10 entrepreneurial support programs and events to attend or apply to by April’s end

From HBCUs to banks to coworking spaces, every organization seems to be jumping on board. With sessions focused on everything from cash flow management to crafting your brand story and even creating space for self-care, these programs aim to offer you exactly what you need to succeed.

If you’re looking to grow and scale your business in Baltimore, some upcoming convenings and initiatives offer practical resources, a supportive network and valuable tools. Whether you’re an established or aspiring entrepreneur, these programs and events can give you the support you might be craving. Many of the programs on this list are led by Black entrepreneurs and organizations in Baltimore. Check out these 10 programs and events to see how they can help you achieve your business goals:

The MICA UP/Start Finale Event (April 11)

The UP/Start Venture Competition, an initiative led by the Ratcliffe Center for Creative Entrepreneurship (RCCE) at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), is dedicated to incubating and developing creative business ventures within the MICA community. This spring, the RCCE invites the public to a night of innovation, inspiration and fun as it hosts the top eight UP/Start finalists competing for $105,000 of funding for their ventures. Whether you’re a MICA alum looking to apply in the fall or just want to support the current finalists, the live action starts at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30). Don’t miss the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice winner and stay after for a reception with food and networking among those with a passion for the arts and entrepreneurship.

Attend the UP/Start Finale Event

Advancing Black Entrepreneurs: Cash Flow Management (April 11)

Chase for Business and Advancing Black Pathways came together to present Advancing Black Entrepreneurs, a collection of practical resources tailored to help Black business owners grow and scale their companies. The Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce invites entrepreneurs to come to Chase Bank’s Mondawmin Community Center branch to chat and chew on navigating and optimizing cash flow as a Black-owned business.

Attend Advancing Black Entrepreneurs: Cash Flow Management

Become a summer coach with Dent Education (due April 17)

Dent Education seeks individuals from Baltimore’s creative, educational, entrepreneurial and social innovation communities to mentor high school students during Bet on Baltimore (BoB), a paid summer internship offering. Summer Coaches would join Dent’s program which aims to help students apply their problem-solving and maker skills to enhance their community and launch their ventures. Interested individuals can apply by April 17 and learn more about the program on the staff info site. An information session will also take place on Zoom on April 12 from 5-6 p.m.

Attend the Summer Coach Info Session

The program runs from June 20 to August 11, with full program days from July 10 to August 11. For any questions, contact the team at bob-recruit@denteducation.org. If you know someone who may be interested, share this opportunity with them.

Apply to be a Summer Coach with Dent Education

Venture For America (VFA) Company Partner Lunch & Learn (April 12)

The VFA Company Partnerships Team and VFA Community Directors are hosting a lunch and learn event on April 12 at noon EST for the 2023 VFA Fellow season. Erica Meyers, VFA’s Director of Baltimore, recently shared on LinkedIn that the event is geared toward tech startups and entrepreneurial support organizations in the Baltimore ecosystem seeking entry-level talent. Attendees will get to learn about VFA’s new Connect platform, membership options and benefits. They will also get a sneak peek at this year’s fellow class and receive tips on how to make their job opportunities more attractive to Fellows.

Attend VFA Company Partner Lunch & Learn

“I AM NOT OK: Creating Healing Spaces for Black Executive Directors” (April 13)

“As Black leaders, we often prioritize the healing of our communities over our own personal healing,” say the organizers of “I AM NOT OK.” The BLK ED Network invites Black executive directors in the Baltimore area and beyond to this interactive 90-minute workshop, which aims to help attendees understand the meaning of self-care and incorporate it into their leadership lifestyles. This workshop will be led by Shalita O’Neale, founder and CEO of GroCharity Events. O’Neale will explore tools to deal with white supremacy in the workplace, as well as examine how to connect with oneself, team members and community stakeholders as an executive director.

