance can help you learn and improve your entrepreneurial skills.
  5. Work on Your Business Knowledge: Opening a business requires more than a good idea. You need to consider finances, marketing and creative and general operations. While you can hire experts to handle different departments, you should brush up on your business knowledge. You can learn by shadowing others, taking courses, reading and networking.
  6. Plan Carefully: Taking time to craft a thoughtful plan is essential for starting your entrepreneurial journey. Developing a plan can help you set goals, establish a roadmap and think of potential challenges. These actions can allow you to understand how to create a solid framework for success.
  7. Be Adaptable: Given how unpredictable society, the economy and different industries can be, it is essential to be flexible. That way, you will be prepared to assess different situations and adjust your strategy or product/service offering if need be.
  8. Take Action: A plan and set of goals can only produce success with action. To be successful, you need to be willing to take calculated risks and implement your plans. 

Follow Robert F. Smith on LinkedIn to learn more about entrepreneurship and other important topics. 

Across our Communities

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

1. Provide technical expertise: offer subject matter and technical expertise to catalyze and support community initiatives 

E.g., tax/accounting experts to help MBEs file taxes

E.g., business experts to help MBEs better access capital and craft business plans to scale their teams and operations

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

2. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance

Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years

Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years

Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

3. Offer more paid internships: signup onto InternX and offer 25+ additional paid internships per year to HBCU/Black students 

Digital Access

4. Issue digital access equality bonds: issue equality progress bonds and invest proceeds into SCI’s digital access initiatives

5. Fund HBCU campus-wide internet – up to $50M in donations or in-kind: Partner with the Student Freedom Initiative to deliver campus-wide high-speed internet at ~10 HBCUs across SCI regions

Advocacy

6. Be an advocate for SCI priorities: engage federal and state agencies to drive policy and funding improvements to better support SCI’s near-term priorities

E.g., Engage the Small Business Administration and Minority Business Development Agency to increase technical assistance programs and annual spend to better support Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) with capital and scaling needs

E.g., Ask the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include multi-dwelling unit connectivity in its new broadband connectivity maps and ask the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to allow non-FCC data in state broadband plans to unlock ~$285M in potential government broadband funding for 5 SCI regions

Directly Fund SCI

7. Invest directly into SCI (coming soon): provide funding for SCI to pool and invest in community initiatives that are most well-positioned for funding and can drive direct community impact.

Memphis, Tennessee

Lead community organization: The Collective Blueprint

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

Our ambition:

Increase the volume and value of Black-owned businesses – through corporate MBE spend and MBE startups & scaling

1. Scale technical assistance – $15M: fund* to expand technical assistance through business coaches and wrap-around services for 500+ MBEs over 5 years to help them scale from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue

2. Standup MBE fund – $15M: standup/scale MBE fund* to offer more flexible access to capital arrangements 400-500 MBEs over 5 years

 * Lead organization: The Collective Blueprint; Contributing local organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): Community Unlimited, Women’s Business Center South, Epicenter, others

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.3x increase in MBE value & 20K+ new jobs, boosting Black community’s net worth by ~$3B+

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

Our ambition:

Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities

3. Provide loan guarantees – $15M: create a fund* to provide 80% loan guarantees over 5 years to encourage lender participation and inject more capital into the community

4. Conduct advocacy: ask US Treasury & Tennessee State to allow Tennessee CDFIs/MDIs to retain SSBCI capital & offer loan guarantees to boost loan issuance

5. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs** over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup a SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance

  • Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years
  • Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years
  • Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

* Leading organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): Community LIFT, Memphis CDFI Network, etc.

* In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: Community Unlimited, Hope Credit Union, River City Capital, United Housing Inc, etc.

