Current Ventures

Meet the people making a difference in our communities

We’ve been running our accelerator programs since 2011, helping nonprofits and small businesses impact thousands of lives. Our entrepreneurs are working to tackle disparities in community economic development, education, food, health, and water.

2024 Impact Accelerator

See a a listing of our 2024 Ventures

2023 Impact Accelerator

Big Shane’s Landscaping and Lawn Care

Big Shane’s Landscaping and Lawn Care

Trevor Monnie and Racquel Hayes McKay

Areas of focus: Water
Community Connection Programs

Community Connection Programs

Jewel Chavis

Areas of focus: Education
EntrepreNOLA

EntrepreNOLA

Janice Meredith

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Fressence

Fressence

Zak Khanboubi

Areas of focus: Food
Gingerbooch

Gingerbooch

Luke Sirinides

Areas of focus: Food
Harvest

Harvest

Brandon Pellerin

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
J&C Marks Enterprise

J&C Marks Enterprise

Jay and Chabry Marks

Areas of focus: Water
Recoup 360

Recoup 360

Jhane Garner

Areas of focus: Health
Kid’s Kingdom Academy

Kid’s Kingdom Academy

Lynette Rivers

Areas of focus: Education
Kingdom Culture

Kingdom Culture

Kisha Brown

Areas of focus: Education
Monarch Learning Academy

Monarch Learning Academy

Kynisha Jackson

Areas of focus: Education
Motivate Wellness Behavioral & Relationship Health Services

Motivate Wellness Behavioral & Relationship Health Services

Ledora Yerks-Birdlow

Areas of focus: Health
Reju Juice

Reju Juice

Kelley Wolfe

Areas of focus: Food
Shop Bayou

Shop Bayou

Sanaa Msemaji

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Small Royalty

Small Royalty

Dionne Phillips

Areas of focus: Education
Universal Printing

Universal Printing

Psytia Fleming Jordan

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Viola’s Heritage Breads

Viola’s Heritage Breads

Carla Briggs

Areas of focus: Food
Wake

Wake

Liz Dunnebacke

Areas of focus: Health
Whimscapes

Whimscapes

Kellye Schroeder and Mariah Theobald

Areas of focus: Water
Whiskey & Sticks

Whiskey & Sticks

Kelder Summers

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development

2022 Impact Accelerator

ALAS

ALAS

Lisa María Rhodes & Yasmin Falcon Morales

Areas of focus: Education
Alliance for Cultural Equity

Alliance for Cultural Equity

Ayo Fayemi-Robinson

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Ceres

Ceres

Rich Simmerman & Branson Morgan

Areas of focus: Food
Delta Builds

Delta Builds

Dr. Dorothy Nairne

Areas of focus: Water
The District E Business Alliance

The District E Business Alliance

Muriel Lewis & Andre Gonzaque

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Element Beverage Company

Element Beverage Company

Keishia Deverney

Areas of focus: Food
Fleur-de-Lis Primary Care Clinic

Fleur-de-Lis Primary Care Clinic

Dr. Courtney Washington

Areas of focus: Health
Flourish Horticulture and Landscapes

Flourish Horticulture and Landscapes

Fabian Harper

Areas of focus: Water
Froot Orleans

Froot Orleans

Romander “Mannie” King

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Garden Picasso

Garden Picasso

Preston Robinson, Jr.

Areas of focus: Water
Gloria’s Garden

Gloria’s Garden

Gloria Ward

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
KD’s NOLA Treats

KD’s NOLA Treats

Kimberly Dejan, Lee Ateman, Isaiah Alcorn, & Cindy Barnes

Areas of focus: Food
Little Steps Learning Center

Little Steps Learning Center

Lakisha Mcleod & Aronisha Mickell

Areas of focus: Education
Phoenix Project NOLA

Phoenix Project NOLA

Erin Teresa Marrero-Savoie

Areas of focus: Health
Sankofa CDC

Sankofa CDC

Naish Williams, Ronni Johnson, & Rashida Ferdinand

Areas of focus: Water
Soule Cafe

Soule Cafe

Kina Bullock

Areas of focus: Food
The Breath is Life Spa

The Breath is Life Spa

Julie Menhati Singleton

Areas of focus: Health
Yoro

Yoro

Robert Haynes & Michael Olaiya

Areas of focus: Food

2021 Impact Accelerator Ventures

2 B Chic Boutique and Glam Parlor

2 B Chic Boutique and Glam Parlor

Brandy Armstrong

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
The Collaborative Community Initiative

