ICA continued to expand key aspects of the Accelerator program in 2019. We introduced a series of small business education events to serve more companies outside of the main Accelerator cohorts. We also launched the first-ever ICA Accelerator Pitch Events, allowing entrepreneurs to pitch their businesses in front of a live audience.

The Pitch Events get to the heart of the ICA Accelerator – opening doors to connection, capital, and community. When an entrepreneur steps on stage, it’s more than just a pitch. That brief time represents the culmination of their work in the Accelerator and showcases the hard work they’ve put into growing a successful business. The events are a true celebration of the entrepreneurs’ work, courage, and accomplishments.

ICA’s mission is to accelerate great businesses. Facing the COVID-19 crisis, however, we knew that our first job was to help small businesses survive and stabilize, and then provide them the runway to adapt to the new reality. On March 20, ICA launched our Rapid Response Liquidity Fund to address the immediate and urgent cash needs of our businesses.

ICA’s investors and funders, new and enduring, answered our call to help us provide what businesses needed most: 0%-interest loans with near-immediate working capital and responsive, virtual crisis support. Thanks to the incredible support from our community of donors, to date ICA has deployed $840,000 to 21 companies from throughout the Bay Area. Nearly 90% of these companies are led by entrepreneurs of color, including 45% Black entrepreneurs; 75% are led by women entrepreneurs. They collectively represent more than 120 jobs and generate nearly $12 million in revenues.