Entrepreneurship

The International Institute of St. Louis opened the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Community Center on Friday to help promote entrepreneurship among Afghan refugees in the region.

The International Institute of St. Louis is opening an Afghan Community Center and national Afghan Chamber of Commerce in south St. Louis in February. The center and chamber will offer financial literacy courses, after-school programs and entrepreneurship classes.

For the past three years, the DEI Accelerator has invested and supported 17 local businesses with grants and mentorship.

TechSTL, St. Louis Community College and Lindenwood University received a research grant to explore data that hinder Black entrepreneurs and other innovators of color in the St. Louis region.

Research shows women who started businesses in 2021 received 2% of venture capitalist funding, and Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs received less than 2% of funding.

The Innovation Lab is the first of several new buildings on the Rolla campus funded in part by a $300 million donation from an alumnus.

Akeem Shannon credits the St. Louis community for much of his success. A recent fundraising round has increased Flipstik's valuation from $400,000 to $5 million.

The U.S. imports a lot of chestnuts, and there is opportunity for more of them to be home grown.

ITEN's annual report shows progress for member companies despite the rough economy during the pandemic.

Valerie Liddell hopes to build Grind + Growth into the state’s first Black-owned business incubator. The two-year-old south St. Louis nonprofit features co-working space and resources to promote minority entrepreneurship.