VentureHue Access Lab is a program created to provide support to underserved, overlooked, and diverse entrepreneurs who have a limited network and lack of access to capital. The program is a 6-week (virtual, equity free) capital readiness accelerator designed to help entrepreneurs improve their knowledge of raising capital and gaining traction, expand their network, and make connections that will result in them obtaining the funding needed to scale their businesses. 

Program Curriculum

Our program curriculum is designed to educate entrepreneurs how to best position their business to raise capital. Here’s a short breakdown:

• Know What Funders Want – We’ll take a deep dive into key factors that funders (of all types) pay attention to determine if a company is worthy of investment. This includes how to get capital ready and gain traction to improve your access to capital.
• Understanding the Capital Structure (aka the Capital Stack) – We’ll cover the types of capital available at all stages of business development, when they should be used, how to qualify for them, and examples of how they should be used once acquired.
• Grants and Microloans – We’ll discuss different types of grants and microloan options, how to find them, and how to increase your chances of getting approved for this type of financing.
• Traditional Bank Loans & Alternative Lending Marketplaces – A representative from Comerica Bank will discuss business funding programs offered by them and we’ll also discuss alternative lending marketplaces you can utilize when you don’t qualify for bank financing.
• Building Your Business Credit & Export-Import Financing – We’ll discuss unsecured business line of credit funding, how it works, how to build business credit ,and how you can secure capital through these programs even if you have few other options. We’ll also discuss import/export financing and how to use this funding to scale your business into African countries.
• Connecting to Investors & Scaling Your Business Into Africa – We’ll discuss the programs and resources available to help you connect with and raise capital from U.S. based investors and scale your business into African countries.

Program Eligibility

We are highly selective and seek the most competent, determined, persistent, and dedicated entrepreneurs seeking funding. Ideally, the entrepreneurs/businesses that should apply for this program have not raised more than $150,000 in outside capital and/or generate less than $150,000 in annual revenue and fall into (one or more of) the following categories:

• Business Registered in the U.S. (If your business isn’t registered, we tell you how to get it setup)
• High Growth Tech, Tech-Enabled, and Traditional Businesses (Special emphasis on companies that can import and export products in Africa and the Caribbean)
• Very Small Business Owners (w/ less than 10 employees)
• Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Founders & Owners
• African and Caribbean Immigrants in the United States
• Africans Living on the Continent Who Want Sell Products in the United States
• Black Americans and Descendants of Enslaved Africans/African Americans
• Hispanic/Latinx, LGBTQIA+, Veterans, Persons with Disabilities, Women, Indigenous, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, etc.
• Live in cities designated by the federal government as “low-to-moderate income areas”

Preferred Industries

• Enterprise and Consumer Software
• Digital Technology
• Health Systems
• Clean Energy
• Climate Smart Solutions
• Food Security
• Manufacturing
• Natural Resources
• Agriculture (Agribusiness and Agritech)
• Real Estate
• Life Sciences and Medical Devices
• Engineering, Design, and Development
• CPG & Consumer Brands (with an e-commerce presence)

Program Benefits

In this program you will:

• Learn what is required to secure various types of capital (debt, equity, and grants).
• Join our community and grow your network by connecting with investors, ecosystem builders, and mentors.
• Get help with fundraising and be considered for future funding opportunities from VentureHue.
• Participants that successfully complete the program will get 6 one-on-one sessions with the class instructor to further assist them in their fundraising efforts.

How This is Different from Other Accelerators

Other accelerators may focus on product development or customer discovery (it varies). We focus on how to better position and prepare your business to raise capital and get more customers. We help you understand where you need to be and what you need to do to get there to meet your capital raising goals. We also help you understand what marketing strategies you can use to get traction (i.e. more users/customers for your products). We don’t want to just help you raise capital, we want you to understand how to use it to increase your revenue.

Important Dates

• We are now accepting applications for cohort 2 on a rolling basis.
• The next cohort will be launched in fall 2025 or early winter 2026.

Information Sessions

We hosted live information sessions during the month of February for the Spring 2024 live cohort. We have created a pre-recorded session for interested parties who couldn’t attend the live sessions. You can click here to watch the pre-recorded information session.

 

GO HERE TO APPLY TO VENTUREHUE ACCESS LAB

GO HERE TO WATCH THE LIVE INFORMATION SESSION

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is capital guaranteed for entrepreneurs who participate in the accelerator?

Capital from sources outside of VentureHue is not guaranteed (we can’t legally guarantee it). However, you will receive invaluable information and connections to industry experts, as well as the possibility of financial awards in the near future for entrepreneurs who perform the best. In the near future we will also provide non-dilutive cash grants.

Does my company need to be located in a specific area?

No, this is a global program. However entrepreneurs who live in cities designated by the federal government as “low-to-moderate income areas” are given priority. (It is preferred that these cities be located in Michigan, Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, and Colorado, however other low-to-moderate income areas may still apply). We also accept applicants from East and West African nations, however, you are required to have a plan for selling your product in the United States.

What type of companies are you looking for?

We are looking for economically and socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs and very small businesses with less than 10 employees. Annual company revenue should be less than $150,000 and you can’t have raised more than $150k from outside lenders or investors. We prefer technology driven businesses that have an interest in scaling their business into Africa (or into the United States if located in Africa). (See the full list of preferred industries above).

Do I need to move if I am selected?

No. However, there may be more funding opportunities available to you if you are willing to move to our headquarters in Detroit, Michigan.

What are the core expectations?

Attendance to all six virtual class sessions is mandatory. Engaged participation in all sessions is also required. We also expect participants to utilize all one-on-one sessions with the class instructor, coaches, and mentors to assist them in their fundraising and marketing efforts. Participants who don’t attend all class sessions will not be eligible to receive non-dilutive cash grants or one-on-one sessions after the class is complete. We expect program participants to remain engaged as an alum. 

 

The Spring 2024 (Inaugural) Cohort for VentureHue Access Lab was sponsored by Comerica Bank (Comerica Charitable Foundation) in partnership with the Global African Business Association.