• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

3

Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

3

Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
raceAhead

How Accelerators Are Helping Minority Entrepreneurs

By
Carolyn M. Brown
Carolyn M. Brown
and
Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Carolyn M. Brown
Carolyn M. Brown
and
Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 22, 2016, 9:00 AM ET
Creative business people meeting in circle of chairs
Creative business people meeting in circle of chairsCaiaImage/Sam Edwards — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This piece originally appeared on BlackEnterprise.com.

Studies show the survival rate of companies that go through an accelerator are three times than that of companies that don’t. What’s more, research shows companies that completed an accelerator program grew faster than companies that didn’t.

People sometimes use the phrase “business accelerator” as another term for “business incubator.” Incubators fundamentally provide a physical office space and basic business services. However, most accelerators are characterized by an open application process: the selective acceptance of various entrepreneurs for short, fixed-length classes, with graduation and demo “pitch” days, as well as the provision of mentors and seed funding.

Elite tech accelerators—such as Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups—recently have kicked off diversity initiatives, like “open office hours” for diverse founders, mentorship programs, and investment commitments.

Accelerators Focusing on Minority Entrepreneurs

Dreamit Ventures has been diversity focused for years; it operates four seed accelerators in Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, and Austin, and has launched more than 200 companies that have raised $275 million at combined valuations of more than $1 billion. In 2011, Dreamit partnered with Comcast Ventures to launch Dreamit Access, which offers coaching, mentorship, seed funding, and access to opportunities, specifically for minority-led startups.

For more on minority in the workplace, watch this Fortune video:

It was the NewME Accelerator that pioneered diversity in Silicon Valley. The residential technology startup accelerator has helped underrepresented founders collectively raise more than $20 million in venture capital funding. Since 2011, NewME has accelerated more than 300 startups through its 12-week program in San Francisco and its national three-day program in cities nationwide.

PowerMoves, a national initiative to increase the number of venture-backed, high-growth, high-tech companies led by entrepreneurs of color, opened an accelerator in Miami this February. PowerMoves began in 2014 as a program to position New Orleans as a hub for entrepreneurs of color. In just one year, it has nationally sourced 100 companies led by founders of color from 26 major cities across the country, and it has helped secure more than $17 million in capital commitments.

PowerMoves Miami offers year-round programming, including pitch competitions, boot camps, networking events, and fellowships. “With the help of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (a $1.2 million investment), we decided to launch a physical presence, not just a three-day convening in Miami,” says Janelle Alexander, Managing Director of PowerMoves Miami.

Black Enterprise’s 2016 Techpreneur of the Year nominee, Brian Brackeen, graduated from the NewME Accelerator’s second class in 2012. Brackeen is the Founder and CEO of Kairos, an innovative facial recognition company in Miami.

Brackeen is quick to point out that accelerators have evolved in recent years. “If you are in the fashion business, get into a fashion accelerator, because their network will be more helpful and carry more weight,” he advises other entrepreneurs.

“New York City, for instance, has several fashion and design labs, incubators, and accelerators. Look at how that program can add value. Who are the people in their network? At the end of the day, it’s all about people,” Brackeen says. “Seed money—$25,000 or $100,000—is important, but it’s about the relationships and introductions to people who can help grow your customer base and boost your revenue stream.”

About the Authors
By Carolyn M. Brown
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Black Enterprise
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

Tiny Texas town sues to block Trump’s border wall that it says threatens the Rio Grande’s flood levees
PoliticsDonald Trump
Tiny Texas town sues to block Trump’s border wall that it says threatens the Rio Grande’s flood levees
By The Associated Press and Rebecca SantanaJuly 22, 2026
1 hour ago
Trump
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump approves Saudi nuclear deal that could allow uranium enrichment as U.S. wages war to end Tehran’s program
By The Associated Press, Aamer Madhani, Michelle L. Price and Jon GambrellJuly 22, 2026
1 hour ago
FBI Director Kash Patel meets Cambodian prime minister to crackdown on cybercrime and romance scams
AsiaFBI
FBI Director Kash Patel meets Cambodian prime minister to crackdown on cybercrime and romance scams
By Sopheng Cheang and The Associated PressJuly 22, 2026
2 hours ago
An Ebola healthcare worker is assisted putting on protective equipment in a treatment center.
HealthEbola
Nearly 1,000 people dead from Ebola outbreak in Congo amid health worker strike
By The Associated Press, Prosper Heri Ngorora and Constant Same BagalwaJuly 22, 2026
2 hours ago
buffett
SuccessWealth
‘The man who dies rich dies disgraced’: The last time America had such wealth inequality, Andrew Carnegie knew he had to give it all away
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 hours ago
gen z
Real EstateHousing
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
Cybersecurity
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
By Jeremy Kahn and Emily ForliniJuly 21, 2026
23 hours ago
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
AI
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
Success
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.