NEW ORLEANS – The Idea Village is accepting applications for its Fall 2024 IDEAfuel accelerator program through Friday, Aug. 2. The program, supported by Regions Foundation, is a venture accelerator that supports select startups founded by Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) with non-dilutive capital, one-on-one mentorship, exclusive business resources, and more to help their startups succeed and scale.
Launched in 2021, IDEAfuel was founded to continue The Idea Village mission of uplifting and supporting BIPOC founders across the region. The goal of IDEAfuel is to address the significant shortage of support and capital for BIPOC-founded startups.
IDEAfuel is open to alumni of The Idea Village’s early-stage accelerator, IDEAinstitute, or to founders who commit to participating in IDEAinstitute after being accepted into the program. Each IDEAfuel company will receive $15k in non-dilutive funding during their cohort. Applicant steps include:
“Participating in the accelerator program not only provided us with invaluable mentorship and resources,” said Hot Seats founder and IDEAfuel alumnus Eddie Davis, via press statement. “This support has significantly accelerated our growth and helped us refine our business strategy. We are immensely grateful for the opportunities and connections we’ve gained through Idea Village,“ he said.
The Idea Village’s core belief is that entrepreneurship is an agent of social and economic change. As an early champion of entrepreneurship in New Orleans, the organization has played an integral role in catalyzing the city’s entrepreneurial movement. In addition to supporting over 18,000 entrepreneurs, The Idea Village has successfully elevated New Orleans’ reputation as a hub of innovation, entrepreneurship, and business. By serving as a catalyst and developing programs that provide direct support and education to founders and early-stage companies, The Idea Village helps entrepreneurs build innovative and industry-leading companies that generate revenue and jobs and help create a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient local economy. For more information, click here.
