ConnectUP! Institute

About

ConnectUP! offers Hennepin County businesses up to 25 hours of the following services at no cost through Elevate Hennepin:

• Business planning and assessment
• Strategic financial analysis and management
• Assistance with loans, grants
• Preparation for angel and seed round investors
• Navigation of Elevate Hennepin resources and referrals

Creating Connections. Building Relationships. Making Money Moves. ConnectUP! Institute is a social finance and enterprise development center. We provide education, consulting and collaboration on innovative social finance as well as enterprise development for entrepreneurs from underestimated communities. We curate connections among entrepreneurs, investors, and the business ecosystem to advance equitable access to capital, resources and networks (for underinvested communities) with an emphasis on Black and Brown women and their lived experiences. We collaborate with clients to manage risk and prepare their businesses for robust growth.

Specialization

• Hennepin County
• Advisors and Consultants
• Accounting, Financial management 
• Business & Strategic Planning
• Loans, grants, access to capital
• African American or Black
• Asian and Pacific Islander
• Disadvantaged businesses
• Women
• Immigrant
• Social impact businesses
• Early growth businesses (1-9 employees)
• Idea stage businesses
• Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
• Startup businesses (0 employees)