The 2nd Annual HERImpact Women's Entrepreneurship Summit to take place on November 11

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 2 November 2022

The Ford Motor Company Fund, the worldwide charitable arm of the Ford Motor Company, and 1863 Ventures have been supporting the nationwide programme HERImpact since 2018. Its goal is to support social entrepreneurs in accelerating their enterprises to increase their impact and long-term sustainability.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City will host the HERImpact Kansas City Entrepreneurship Summit on Friday, November 11, from 10 AM to 5 PM. The event is free and open to the public. The summit offers an opportunity to engage with up-and-coming founders and learn about the principles of creating a business and funding, among other workshop subjects. It draws various leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across the region.

The knowledge of what it means to be a social entrepreneur and how to scale one's business will be improved for the participants. 

Yisel Cabrera, senior manager of economic mobility at Ford Motor Company Fund, stated that entrepreneurs and small business owners are the heartbeat of our communities.  "But for too long, systemic barriers to financial resources and investments have prevented women, under-represented and under-resourced founders from starting and growing small businesses. Through our partnership with HERImpact, Ford Fund has the opportunity to expand the resources necessary to increase the amount of women owned businesses and women founders across Kansas City and beyond."

The HERImpact Kansas City Entrepreneurship Summit is a day of empowerment packed with resources for company development, technical support, and mentoring to inspire entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners to grow and benefit their communities. After the summit in November, women social entrepreneurs can compete for cash awards at the HERImpact Kansas City Pitch Competition in early 2023.

Entrepreneurship is becoming a more practical means to accumulate wealth, according to Melissa Bradley, 1863 Ventures' founder and managing partner. More new business applications have been submitted in the last two years than in the previous fifteen. Black people made up 11% of new business owners in 2021, up from 3% in recent years. Women made up 49% of the population, yet there are still barriers to overcome, and men still outweigh women 3-1 in terms of business ownership. Unbelievably, 17% of Black women are beginning or running their own businesses. Comparatively, just 10% of white women and 15% of white males experience this. Additionally, Latina women are the fastest-growing group of business owners, up 87% since 2007.

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services

The charitable division of Ford Motor Company is known as Ford Motor Company Fund. Ford Fund, which was founded in 1949, makes investments in ground-breaking initiatives that foster innovation, human empowerment, social mobility, and neighbourhood prosperity. Ford Fund collaborates with national and international partners to develop educational opportunities, promote defensive driving, recruit employee volunteers, and improve community life.

About 1863 Ventures

An independent, Black-led national charity dedicated to business development and a venture capital accelerator for New Majority innovators, 1863 Ventures (i.e., individuals who have been historically marginalized). In order to expand enterprises from high potential to high growth, the District of Columbia-based nonprofit assists over 3,200 entrepreneurs around the country by utilising capital investments, owned curricula, grant support, and corporate collaborations. Visit 1863ventures.net to learn more.