Equity Innovation Program

LACI is committed to creating economic opportunity and equity for communities throughout Southern California, by building an inclusive innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. In support of this commitment and in response to feedback from founders from LACI cohorts, we have launched the Equity Innovation Program (EIP).

The EIP provides underserved/resourced founders who have historically faced significant hurdles accessing funding and generating revenue with the resources and opportunities they need to develop new technologies, launch community-based pilots, and grow their businesses.

Program Overview

Once invited into our Founders Business Accelerator (FBA), Innovators, Incubation and Market Access programs – women and historically underrepresented/resourced BIPOC EIP participants will gain additional coaching and mentorship with industry experts, business support services, and access to much needed capital. LACI’s EIP also helps founders develop, fund, and launch new pilots.

The 6-month EIP is offered at NO COST to qualifying founders who:

  • Identify as women, BIPOC or those from historically under-resourced/represented communities
  • Are currently active in a cohort or have recently graduated from a LACI program
  • Are able to commit 3 – 5 hours each week to the program

Benefits:

  • Curriculum & Workshops: Investment readiness, Executives In Residence coaching
  • Networking: DEI climate-oriented investors, general funding sources, peer-to-peer and marketplace resource connections
  • Pilot Support (subject to program enrollment)
    • All programs: Planning sessions and workshops with the Market Transformation team, 1:1 support, site identification, metrics development, execution parameters, sourcing and evaluating proposals
    • FBA, Innovators, Incubation and Market Access: Funding at various levels will be awarded to a minimum of two EIP participants, with at least one being in cleantech
    • Incubation Cohorts 2 & 3 Only: $5K will be awarded for qualifying pilots