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~$330M+ in additional loans per year to support ~30K+ MBEs

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

Our ambition:

Lower financial burden for Black students, increase number of Black college graduates, increase Black workforce and executive representation and their access to high-paying jobs

6. Standup training hub – $30M: fund* the establishment a world-class training hub that offers certificate-granting STEM and innovation programs in advanced manufacturing, health care, etc. to 10K+ youths

7. Fund SFI program – $7M: fund the Student Freedom Initiative’s Income Contingent Alternative to Parent Plus to support ~15 Black STEM students per year forever at 4 HBCUs**

* Lead organization: The Collective Blueprint; Contributing local organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): Greater Memphis Chamber and Workforce Midsouth

** Minority Serving Institutions / HBCUs with STEM programs being considered: Le Moyne-Owen, Baptist Memorial, University of Memphis, Rust College

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 8K+ additional college graduates and 10K workers with high-paying wages to drive ~$1B+ in economic growth

Digital Access

Our ambition:

Increase accessibility, affordability and adoption of high-speed Internet

8. Accelerate digital access initiatives – $75M: partner with local orgs* to invest in setting up internet connections / installing hotspots, offering laptops and supporting adoption (through government subsidy technical assistance and digital literacy) to connect ~135K homes to high-speed internet in the Memphis region

9. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~135K unconnected households 

 * Lead organization: The Collective Blueprint; Contributing local organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): CodeCrew

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~135K households connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$2B+ in economic potential

Houston, Texas

Lead community organization: Greater Houston Partnership

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

Our ambition:

Increase the volume and value of Black-owned businesses – through corporate MBE spend and MBE startups & scaling

1. Scale team – ~$3M: hire 3-4 FTEs over 5 years for One Houston Together* to help companies increase MBE spend from ~2% to 5-10%+ as well as BIPOC workforce advancement and BIPOC board representation 

2. Increase MBE certification and scale technical assistance – ~$2M: partner with One Houston Together* and the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HSMDC)** to certify additional MBEs, develop Minority Business Finder database tool and provide resources and services to help local MBEs scale and participate in Pathways to Excellence program

3. Commit to increase racial diversity in supply chain and procurement: increase MBE spend in Greater Houston region* to 5-10%+

* One Houston Together serves as lead (please contact if you are interested in funding these initiatives)

** Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HSMDC) serves as a partner organization (please contact if you are interested in learning more about this initiative)

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.5x increase in MBE value & ~55K new jobs, boosting Black community’s net worth by ~$12B 

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

Our ambition:

Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities

4. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance

  • Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years
  • Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years
  • Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

* In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: Unity National Bank, Unity Bank of Texas, PeopleFund, Houston Business Development Inc, etc.

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~$330M in additional loans per year to support ~30K MBEs

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

Our ambition:

Lower financial burden for Black students, increase number of Black college graduates, increase Black workforce and executive representation and their access to high-paying jobs

5. Fund SFI program – $120M: fund the Student Freedom Initiative’s Income Contingent Alternative to Parent Plus* to support ~1.2K Black STEM students per year forever at 7 HBCUs**

* Student Freedom Initiative serves as lead (main contact if you are interested in learning more and funding this initiative)

** Minority Serving Institutions / HBCUs with STEM programs being considered: Texas Southern University, University of Houston, Prairie View A&M University, Houston Baptist University, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of Houston-Downtown, University of St Thomas.  

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 5K+ additional college grads & ~600 workers with senior exec positions / high-paying wages to drive ~$0.2B in economic growth

Digital Access

Our ambition:

Increase accessibility, affordability and adoption of high-speed Internet

6. Accelerate SCI’s digital access initiatives – up to $80M in donations or in-kind: invest in setting up internet connections / hotspots, offer laptops/Chromebooks and support adoption (through government subsidy technical assistance and digital literacy) to connect ~145K homes to high-speed internet in the Houston region*

7. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~145K unconnected households 

* Community organization(s) being identified 

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~145K households connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$3B in economic potential

Greater New Orleans, Louisiana

Lead community organization: Urban League of Louisiana

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

Our ambition:

Increase the volume and value of Black-owned businesses – through corporate MBE spend and MBE startups & scaling

1. Scale Black Business Works Fund – $10M: grow the Urban League of Louisiana’s Black Business Works Fund to support ~3K-4K MBEs over 5 years with emergency working capital needs to support/sustain ~$1B+ in annual revenues

2. Scale technical assistance – $20M: fund the Urban League of Louisiana, New Orleans Business Alliance, Thrive New Orleans and Propellor to scale bookkeeping, B2C payment, marketing support & subsidized rent to scale 200+ MBEs from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.5x increase in MBE value & 8K+ new jobs, boosting Black community’s net worth by ~$2B+

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

Our ambition:

Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities

3. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT teams to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance

  • Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years
  • Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years
  • Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

* In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: New Orleans Business Alliance (community convener), Liberty, TruFund, LiftFund, NewCorp, etc.

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~$330M in additional loans per year to support ~30K MBEs

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

Our ambition:

Lower financial burden for Black students, increase number of Black college graduates, increase Black workforce and executive representation and their access to high-paying jobs

4. Subsidize internships & apprenticeships – $40M: fund the New Orleans Youth Alliance, YouthForce NOLA and the Urban League of Louisiana to place and help subsidize apprenticeships, internships and other work-based learning experiences for ~20K young adults in high-pay sectors (e.g., energy)

5. Fund SFI program – $12M: fund the Student Freedom Initiative’s Income Contingent Alternative to Parent Plus to support ~120 Black STEM students per year forever at 3 HBCUs*

* Minority Serving Institutions / HBCUs being considered: Dillard University, Southern University – New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana

6. Scale career prep – ~$10M: scale the New Orleans Youth Alliance and YouthForce NOLA with 15-20 coaches over 5 years to equip ~20K young adults with skills for high-paying industries, job search & prep and subsidized transportation

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~2K additional college graduates and ~20K workers with high-paying wages to drive ~$1B in economic growth

Digital Access

Our ambition:

Increase accessibility, affordability and adoption of high-speed Internet

7. Accelerate SCI’s digital access initiatives – up to $35M in donations or in-kind: partner with New Orleans’s Office of Information Technology & Innovation and Education SuperHighway to invest in setting up internet connections / hotspots, offering laptops/Chromebook and supporting adoption (through government subsidy technical assistance and digital literacy) to connect ~55K homes to high-speed internet in Greater New Orleans region

8. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~55K unconnected households

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 55K households connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$1B in economic potential

Charlotte, North Carolina

Lead community organization: Charlotte Regional Business Alliance

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

Our ambition:

Increase the volume and value of Black-owned businesses – through corporate MBE spend and MBE startups & scaling

1. Offer in-kind FTEs: provide 2-5 in-kind FTEs to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (CRBA) over 5 years to convene corporate partners, assess their MBE spend, develop pipeline to increase MBE spend to 5-10%+

2. Offer technical assistance expertise: partner with the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (CRBA) to advise/mentor ~200 MBEs on capital/loan access to help them scale from <$10M to $50M+

3. Commit to supplier diversity: increase MBE spend in Charlotte region to 5-10%+

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 3x increase in MBE value & ~13K new jobs, boosting Black community’s net worth by ~$2B+

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

Our ambition:

Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities

4. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance; in-kind experts to also help build out the MBE ecosystem through CDFIs/MDIs, market CDFI/MDI offerings and programs and help draft final loan agreements to qualify borrowers between investment fund(s) and CDFIs/MDIs

* CDFIs/MDIs being considered (examples and not exhaustive): Security Federal Bank, Institute / North Carolina Community Development Initiative, Sequoyah Fund Inc, Self-Help Credit Union, BEFCOR, Aspire Community Capital, etc.

  • Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years
  • Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years
  • Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

* In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: Security Federal Bank, Institute / North Carolina Community Development Initiative, Sequoyah Fund Inc, etc.

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~$330M in additional loans per year to support ~30K MBEs

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

Our ambition:

Lower financial burden for Black students, increase number of Black college graduates, increase Black workforce and executive representation and their access to high-paying jobs

5. Fund SFI program – up to $10M: fund the Student Freedom Initiative’s HELPS program to support ~1.5K+ students per year at HBCUs* with emergency expenses – e.g., unexpected health costs, late rent payments, etc.

* Minority Serving Institutions / HBCUs in Charlotte that are being considered: Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales University – Charlotte, Charlotte Christian College

6. Provide in-kind staff: offer 2-5 FTEs to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (CRBA)over 5 years to track Black-/Brown-executive representation, convene corporate partners to develop executive pipeline and hiring plans and support corporate partners to increase representation from ~10% to 30%+

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.5K+ additional college graduates and 2.5K workers with high-paying wages to drive ~$0.2B in economic growth

Digital Access

Our ambition:

Increase accessibility, affordability and adoption of high-speed Internet

7. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~35K unconnected households

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~35K households get connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$700M in economic potential for Charlotte

Birmingham, Alabama

Lead community organization: Prosper Birmingham

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

Our ambition:

