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We’re Here for You

Building Community

At Accelerate, we know from experience that small business ownership can be a challenging, and sometimes lonely, endeavor. As a small business owner, you're focused on navigating the hundreds of decisions you must make every day to be successful, and time isn't always on your side. Your success demands an evolving array of dependable resources and meaningful relationships. Often, you're frustrated because you just don't have the time to find trusted, lasting solutions.

You don't have to go it alone. We believe that small business owners shouldn't have to feel isolated from the thousands of others who share that same journey. Rather, business owners like you should have a single point-of-contact partner they trust to offer reliable answers to issues as they occur.

We understand your problem, because our leadership team are also entrepreneurs, which is why we've been helping small business owners like you for more than 20 years.

Here’s how we do it:

Give Us
a Call

Tell Us About
Your Needs

We’ll Help You
Find the Answer

You're a valued member of our vibrant small business community. Reach out to us today so you can lead your business with confidence.

Accelerate Fort Worth Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was formed in 1999 as the BAC Education Foundation to create and implement programs and services that would significantly impact economic growth in Fort Worth.

Mission Statement

WHAT DRIVES OUR ORGANIZATION

We connect dedicated entrepreneurs in the Greater Fort Worth region to the resources they need to develop, launch and grow their business.

What We Do

THE FOUNDATION'S APPROACH:
ADVOCATE. CONNECT. TRANSFORM.

Accelerate DFW fosters connections to subject matter experts, fellow entrepreneurs, and other startup gurus to help you reach your objective as quickly as possible.

We scour the private sector and entrepreneurial communities to find the authorities who have been there, done that with the ability to share it effectively. Our workshops are designed so you walk out the door with relevant action items you can implement immediately.

Through local entrepreneurs' success stories, we help spread the wisdom, anecdotes, and missteps of entrepreneurs in the trenches so that others can learn and benefit.

Accelerate Fort Worth Foundation strengthens the small business community through three drivers of success: Advocate. Connect. Transform. Together, these pillars are the basis of real action in support of small business owners in the Greater Fort Worth region and within Tarrant County.

We elevate our small business owner community and perspective by advocating the small business owner experience. From welcoming new business owners to advancing resources and regulations, we are building a trusted network of support for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Our advocacy will elevate the conversation about small business ownership in the region and unite entrepreneurs around common needs and concerns.

We connect small business owners to the resources they need to succeed, by mobilizing real-time solutions, trusted vendors, and reliable network connections on demand. Accelerate is the single-point-of contact resource for business owners on the go, offering mentoring, coaching, office space, programming, and on-demand answers for make-or-break issues.

We transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem with a growing foundation dedicated to supporting funding, research, and real-time needs of small business owners within the Greater Fort Worth area and Tarrant county. The Foundation will support new research specific to the region’s small business owners, lead innovative developments in business financing, and create new tools to engage and honor entrepreneurs of all ages.

Advocacy

Our mission is to connect entrepreneurs to the resources they need to develop, launch, and grow their businesses. To do that, we advocate on behalf of all entrepreneurs within Greater Fort Worth and Tarrant County by promoting access to capital, access to professional networks, and greater access to capacity building resources. 

Support our efforts to build a sustainable and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem in Greater Fort Worth with a contribution today. Click here to donate.

Access to Capital

We applaud our region’s banking partners and financial institutions for the work they do to provide financial services and literacy training. More can be done! Many of our clients, and the potential entrepreneurs within our communities, need assistance with building credit, savings, and financial awareness. And many more need innovative resources to bridge gaps between their current financial situation and capital resources currently available. We lead these conversations in our community.

Access to Networks

Business gets done where relationships are strong, and we believe our community will benefit from focusing on enhancing business-owner connectivity. Our clients are seeking quick, straight answers to their questions so they can make informed decisions. By building networks and connecting people, we can reduce uncertainty, enhance equitable resourcing, and promote opportunities for all entrepreneurs within our communities. We’re leading collaboration to bridge network gaps. 

Access to Capacity

For a garden to flourish, the environment must be balanced, the soil nourished, and plants cared for. A business ecosystem is no different, and we advocate for greater resources, collaboration, and partnerships that bring attention to the importance of building capacity. Business owners are taking all the risks, and when they get it right, we all benefit. That’s why we’re working to bring skills training, coaching, mentoring, and other services to bear that benefit entrepreneurs and ensure sustainability.

Support our efforts to build a sustainable and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem in
Greater Fort Worth with a contribution today.

Board of Directors

We are always looking for fresh ideas and diverse perspectives to inform our decisions. If you’re interested in joining our board or volunteering, please contact us here.

Officers

Justin Malone
Chairman

Partner, Lacey Malone Ryder & Menefee, PLLC

Alberto Rios
Vice Chairman

Business Relationship Manager, Chase Bank

Ricky McBride, CPA
Treasurer

Partner, Turner, Stone & Company, LLP

Larry Anfin
Secretary

K and L Enterprises

Board Members

Sean Arena
President, Limo Anywhere

Chris Botvidson
President, Fuel & Spark Media

Anna Boulware
Vice President, M-Pak, Inc.

Charlie Gilroy
American Express

Amanda Johnson
Business Banking, Simmons Bank

Ori Fernandez, Ex Officio
Assistant Director, Economic Development,
City of Fort Worth

Cedric James 

Director, TCU Neeley School of Business

Richard Knight
Vice President, COO

Dr. Dave Mack
Associate Dean, University of Texas at Arlington

Todd Miller
Entrepreneur

Annika Nelson
Business Development, NowCFO

James Stanley
Director, BNSF, Capital Investment Accounting

Dr. Sameer Vaidya
Dean, School of Business, Texas Wesleyan University