Program Updates
Inner City Capital Connections
Celebrating 20 Years of Impact!
Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC), launched in 2005 with a founding grant from Bank of America, helps established small and midsize businesses in under-resourced communities access growth capital. Grounded in the belief that growing local businesses creates wealth and jobs, ICCC equips entrepreneurs with actionable insights, connections, and coaching to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.
Since inception, ICCC has held more than 160 cohorts and served more than 7,700 businesses from communities across North America. Through in-person and virtual seminars, digital learning modules, and individual coaching, our self-paced 40-hour “mini-MBA” allows entrepreneurs to customize a curriculum to fit their business’s specific needs.
In 2025, ICCC embraced innovation with AI-driven curriculum for marketing, data, and operations; a redesigned digital platform with real-time tracking; and specialized learning paths for capital access and procurement readiness. The program hosted 11 cohorts across the United States, including specialized cohorts like the virtual Latinx cohort, conducted entirely in Spanish, a cohort designed to support veteran-owned businesses, and the supplier-focused cohort sponsored by Amazon and Arctaris Impact Investors for diverse-owned and small businesses in Tennessee and Alabama.
ICCC also works closely with ICIC’s Alumni Network (ICAN) to provide opportunities for continuing education and networking to every business that has taken advantage of our program. Through initiatives like the Government Contracting and Corporate Procurement training and the Digital Sales Optimization program, ICCC ensures alumni have ongoing resources to innovate and grow long after they complete the program.
Cohort Spotlight: Amazon Accelerate and Empower
For the second year, ICIC partnered with Amazon and Arctaris Impact Investors to deliver the Amazon Accelerate and Empower Program. Focused on the Delta region, the 2025 cohort united 44 small businesses from 14 industries and five states for an intensive 10-week experience grounded in ICCC’s curriculum with supplier-focused content. The program culminated in a November capstone at Miles College in Alabama, where graduates showcased growth strategies and procurement readiness through pitches to Amazon, Arctaris, Regions Bank, and community partners.
Program Director
Diego Portillo Mazal drives ICCC’s success by leading cohort strategy, optimizing recruitment, and fostering strong relationships with small business owners to maximize program impact nationwide.
IMPACT SNAPSHOT: Inner City Capital Connections
Program Achievements Since 2005
Key Outcome
7,772
Businesses equipped with cutting-edge tools and strategies to modernize their operations, enhance their market positioning, and scale sustainably.
ICCC participants have generated measurable economic impact through capital raised, revenue growth, and job creation.
$2.6B
Total capital raised
174%
Average revenue growth
29.2K
Jobs created
Alumni Spotlight
Innovation is the ability to adapt and evolve in response to challenges and opportunities. It’s about developing new tools and technologies that not only foster our growth but also serve our customers effectively. ICCC helped me refine my business strategy and identify creative approaches that drive long-term success.”
DR. PAMELA NELSON, CEO
Plano, Texas
We’ve had to be nimble and creative to keep up with the times. Innovation isn’t just important; it’s how we’ve stayed in business all these years. Through ICCC, I learned practical strategies in finance, marketing, and scaling—knowledge that’s essential when you’re growing and wearing a hundred hats.”
WILHEMINA GIBSON, Executive Director
The Gibson School of Music & Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
