Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs Inc. (ACE) is pleased to announce its partnership with the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GHCC) to enhance the development of small businesses in Georgia. The collaboration will begin in the greater Atlanta area, and then spread throughout the state.

“We know this partnership with GHCC will help both organizations make a bigger impact in the lives of Hispanic business owners,” said Luis Izaguirre, ACE’s chief program officer. 

Besides promoting each other’s ongoing workshops, events and seminars, the strategic partnership will provide enhanced benefits to GHCC members and ACE clients. ACE and GHCC will make sure more Hispanic businesses have access to capital in the state of Georgia. Also, ACE and GHCC will work with select organizations to create business accelerator programs in 2019 that help Hispanic entrepreneurs grow in their knowledge of running a successful business. These programs will provide small business owners with focused business and financial education and coaching that prepares them to apply for grants offered by the GHCC Hispanic Business Center.

In September 2017, ACE kicked off its Hispanic Initiative to foster trusted relationships over the long term by working one-on-one in the community with Hispanic entrepreneurs and helping them grow their businesses by providing access to capital, coaching and connections. Since then, ACE has provided $3.5 million in loans to Hispanic business owners. In 2019, ACE looks forward to increasing the number of loans to qualified Hispanic entrepreneurs in need of capital.

GHCC will help ACE expand its reach of services to the Hispanic community. “This is a first step toward building a partnership throughout Georgia,” said Santiago Marquez, president and CEO of GHCC. “We believe GHCC is perfectly aligned with ACE to increase Hispanic business growth in our state, and we look forward to providing our members and ACE clients with programs that will benefit the entire Hispanic community in Georgia.”