Cambridge Entrepreneurship Assistance Program Scholarships

The City of Cambridge Department of Community Development is pleased to announce its new Cambridge Entrepreneurship Assistance Program (CEAP) providing five scholarships to HUD-eligible Cambridge early-stage entrepreneurs in clean energy, consumer products, high tech and life science industries. The program provides these entrepreneurs with the opportunity to participate in The Capital Network’s six-month Accelerated Education Program (AEP) series on financing and fundraising.

“The CEAP is a great example of the City leveraging a collaborative approach to helping residents and emerging Cambridge entrepreneurs through the creative investing of federal funding.” said City Manager Richard C. Rossi. “This program furthers Cambridge’s ongoing commitment to assisting residents and businesses in predominantly low-moderate income areas in the City.”

The Capital Network (TCN) is a non-profit organization that provides extensive financial education alongside an engaged community to help early-stage entrepreneurs in the Greater Boston area. TCN’s Accelerated Education Program is a rotating six month program series on fundraising education for early-state entrepreneurs. Four months of the program is a series of educational workshops and seminars and an additional two months of the program provide participants access to roundtables and pitch practices with investors.

Christopher Mirabile, the Managing Director Launchpad Venture Group said, "As an investor, my job is much easier if an entrepreneur has been through AEP - they are versed in the key issues and grounded in the fundamentals."  

The CEAP program will be offering office hours on Thursday, April 17, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., at Venture Café, One Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts for those interested in learning more about the program. Program applications will be taken on a competitive basis until the deadline of May 16, 2014. Applications will be reviewed and approved to make sure candidates are a good fit for the program. Applications can be found online one the Program’s website here: http://bit.ly/CEAP2014

For more information about the program or to obtain an application, contact Pardis Saffari at 617.349.4654 or psaffari@cambridgema.gov.