Attend “I AM NOT OK”

An exterior shot at StarTUp at the Armory. (Courtesy photo)

The StarTUp Accelerator (due April 15)

Towson University’s StarTUp Accelerator offers intensive eight-week fellowship programs for aspiring founders to accelerate their ventures. The winter cohort runs from late January to mid-March, while the summer one operates from June to July. The accelerator focuses on venture creation and seeks innovative and disruptive business ideas to create new markets or transform existing ones. Founders who introduced their services or products into the market are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants receive a $10,000 equity-free stipend, mentorship and exposure to successful program alumni They also take up residency at the Armory, the school’s award-winning entrepreneurship space in downtown Towson. Each cohort also includes mentor fellows — past participants who return to provide support and build connections.

Apply for the StarTUp Accelerator

Betamore Third Thursdays: “The Tech Revolution Transforming Manufacturing” (April 20)

Join Betamore for its next session in a monthly series of discussions with the entrepreneurial ecosystem this spring. The panel will explore the tech revolution happening in the manufacturing space. The event will start with networking and refreshments, followed by introductory comments from Mike Galiazzo, president of the Regional Manufacturing Institute, and a panel discussion featuring Antoine Hutchinson, CEO of FabPro Technologies; Audrey Van de Castle, director of digital Transformation at Stanley Black & Decker; Andy Cook, founder of Made in Baltimore; and Andrew Sherman, CEO of American Bully Manufacturing. The panelists will delve into topics like robotics, augmented reality, virtual reality and big data — all of which are part of the current technology landscape in manufacturing.

Attend “The Tech Revolution Transforming Manufacturing”

Website Storytelling Learning Intensive (April 17 and 24)

Hopefully, you have already caught wind of the bountiful springtime opportunities in our article about starting, scaling, creating and availing your business. Several of those resources came from a preview of spring programs that the team at Impact Hub Baltimore previewed alongside The Baltimore BASE (Business Assistance and Support for Equity) Network.

Join Impact Hub Baltimore again, along with Empower by GoDaddy, for a two-day virtual learning intensive on website storytelling. This program is designed to help microbusiness owners write or re-write the text on their websites. These sessions will be led by Lennette Abad and Empower Program Manager Bakari Jones. The event organizers emphasized that “participants will leave the program with content written for the ‘about’ section of their website, a storytelling framework to develop and tell their brand’s unique story and a brand kit outline.”

The program will take place via Zoom on the aforementioned dates and features time for attendees to workshop their writing, as well as receive feedback from facilitators and fellow attendees.

Attend Website Storytelling

Baltimore Means Business (due April 20)

As DeShawna Jones alluded to ahead of her CEO Workday Event, Baltimore Means Business is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to ask questions.

Designed by Morgan State University’s Earl Graves School of Business, this free program is ideal for small business owners in the Greater Baltimore area who are ready to accelerate their growth. Baltimore Means Business aims to help entrepreneurs gain access to practical business education, a supportive network of advisors and peers and the tools they might need to develop a customized growth plan. This program is paired with a curriculum on financial literacy and negotiation skills.

To apply, your business must have been operating for at least two years (otherwise, provide a business plan), have $0-$100,000 revenue in the most recent fiscal year and employ at least one worker.

Apply to Baltimore Means Business

“One Million Black Women: Black in Business” (due April 21)

Goldman Sachs’ offices of community engagement and sustainability have a new program in their roster of entrepreneur support programs specifically for Black women. “One Million Black Women: Black in Business” is a business education program informed by a research report Goldman published in February 2022 entitled “BLACK WOMENOMICS: Equalizing Entrepreneurship.” This new program is designed to empower Black women sole proprietors with valuable skills to scale a profitable business, manage finances, price products and services effectively, hire for growth and create loyal customers. The program also offers in-person orientation and graduation sessions, online classes with built-in flexibility for busy schedules and access to a powerful network of Black women entrepreneurs and strategic advisors. Participants will receive a $2,000 stipend and an all-expense-paid trip to Goldman Sachs’ offices in New York City.

Learn more about “One Million Black Women: Black in Business”

Attend the “One Million Black Women: Black in Business” Info Session

Apply to “One Million Black Women: Black in Business”