EY Entrepreneurs Access Network Welcomes its Fourth Cohort of Transformative Entrepreneurs

36 entrepreneurs from across the nation selected for EY US's 12-month business accelerator to support scaling businesses

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that 36 Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs from seven industry segments were selected for the 2024 EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN).

EAN is a 12-month business accelerator program for Black and Hispanic/Latino CEOs and founders. Participants access assessments, one-on-one coaching, a customized curriculum designed for entrepreneurs, online tools and access to an incredible established entrepreneur ecosystem that helps them to accelerate their businesses. Business leaders are selected based on their leadership skills and business acumen as well as their company's culture, level of innovation and potential for scalability.

Entrepreneurs of color are a critical economic force, operating more than 8 million businesses and generating $1.4 trillion in revenue¹ ? yet barriers such as lack of access to capital and networks continue to exist. The EAN program aims to close these and other gaps for diverse-owned founders and entrepreneurs. Since its inception, the program has helped align participants to capital, customers and other connections. 

"EY has cultivated a fantastic entrepreneurial ecosystem, and we are delighted to connect the 2024 cohort to that community and offer our advice and support," said Lee Henderson, Americas EY Private Leader and Executive Sponsor of EAN. "It's inspiring to see the strides members of our EAN community make through their time in the program ? from building connections that have led to major contracts and funding, to friendships that have turned into pivotal business partnerships. These business leaders are sure to broaden the already significant impact they make in their communities, to our overall economy, and society at large."

A survey of EAN's 2024 cohort members shared their top concerns and priorities. Adaptability to changing markets, customer retention and lack of access to capital emerged as top concerns. Key focus areas for 2024 included scaling, capital raising and digital/AI transformation. The program leverages decades of EY US's experience working with diverse entrepreneurs to understand their opportunities and challenges and how to address them.

"The sky's the limit for our EAN cohort members. When these terrifically talented entrepreneurs are connected to coaching, curriculum, community and capital alignment, they take their businesses to the next level," said Nit Reeder, EY Americas Markets Communications and Enablement Leader and EY Entrepreneurs Access Network Program Director. "We can't wait to support the 2024 cohort as they grow and keep adding to the over $1 trillion in revenue that entrepreneurs of color contribute to the US economy."

The 2024 cohort includes 36 individuals across 29 businesses who lead companies spanning technology, health care, retail, finance and more. From developing products to help make parenting easier, to simplifying energy efficiency opportunities for under-represented communities, to technology consulting, the 2024 cohort members are addressing a wide range of challenges and needs.

For more information about the program, please visit ey.com/EAN. You can learn more about this year's cohort members by visiting ean-directory.ey.com and searching by cohort year as well as industry and geography.

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¹ U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, accessed Jan. 10, 2024,  sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=B68640C8-7C88-4BF3-88F4-B13311D935D7 

SOURCE EY