Looking to build a business that can change the world?

Agora’s Accelerator is an intensive, 6-month program designed to give ambitious small businesses entrepreneurs access to the social, human, and financial needed to accelerate their growth.

We call Accelerator participants Agora Entrepreneurs because they embody the essential mission of Agora Partnerships: to use business as a force for good.

As entrepreneurs ourselves we’ve designed the Accelerator from the bottom up to give busy entrepreneurs exactly the right kind of help and network. We pride ourselves on understanding exactly what investors want and helping to build common understanding among entrepreneurs and investors.

Entrepreneurs in the program get access to human, social, and financial capital.

Human Capital

Mentors, one on one consulting, MBA consulting teams, seminars and support on:

• Leadership
• Sustainability
• Social media
• Export and international growth
• Website design and improvement
• Effective use of technology
• Financial and cash flow management
• Strategic marketing
• Legal advice and negotiations workshops

Social Capital

If you are an entrepreneur with a grand vision of creating a truly great company that is committed to sustainability and solving social problems you may feel alone. But you are not. The Agora community and our global networks of hundreds of supporters, investors, mentors and volunteers provide social capital that makes it easier to connect with the right people to make your company succeed.

Financial Capital

As impact investors ourselves, we understand the kind of information investors will ask and work to help companies be prepared for the inevitable due diligence questions.

Our work, based on an investor perspective, includes:

• Deal structuring
• Visioning
• Financial management
• Corporate governance
• Performance management
• Pitch practice
• Social and environmental impact measurement through GIIRS and Agora’s stakeholder alignment approach
• Development of effective management teams
• Education on investor requirements to attract financing

We have an extensive impact investor network that ranges from angel investors to local and global funds seeking a vast array of different social/financial return profiles.

Joining the Accelerator

What We Look For

The Agora Accelerator is ideal for small and growing businesses with revenues between $50K and $2M.

• Must be led by an impact entrepreneur
• Must be able to articulate social impact
• Must be seeking capital to grow

Admission to the Accelerator program is extremely competitive. We select the highest-potential impact entrepreneurs who have both the commitment and the ability to make a decisive difference through the growth and success of their businesses.

Eligibility & Selection Details

Cost

The cost of the program to participating companies is US$2,000 (includes GIIRS/CSR rating) and scholarships are available for smaller companies. Agora offers this substantially discounted rate thanks to its funders in order to make the program accessible to small businesses. In addition, as a contribution to the Accelerator and so other entrepreneurs may benefit, Agora charges a success fee to companies able to attract capital through the program.

Apply

If you are an impact entrepreneur in Central America or Mexico and meet the criteria to participate in the Accelerator program, we invite you to apply for the second class.

The application deadline for the second Accelerator class is October 15th, 2011.  For details more details on the application process and additional key dates, please see Search & Selection.

*Applications Review is an ongoing process