We invest in high potential businesses to create economic freedom for those who need it most.
Our Focus
Engagement
We engage with entrepreneurs, community members, and partners to broaden our network and deepen our connection with the community.
Education
Our education platform provides a strong foundation of business fundamentals that empowers entrepreneurs to stabilize and grow their businesses.
Advising
Our advisory offering is work plan based, with preferred access to an ecosystem of professional services, capital providers, and workforce development partners.
Capital
We take an innovative approach to investing in high potential businesses through tailored funding and hands on support.
Technology
We invest in technology, product development, and data design to aggregate, report, and visualize our impact.
Our Impact
Since 1996, we've worked with thousands of dynamic, small businesses, to generate revenues in excess $1 billion and have created thousands of good jobs.
Click below to review our most recent report and learn more about our impact, the stories of our entrepreneurs, and how we work to create an equitable community.
Our Team
Sean Daniel Murphy
Chief Executive Officer
Ingrid Jacobson
Managing Director, Entrepreneur Services
Dianna Tremblay
Accelerator Manager
Yui Ueno
Finance & Investment Manager
Kot Hordynski
Director of Marketing & Impact
Valérie Bellande
Director of Revenue and Partnerships
Rasheed Mitchell
Investment Associate
Caron Gugssa-Howard
Entrepreneur Services
MBA Fellow
Breanne Martinez
Office & Impact Administrator
Roohi Singh
Development Intern
Claudia Reyes
ICA Intern
Our Board of Directors
Jose Corona
Director of Equity & Strategic Partnerships, City of Oakland
Alberto De Almeida
Executive Officer,
The Body Time
Dennis Green
(Audit Committee Chair)
Principal, Green & Associates
Jim Harris
(Board Co-Chair, Investment Committee Chair)
Chairman & CEO, OluKai
Wil Hobbs
(Board Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair)
SVP/Chief Lending Officer, Community Bank of the Bay
Jim King
President & Founder,
J.P. King Advisors
Darien Louie
Executive Director,
East Bay Economic Development Alliance
Donald Reinke
Managing Partner,
Reed Smith
Jack Russi
(Board Co-Chair)
National Managing Partner of Corporate Development, Deloitte
Our Supporters
Join Us
Our business ecosystem is our strongest asset. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to scale your business, an experienced advisor wanting to share your knowledge, or a professional service provider looking to offer discounted services, we’d love to meet you.
Donate
We believe that communities thrive when every person has access to a good job – one that provides good pay, good benefits, life ladders, and a strong culture.
Over our 20 year history, we have worked with hundreds of companies, who have earned hundreds of millions in revenue, created more than 5,000 jobs, and paid over $650 million in wages.
Your donation helps to fund companies and provide good jobs.