Entrepreneurship is a SKILL

Make Startups is the first (and only) workforce approved training provider for entrepreneurial skills training. Our innovative approach utilizes cutting-edge technologies and ensures founders demonstrate the necessary skills and milestones required to launch and operate a new business.

Make Startups measures skills attainment for 75 rigorous learning objectives approved by finance industry leaders. In doing so, the credential then supports a merit based underwriting model to catalyze investment in groups that are economically disadvantaged and have historically be denied opportunities to start a business.

Make Startups partners with entrepreneur support organizations across the country to help them align training and incubation programs to Make Startups credentialing standards to better support early stage businesses and derisk capital investments for disadvantaged entrepreneurs in their community. Today, our industry credential is a workforce development approved entrepreneurial skill development program in 4 states, including: Georgia, Colorado, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

We believe that entrepreneurs can succeed anywhere, and we are here to help the organizations that support them.

Executive Fellowship

Join our six-month program with 2 in-person immersions, bi-weekly online training, one-on-one advising, peer coaching, and local field building initiatives.

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Need help?

Not sure how to get started? Make Startups can help study feasibility and align your ESO training programs to achieve industry standards and qualify for public workforce development funding

Invite us to your Ecosystem

Ecosystem Tour

We’re visiting 24 startup communities to meet with the people, organizations, and founders making a difference - fully immersing ourselves in their startup ecosystem. From the tour, we'll share inspiring stories and important lessons to help ESO's nationally be more intentional and impactful.

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Ecosystem Tour 24-04: Fayette County, GA

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Meet Make Startups Certified Entrepreneurs

Blog

Roxeann Cobb - Making Dreams a Reality

“I give Make Startups credit for making my dream a reality,” says Cobb.

Frederick Griffin - Ebony Tree Farms

“It all comes back to food.”

Arkia Ivey

“Make Startups reinforced what I knew was possible. It’s reassurance, ‘No, you’re not crazy, girl, you’re not dreaming too big.’ It reminds me it’s all possible.”

Tonia Gibbons

“I truly recommend anyone who is serious about starting a business to invest in themselves first by taking this course”

Kala Evans

“Before, I might not have understood something, but I was too embarrassed to ask. The Make Startups environment made me feel safe enough to be vulnerable.”