Emerging Young Entrepreneurs Program

The Emerging Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) Program is a year-long program created to support Gen Z and millennial minority entrepreneurs between the ages of 19-35.

About the EYE Program

The EYE program is uniquely designed to provide the next generation of minority entrepreneur participants ages 19-35 with support to enhance their growing business. Business owners will receive guidance from corporate sponsors, MBEs, and additional stakeholders. EYE will utilize an interactive curriculum that includes development sessions, practical applications, corporate mentors, and best practices to implement in your business immediately. Participants are provided with the skills, tools, and strategies to start or grow their innovative businesses.

Key Objectives

This program examines proven best practices to address common entrepreneurial issues Gen Z and millennials face in the context of today’s business environment with the following objectives:

Learn five key methods of operating a successful business.

Develop strategies to anticipate organizational needs and execute innovative responses.

Receive professional development and access to top business leaders and corporate executives.

Understand supply chain processes and the benefits of developing those relationships.

Obtain the industry’s gold standard business certification for minority companies.

Program Criteria

Ages 19-35 (as of the application deadline).
United States citizen.
Must be at least 51% minority-owned, managed, and controlled.
Must be a for-profit enterprise and physically located in the U. S. or its territories.
Management and daily operations must be exercised by the minority ownership member(s).
Ownership, in the case of a publicly owned business, means that at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more minority group members.

Program Expectations

Miss no more than 4 live development sessions.

Apply for NMSDC MBE certification by June 1, 2025.

Participation in the video pitch competition.

Attend the NMSDC National Conference.

Meet with your Mentor at least once per month.

Complete all assessments and surveys.

Apply to the EYE Program Today

The application period for the 2025 cohort has ended. If you’re interested in joining the next cohort, please submit an interest form.

2026 application deadline

TBD

Program Highlights

As part of the EYE program, participants hone their pitch to investors for a chance to showcase their company at the NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange. The winners of the 2023 pitch competition include:

First Place: Wendy Roundtree, Jarel Communications
Second Place: Anna Cobb, Rejuvenation
Third Place: Subena Colligan, EHS Transformation Consultants

Young entrepreneurs like these represent the kind of emerging leaders needed to maintain a strong and resilient U.S. economy.

“Since beginning this program, I have begun working on a distribution center in Cleveland. This will provide jobs in a community that I love and eliminate the middleman in my business and increase my margins by at least 30%. It has been a dream, but it is now becoming a reality to me.”

Pheobe Lee

President

VDP Safety & Uniforms

“Every instructor during the NMSDC EYE program has been a positive influence for Uncharted Territory Solutions. As you know knowledge is a key component to launching and scaling a business and we couldn’t have picked a better program. EYE strategically placed us with key mentors to help grow our business. With their help I was able to re-strategize my brand and learn key lessons to help scale my business. I am proud to say since joining the EYE program we have added on five corporate and governmental clients. Me and my cohort members are thankful for the opportunity, from the corporate mentors to the conference sponsorship; it all made a difference. I would highly recommend this program and I look forward to encouraging and supporting the next cohort.”

Dr. William Hill, DNP

CEO

Uncharted Territory

Meet the 2024 Emerging Young Leaders Cohort

These talented individuals make up the ninth cohort of the NMSDC EYE program, which is the largest to date. This year’s Emerging Young Entrepreneurs are: