2024 ICCC Program Provides Free Training, Education, and Mentorship to Small Business Owners
April 17 2024 - 8:05AM
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is proud to
announce the opening of applications for the 2024 Inner City
Capital Connections (ICCC) program. Supported by its generous
funders, this tuition-free, comprehensive, 40-hour "mini-MBA"
program is specifically designed to empower entrepreneurs in
underserved communities by providing them with advanced education,
actionable insights, networking, and personalized coaching.
Delivered by leading university professors, local experts, and
financial institutions, the ICCC program aims to foster sustainable
growth and facilitate connections with vital capital sources across
the United States and Canada.
This year, the ICCC program is placing a heightened focus on
addressing the specific challenges identified by small business
owners as critical roadblocks to their growth. Key areas such as
capital access, marketing and customer acquisition, talent
recruitment and retention, technology adoption and integration
(including digital marketing and artificial intelligence), and
strategic business planning are integral components of our
curriculum. ICIC is committed to providing the most relevant and
impactful resources to help entrepreneurs overcome these
obstacles.
“This program has exceeded my wildest expectations. So excited
to delve into expert materials to gain traction! The ICCC staff has
proven to be extremely competent, walking the path of integrity,
caring, seriousness, and making a difference. Beyond grateful to
have this opportunity and meet others who share my journey of
growth/scaling,” said MPATH, LLC. founder and 2023 ICCC participant
Mirette Seireg Ohman.
Since 2005, ICCC has helped more than 6,585 businesses access
$2.5 billion in capital, achieve 153% revenue growth, and create
more than 28,000 jobs in their communities. In 2023, the program
served more than 800 businesses, with 88% identifying as
BIPOC-owned and 64% as woman-owned businesses.
“The ICCC program is a transformative force for small businesses
in underserved communities. By combining top-tier education with
practical tools and connections to capital, we're not just
supporting entrepreneurs; we're catalyzing sustainable economic
development and job creation at the local level. Our commitment is
to continuously adapt and respond to the evolving needs of our
business owners, ensuring they have the resources to thrive in an
ever-changing market." said ICIC CEO Steve Grossman.
Entrepreneurs accepted into the ICCC program will participate in
40 hours of high-impact in-person and virtual learning divided into
four components designed to maximize each participant’s experience
and accommodate their busy schedules.
In-person and virtual cohorts will be held in cities and states
across the United States and Canada, including Boston, MA; Chicago,
IL; Dallas, TX; Memphis, TN; Miami, FL; New Jersey; Shreveport, LA;
Toronto, ON; Western Massachusetts and more. ICCC will also host a
U.S. National Latinx Cohort entirely in Spanish and a specialty
program for larger B2B companies in Connecticut.
Application deadlines and eligibility criteria vary by cohort.
Visit ICIC’s website to apply or nominate a business. For more
information or to speak with an ICCC subject matter expert, please
contact Indhira Taveras at itaveras@icic.org or 617-238-3030.
About ICICInitiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC)
is the widely-recognized authority on accelerating small business
growth in under-resourced communities. Founded by renowned Harvard
Business School professor Michael Porter in 1994 as a research and
strategy organization, today ICIC drives inclusive economic
prosperity in underserved communities through innovative research
and programs to create jobs, income, and wealth for local
residents.
Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) is a tuition-free
executive leadership training program designed by ICIC to help
business owners in under-resourced communities build capacity for
sustainable growth in revenue, profitability, and employment. ICCC
is uniquely designed to provide three critical elements for
sustainable growth: capacity-building education, one-on-one
coaching, and connections to capital and capital providers. The
program is supported by Bank of America, Kaiser Permanente, Yum!
Brands, FedEx, Regions Bank, Santander, Arctaris Impact Investors,
Cencora, Edward Jones, Target, Vizient, Cardinal Health, BCG, and
EY.
Sarah Ginand
ICIC
+1 617-803-4532
sginand@icic.org
Indhira Taveras
ICCC
+1 617-238-3030
itaveras@icic.org