More on the program + Register for Wednesday Feb 23rd Kick-Off!
"E3 Durham is a program designed to help entrepreneurs within the region to equitably start, grow, and scale businesses in the marketplace. The program is built on a foundation of a connected network of direct service providers as well as a variety of entrepreneurial supports including mentors, business coaches, funders, lenders, B2B professionals, government agencies, local corporations, and other champions.
As part of E3 Durham, Forward Cities, along with our partner organizations, will host weekly events called E3 Durham Connects aimed at connecting with and supporting entrepreneurs in our community.
ACROSS AMERICA, ENTREPRENEURS CONTINUE TO FACE DEEPLY LAYERED SYSTEMIC, STRUCTURAL, CULTURAL, AND DEMOGRAPHIC INEQUITIES THAT PREVENT THEM FROM ACCESSING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES.
This is experienced in the form of bias, barriers, and bureaucratic challenges throughout their entrepreneurial journey—dynamics are exacerbated by disconnection from resources and by market volatilities, including the recent and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and inequities in recovery fund distribution. Without new economic growth engines and explicit support strategies, entrepreneurs are at significant economic and social mobility risk.
To address these vital challenges in the Durham community, Forward Cities is supported by the City of Durham and Durham County to partner with trusted local organizations to launch E3 Durham initiative – a program designed to help underserved and interconnected entrepreneurs in the region to equitably start, grow, and scale businesses.
We believe that socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs can be better connected to technical assistance, capital, and business recovery/stimulus resources through a systems change approach prioritizing broader outreach, trusted navigators, culturally rooted community spaces and utilizing technology to scale reach and impact resilience.
To learn more: Send an email to richard@knoxststudios.org