The Collaborative Community Initiative

Michelle Nixon Stanton, Jessica Jenkins, Shana Hartmann

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Eden Project

Eden Project

Joy Okoro, Charles Aponza

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
JB Holton & Associates

JB Holton & Associates

Joel B. Holton

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Be Loud Studios

Be Loud Studios

Alex Owens, Diana Turner

Areas of focus: Education
Ngombo Cafe and Sanctuary

Ngombo Cafe and Sanctuary

jackie sumell, Jerome Morgan, Christin Wagner, Robert Jones

Areas of focus: Education
Reunion Shoe Company

Reunion Shoe Company

Dan Fowler

Areas of focus: Education
Turning Tables

Turning Tables

Toure Folkes

Areas of focus: Education
Daydream Koffucha

Daydream Koffucha

Dalton Honore

Areas of focus: Food
Soba Hibiscus

Soba Hibiscus

Firdaws Ashiru, Vondero Weir

Areas of focus: Food
Hotties Tamales

Hotties Tamales

Dior Ellis

Areas of focus: Food
CORE Louisiana Counseling & Recovery Center

CORE Louisiana Counseling & Recovery Center

Nicole Goldin

Areas of focus: Health
New Orleans Skate School

New Orleans Skate School

Bobby Bonsey and Louise Neal

Areas of focus: Health
VIVIFY

VIVIFY

Latrina Woods

Areas of focus: Health
We Lift LLC

We Lift LLC

Irell T. Warren Jr

Areas of focus: Health
Glass Half Full

Glass Half Full

Franziska Trautmann

Areas of focus: Water
Kost

Kost

Keith Marrero

Areas of focus: Water
Nature Study Project

Nature Study Project

Gerard Perrone

Areas of focus: Water
Urbanscapes Design+Build

Urbanscapes Design+Build

John Coyle

Areas of focus: Water

2020 Impact Accelerator Ventures

Addis NOLA

Addis NOLA

Dr. Biruk Alemayehu, Jamie Lobo, Prince Lobo

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Billiot Development

Billiot Development

Michael Billiot

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Community Book Center

Community Book Center

Vera Warren Williams

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
El Centro

El Centro

Lindsey Navarro

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Cipher 360

Cipher 360

Kristyna Jones and Larry Irvin

Areas of focus: Education
Electric Girls

Electric Girls

Jillian Sandoval

Areas of focus: Education
WhereWeGo

WhereWeGo

Leah Lykins and Ben Ifshin

Areas of focus: Education
Diva Dawg

Diva Dawg

Ericka Lassair

Areas of focus: Food
FOWLMOUTH

FOWLMOUTH

Ozzie Mendoza

Areas of focus: Food
Grey Bird Baking Co.

Grey Bird Baking Co.

Taylor Moore

Areas of focus: Food
Mandela Burger

Mandela Burger

Ogban Okpo, April Okpo

Areas of focus: Food
Blossoming Minds Health Center & Family Services

Blossoming Minds Health Center & Family Services

Ebony Evans

Areas of focus: Health
Magnolia Yoga Studio

Magnolia Yoga Studio

Adrianne “Ajax” Jackson

Areas of focus: Health
Re-entry Mediation Institute of Louisiana

Re-entry Mediation Institute of Louisiana

Sr. Alison McCrary, Jack Ward, Julie Griff, Ian Honore'

Areas of focus: Health
Uptown Benefits

Uptown Benefits

Casey Urschel

Areas of focus: Health
Glory Gardens

Glory Gardens

Rianda “Reedy” Brooks

Areas of focus: Water
Grounds Krewe

Grounds Krewe

Brett Davis

Areas of focus: Water
Home by Hand

Home by Hand

Oji Alexander

Areas of focus: Water

2019 Impact Accelerator Ventures

Artist Journey Allen Gallery Studio

Artist Journey Allen Gallery Studio

Journey Allen

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Ascent Blends

Ascent Blends

Domonique “Dinero” Meyers

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Beaucoup Eats

Beaucoup Eats

Lakesha Reed

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Brighter Horizons Construction

Brighter Horizons Construction

Charles Aponza

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Connect2Black

Connect2Black

Lawrence Martin

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
Crazy Waffle Bar

Crazy Waffle Bar

Sinnidra Taylor

Areas of focus: Community Economic Development
ALAS

ALAS

Lisa Maria Rhodes

Areas of focus: Education
Excellent Readers

Excellent Readers

Dwann Wagner

Areas of focus: Education
Early Partners

Early Partners

Kim Frusciante

Areas of focus: Education
Legacy Leadership Academy for Girls

Legacy Leadership Academy for Girls

Ronicka Briscoe

Areas of focus: Education
Navigate NOLA

Navigate NOLA

Dr. Danielle K. Wright

Areas of focus: Education
STEM Library Lab

STEM Library Lab

Todd Wackerman, Sarah Sievert

Areas of focus: Education
Cajun Fire Brewing

Cajun Fire Brewing

Jon Renthrope

Areas of focus: Food
NO Hunger NOLA

NO Hunger NOLA

Alyssa Hernandez

Areas of focus: Food
Piety and Desire Chocolate

Piety and Desire Chocolate

Christopher Nobles

Areas of focus: Food
Provost Farm

Provost Farm

June Provost, Angie Provost

Areas of focus: Food
Schmelly’s Dirt Farm

Schmelly’s Dirt Farm

Susan Sakash & Nicola Krebill

Areas of focus: Food
Vaucresson’s Sausage Company

Vaucresson’s Sausage Company

Vance Vaucresson

Areas of focus: Food
Broadmoor Wellness Initiative

Broadmoor Wellness Initiative

Bethanie Mangigian, LMSW

Areas of focus: Health
Domango Training

Domango Training

Shanda Domango Brown

Areas of focus: Health
I-STARRT

I-STARRT

Sonita Singh

Areas of focus: Health
Integrative Spine Care & Wellness

Integrative Spine Care & Wellness

Dr. Rueben Carter

Areas of focus: Health
Jai Bhakti Yoga Foundation

Jai Bhakti Yoga Foundation

Christina Andrini

Areas of focus: Health
Mother Wit Maternity & Consulting Services

Mother Wit Maternity & Consulting Services

Tanya Tringali

Areas of focus: Health
Cicada Radio

Cicada Radio

Asher Griffith

Areas of focus: Water
Delta Flora Native Plants

Delta Flora Native Plants

Lees Hopkins

Areas of focus: Water
Gravel Road Builders and Construction Services

Gravel Road Builders and Construction Services

Travis Banks

Areas of focus: Water
Louisiana Land Art

Louisiana Land Art

Parker Davies

Areas of focus: Water
The Solutions Journal

The Solutions Journal

Dr. Beth Caniglia

Areas of focus: Water
Sponge City

Sponge City

Jenny Wolff & Joanna Farley

Areas of focus: Water

Ventures Archive