Increase the volume and value of Black-owned businesses – through corporate MBE spend and MBE startups & scaling

1. Fund startups and give access to investor network – $70M: grow the Prosper Health Tech Fund – powered by Gener8tor – and offer venture capital technical assistance to scale 50+ startups from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue; near-term priority is to secure $4M in venture investment by end of May 2022

2. Fund technical assistance – $25M: fund Prosper Birmingham, Magic City Match, and Birmingham Business Alliance to establish/expand business advisory programs, renovate and subsidize retail/office space for MBEs and scale coaches & support services (e.g., digital footprint, B2C platforms, accounting & bookkeeping, recruitment, etc.) to help 100+ MBEs scale from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 3x increase in annual MBE revenue & 8K+ new jobs, boosting Black community’s net worth by ~$2B+

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

Our ambition:

Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities

3. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance

  • Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years
  • Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years
  • Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

* In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: First Bancshares, Commonwealth National Bank, TruFund, Sabre Finance, Bronze Valley, etc.

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~$330M in additional loans per year to support ~30K MBEs

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

Our ambition:

Lower financial burden for Black students, increase number of Black college graduates, increase Black workforce and executive representation and their access to high-paying jobs

4. Fund scholarships and hire coaches – ~$35M: scale Birmingham Promise fund to financially support 200-250 students per year over 4 years to increase college retention and graduation rates

5. Fund endowment – $2M: support 50 University of Alabama at Birmingham college students per year with housing to reduce their financial burden and increase college retention and graduation rates

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 6.5K+ additional college graduates & 35K workers with high-paying wages to drive ~$1.2B in economic growth

Digital Access

Our ambition:

Increase accessibility, affordability and adoption of high-speed Internet

6. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~35K unconnected households

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 48K households get connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$700M in economic potential for Jefferson County

Birmingham, Alabama

Lead community organization: Prosper Birmingham

MBE Entrepreneurship & Supplier Diversity

Our ambition:

Increase the volume and value of Black-owned businesses – through corporate MBE spend and MBE startups & scaling

1. Fund startups and give access to investor network – $70M: grow the Prosper Health Tech Fund – powered by Gener8tor – and offer venture capital technical assistance to scale 50+ startups from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue; near-term priority is to secure $4M in venture investment by end of May 2022

2. Fund technical assistance – $25M: fund Prosper Birmingham, Magic City Match, and Birmingham Business Alliance to establish/expand business advisory programs, renovate and subsidize retail/office space for MBEs and scale coaches & support services (e.g., digital footprint, B2C platforms, accounting & bookkeeping, recruitment, etc.) to help 100+ MBEs scale from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 3x increase in annual MBE revenue & 8K+ new jobs, boosting Black community’s net worth by ~$2B+

Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)

Our ambition:

Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities

3. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts – $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance

Systems and technology modernization – $10M-15M: Add/upgrade core banking systems, hardware and productivity tools, train frontline workforce on new systems & technology and hire engineering specialists to support customization and news systems rollout – over 5 years

Talent and workforce – $10M: hire and train additional frontline lending staff and invest in recruiting, training, compensation & benefits and retention to increase in-house expertise and loan capacity – over 5 years

Other capacity-building and outreach – $8M: hire additional staff to increase custom borrower and technical assistance (e.g., credit building, MBE financing options, etc.) and increase community outreach to drive regional awareness and new pipeline projects – over 5 years

* In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: First Bancshares, Commonwealth National Bank, TruFund, Sabre Finance, Bronze Valley, etc.

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~$330M in additional loans per year to support ~30K MBEs

Education/HBCU & Workforce Development

Our ambition:

Lower financial burden for Black students, increase number of Black college graduates, increase Black workforce and executive representation and their access to high-paying jobs

4. Fund scholarships and hire coaches – ~$35M: scale Birmingham Promise fund to financially support 200-250 students per year over 4 years to increase college retention and graduation rates

5. Fund endowment – $2M: support 50 University of Alabama at Birmingham college students per year with housing to reduce their financial burden and increase college retention and graduation rates

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 6.5K+ additional college graduates & 35K workers with high-paying wages to drive ~$1.2B in economic growth

Digital Access

Our ambition:

Increase accessibility, affordability and adoption of high-speed Internet

6. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~35K unconnected households

Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 48K households get connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$700M in economic potential for Jefferson County