In late April, our New Castle County Regional Council selected ten entrepreneurs to join the next Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (E3) cohort:
Khary DeWitt, Mountaineer Logistics
Daneya Jacobs, Candy Connections
Theo Nix, DWS Drone School
Abena Allen, DNA Foods
Jea Street Jr., NadjNJea
Samar Kargbo, Breathe Clean
Ada Cunningham, Innovative Training Institute
Shawnique Kent, Village Educational Tutors
Hami Mahani, 6AM Run
For the first time, we held an in-person kick-off meeting at CSC Station in downtown Wilmington. Participants from previous cohorts – First State Hood and Duct, Wilminvest, Lazarus Educational Services Inc., and Hx Innovations – joined the meeting to share their E3 experiences.
“It’s easy to start a business. But, how to grow a business? E3 taught us how to do that,” said Joel Amin, co-founder of Wilminvest.
Over the last two months, the entrepreneurs in the NCC cohort participated in a process that analyzes their businesses to identify areas of opportunity for growth, along with recommended solutions to their current challenges. Working with IA Business Advisors and PMG Consulting, each entrepreneur received a comprehensive report on their business that included a detailed action plan. The action plans include a prioritized list of recommended next steps that will help the business grow.
In the coming weeks, the E3 Statewide Committee will meet to determine which entrepreneurs, within this cohort, will be invited to participate in phase two of the E3 process. In phase two, PDFF will provide in-kind grants to support the implementation of the action plans.
The next E3 application cycle will begin on July 18 for entrepreneurs in Sussex County. A virtual informational session will be held on July 7. To register, visit: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_14sdyEfuRraPGPR1oRZYog.