Entrepreneurs Access Network
Entrepreneurs aren't determined by race. Their potential shouldn't be either. Entrepreneurs Access Network teams with Black and Latinx founders to transcend barriers and scale their businesses.
Minority-owned companies contribute greatly to the US economy (4.7 million jobs) and capital market ($700b annual revenue). But many Black and Latinx businesses cannot reach their full potential due to barriers that make funding, capital and connections difficult to attain. As an expansion of our current programs that help entrepreneurs succeed (34 years of Entrepreneur Of The Year®; 12 years Entrepreneurial Winning Women™), EY has developed the Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN) to help Black and Latinx companies bridge the disparity gap and achieve new heights.
In 2016, 1% of venture capital dollars went to Black and Latinx founders and that number has not swayed much to date. VCs are missing out on a trillion-dollar opportunity*. Considering minority businesses produced approximately US$700b revenue in 2019, supporting these underserved entrepreneurs is a must to enrich and strengthen our economy and our communities.
EAN is a business accelerator program, as well as an always-on learning community. It leverages EY tools, services, events, and professionals to help companies scale and grow by complementing their current leadership activities. EAN utilizes an immersive platform built on three foundational pillars — business community ecovillage for networking, curated growth drivers to scale, and an expansive capital network for funding. EAN will team with a web of like-minded companies and organizations dedicated to making sure Black and Latinx founders achieve sustained success.
There are two program paths to broaden the reach — a curated,* class-based learning program and an on-demand, self-instructional educational component. *Flexibility on criteria will be based on the scalability of the company.
The greatest equalizer of wealth disparity is business ownership
On average, minority business owners have a median net worth 12 times higher than those who do not own businesses.
Without equitable access, the future of many Black and Latinx-owned businesses and millions of jobs hangs in the balance. If action isn't taken, the overall impact will be significant. These companies won't scale — thus reducing their potential to employ others and to create wealth and prosperity for the founders and their communities.
Discover the unstoppable entrepreneurs who find ways to create a better world
Meet the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2020 regional award winners.
EY’s commitment to anti-racism in the US
Systemic racism, discrimination and injustice is a human rights crisis. We vow to be a voice and force for change.
