Where Creatives Find [2023 Applications OPEN] Direction & Speed Cohort Based | Mentor Focused | High Impact Apply Here
Velocity
[Application Deadline is June 14th]
Turn your creative passion into a thriving business

Hit the gas on your startup! 

The Velocity business accelerator helps entrepreneurs develop viable businesses rooted in creativity. This 10-week, cohort-based program includes a robust curriculum (with in-person and remote options), skilled facilitators, and a customized mentor team of subject matter experts from every business discipline. Master business basics, solidify your positioning, and refine your pitch for a chance to win a portion of $20K in seed stage grants. This year, we will also have the honor to award the Wells Fargo Emerging Woman Entrepreneur Award!

Our program focuses on these 5 creative industries:  

  • Apparel,  Fashion, & Design
  • Content Creators, Digital Tools and Media
  • Creative Health Tech, Beauty and Wellness
  • Arts & Entertainment Industry
  • Culinary and Food Innovation

FREE to apply, applications are now open and program scholarships are available for female founders and BIPOC entrepreneurs. The fee to participate is $1125 and covers: materials, workshops, mentor access, meals, tech, & accommodations!

Got Questions? Join one of our Help Desk sessions. We are happy to help! Just click on a date below to sign up and receive the Zoom link. Join online at 12:30pm for a 15 minute presentation or hop on at 12:45pm when the CCE Team answers questions live from 12:45pm-1:30pm.

Wed. May 3rd  |  Wed. May 17th  |   Wed. June 6th  |  Tues. June 13th

 

2023 Application Deadline June14th

Agenda
[The Velocity Timeline]
You could call it The Roadmap to Success

The virtual and in-person accelerator begins onboarding August 29th, with a robust curriculum and 24 modules that are organized around the themes, “Think, Create, Tell, Sell, and Run.”

Up to 10 teams are selected to intensely focus on their business.

CCE hosts Velocity Kick-Off Weekend in Winston Salem, NC, September 7-9th for cohort members to begin workshops, meet mentors and build their network prior to the intensive. 

The accelerator ends with Velocity Week, October 30th-November 3rd, working on-site to refine your business models and gearing up for Demo Day – an opportunity to pitch to investors!

***In person gatherings will be dependent on the current COVID-19 policies at the time of the accelerator. CCE follows the State of NC and CDC guidelines. Residential components of the program will be changed to online delivery as needed.

Week 1: Cohort Onboarding

It all begins!

Week 2: Kick Off Weekend

Get to know your fellow cohort members and mentors!

Week 3: Think

Customer Experience, Value Chain & Teamwork

Week 4: Create

Creative Mindset & Innovation Process

Week 5: Create

Development & Process Map

Week 6: Tell

Customer Profile, Positioning & Messaging

Week 7: Sell

Marketing Materials & Story

Week 8: Run

Leadership

Week 9: Run

Sales Cycle, Sales Force, Budget & Fund Raising

Week 10: Velocity Week

Join the entire cohort and mentors back in Winston-Salem for investor pitches and Demo Day
Mentors
[24 Modules]
Business Skill Development

 The online accelerator begins August 29th, with a robust curriculum with 24 modules that are organized around the themes, “Think, Create, Tell, Sell and Run.”

Up to 10 teams are selected to intensively focus on their business.

Think
Understand and analyze your market and industry.
Create
Define and develop your product and create a plan to go to market.
Tell
Develop your story, messaging, and marketing materials to position your product in the market.
Run
Understand how you will make revenue and make sure it makes sense for your business.
Demo Night
Win Up To $20k Seed Grants

Velocity will take place at 500 W. 5th St., 3rd Floor in Winston-Salem, NC.

Funding
[Seed Stage Grants]
Winners Split

Velocity Week includes a public Demo Day with interactive community feedback and a Pitch Competition where two are teams are chosen for the top grant awards- $10K for the 2023 Velocity Winner and $10k for the Wells Fargo Emerging Woman Entrepreneur Award. 

Sponsors
[Sponsors & Partners]
Powered by

Velocity’s content and events are powered by CCE and these generous sponsors and partners.

They Say
[Testimonials]
What do attendees say?

Velocity brings together a great curriculum, industry expertise, and mentors to develop the best version of your business and get traction in the market.

FELOH
For me and FELOH, Velocity was a catalyst! This accelerator helped me quit my job and recommit, full-time, to my passions!
Camille Heard

Camille Heard

[Accelerator Alum]
Imagine.io, formerly Live Furnish
Velocity introduced us to mentors and investors which resulted in our first round of angel funding. Velocity stands out as one of the few accelerators building a community of entrepreneurs.
Preet Singh

Preet Singh

[Accelerator Alum]
Jenni Earle
Always a person with ideas and a will to create, the Accelerator was the foundation for me to build a successful creative business. I now live the life I only dreamed about before.
Jenni Earle Hopkins

Jenni Earle Hopkins

[Accelerator Alum]
My Relief Wear
CCE empowers creative entrepreneurs by giving us a chance, and I appreciate CCE for allowing me to have a chance [to succeed].
Mary McElya

Mary McElya

[Accelerator Alum]
80
Creative Businesses Launched
80%
Are Still In Business And Thriving
$14.37mm
Million In Revenue Earned By Cohorts
$20.9mm
In Investments Raised by cohorts
News
[Our Blog]
What's New?

Stay up to date with news about Velocity, cohort members, and other resources.