Inclusive Entrepreneurship Accelerator
Ossining Innovates! and the Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC), a Westchester-based 501 (c) (3), launched an Inclusive Entrepreneurship Accelerator in the spring of 2020 with a class of twelve pioneering individuals!
Our Inclusive Accelerator brings the most current thinking in entrepreneurship at no cost to those who participate.
That’s right, it’s FREE!
cohort applications are now open! Please review the participant and mentor applications here.
A bit more about the program
Brought together by our mutual commitment to the ideas that entrepreneurship creates opportunity and that everyone, no matter one’s socioeconomic circumstances, race, age, or gender, is entitled to the opportunity to learn entrepreneurship skills, which will empower them to design the futures they want we are partnering to offer this inclusive entrepreneurship accelerator program.
Entrepreneurship mindset and skills are being taught all over the world. They are considered a skill set that unlocks opportunity and fosters innovation and creativity for individuals and communities. These skills are widely seen as necessary tools to thrive in our increasingly fast-paced world.
Cost
Free -no fees, no equity stakes- includes all needed materials distributed virtually
Location
Virtual
WHAT YOU WILL TAKE FROM THE ACCELERATOR
The program is designed to introduce participants to entrepreneurial thinking and the entrepreneur’s toolkit. Centered on concepts from Lean Startup and a customer-centric approach to building and running a business or non-profit, upon completion, participants will be able to:
Understand and apply Entrepreneurial Thinking (mindset & tools to succeed in an ever-changing world)
Apply creative techniques to discover new business opportunities
Integrate market research to support and validate business opportunities
Identify and use your values to grow your business and your network, build customer loyalty, keep you on-track
Identify the kinds of resources you will need to start an entrepreneurial endeavor
Understand and assess your risk tolerance and how to test your ideas quickly, cheaply
Build your idea, pitch, and presentation: share your idea with others
Design and test business models (business model canvas)
Apply presentation skills
Legal and financial basics will also be introduced.
All participants will have at least one mentor committed to meet weekly during the program and on a regular basis for the remainder of the year.
Participation in periodic additional gatherings is also encouraged.
To succeed, we need
a diverse group of PARTICIPANTS
qualified and dedicated MENTORS
and, a pool of potential INSTRUCTORS who will provide expertise, instruction and facilitation in specific subjects (email us to learn more about becoming an instructor)
Who Should Apply
Anyone who:
has a clear idea for their business/nonprofit
has an idea for something that is new* and they don’t know what business to model it after
has conducted at least some initial research about the industry or sector
has a connection to their idea (This can be a skill set, experience, and / or deep connection to the problem they want to solve)
is intent to start with their own money, friends & family money, crowdfunding, etc.… but not looking for investor funding to get going
AND,
6. has a clear intent to launch within some specified time horizon (Launch may be a soft launch. Desired launch might be within six months or a year depending on their goals and the complexity of the business idea.)
We also accept entrepreneurs with established* businesses and nonprofits who:
1. are open and interested in adopting a new approach to re-examining their customers and their customers’ needs, designing customer value, and re-evaluating how they have operated their business
AND,
2. see a need/want to respond to significant changes in the market
OR
3. are looking to transform their endeavor into something that is financially sustainable.
Unsure if you’ve got a business or business idea that might qualify? Check out the FAQs. After doing so, if you are still not sure, why not apply and find out? It’s free. Or drop us an email and we will get back to you.