The deadline to apply for the 2022 ACCESS program is April 15. The entrepreneurship program, led by TiE Atlanta, is bridging the mentoring and investment gap for underrepresented founders.

While women- and minority-owned companies are trailblazing the entrepreneurship scene, access to capital, mentoring, and the right network remain as barriers. ACCESS aims to set the stage for founders to present their product or service to established angel investors from TiE chapters.Qualifications include:

• Early stage, Seed, Seed+

• At least one (1) female or minority founder/cofounder (Asian American, African American, Hispanic, Latinx)

• Post Revenue (desired min annual revenue of $100K or recent monthly run rate of $10K during the last three months)

• Raising equity and can submit a “roughly right” term sheet by 4/30/22

• Must be able to provide proformas, financials, and full company data upon request

• Written Business Plan summary and term sheet will be qualifiers for all finalists

• Location preferred: Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

Additionally, ACCESS awards one time non-dilutive Social Impact grants to female and/or minority founders whose ventures deliver measurable positive change(s) that address a pressing social challenge/need. The businesses that apply by March 31 will be eligible for the first of two Social Impact Grant awards.