Art Up, and She-E-O unlimited are helping African refugees in the Binghampton area with their small business ideas in a 4-week program that offers a grand prize.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Art Up was founded by Linda Steele in 2017. Art Up is a business idea incubator. They provide a curriculum, coaching, and startup capital for entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities. This year’s incubator is based in Binghampton and the participants are from various countries in Africa. The corporate sponsor for this program is Cummins, Inc., who provided a CARE (Cummins Advocating Racial Equity) grant to the nonprofit.
The 4- week program is designed to accelerate the small business ideas of the participants. The areas in which this program helps them are marketing, branding, design, legal, and financial.
Nicole Gates, founder of She-E-O Unlimited, and managing partner of Art Up, has been working with the group more in depth with their business concepts, and offering knowledge on what it takes to create and maintain a successful business.
At the end of the program, the first place winner will receive $10,000 dollars and 10 hours of professional services, and the second place winner will receive 5,000 dollars. However, each Fellow receives an $180 stipend for the 4-week program.