ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, along with the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) attended the graduation of the 7th cohort of business owners who completed the HoCo Higher program. Photos of the event can be found here.
Congratulations to everyone who took the initiative to learn how to become a better entrepreneur. Not only should you be proud of yourselves for surviving this “bootcamp,” but you should also be proud of the invaluable information you’ve gained that will undoubtedly help you in your entrepreneurial journey. Thank you to our HCEDA for hosting another successful cohort, and helping our entrepreneurs realize their dreams.
Conducted in partnership with M&T Bank and SBDC, this 8-10-week bootcamp teaches early-stage and historically under-served entrepreneurs the essentials of business planning, operations, credit building, digital communication, and financial management. Top business mentors, coaches, and subject-matter experts will lead the program at no cost to participants.
“As the #1 SBA lender in this market, M&T Bank clearly understands the importance of small business accelerator programs to communities like Howard County,” said James W. Peterson, Jr., VP Multicultural Banking Team and Small Business Ambassador at M&T Bank. “We know that small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. M&T Bank is proud to have partnered with Dr. Calvin Ball and the Howard County Economic Development Authority for the last 4 years on this program, to invest in the future of Howard County neighborhoods, driving economic growth and building stronger, more resilient communities.”
At the end of the course, entrepreneurs had the chance to compete in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition where they can win up to $2,000. The first-place winner of the 7th cohort was Craig A. McKenzie of Engineered Design Services LLC. Second-place went to Nysia Wilhite of Dance Solutions who won $1,000 plus the Crowd Favorite award, which was an additional $500. Third-place went to Irfan Khan of CrewThrive who won $750.
The HoCo Higher program is a crucial investment in our local economy. By equipping early-stage and historically under-served entrepreneurs with essential business skills, we're not just building individual businesses – we're strengthening our entire economic ecosystem.
Initially launched in September 2021, the bootcamp targets entrepreneurs from under-served entrepreneurs populations the essentials of starting and running a business. With more than 120 graduates of the program, HoCo Higher helps cultivate the entrepreneurship pipeline. Howard County has awarded more than $425,000 to the previous cohorts.