Accelerate Northside offers six weeks of business training, mentorship

The Louisiana Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Center will host its next Accelerate Northside program for six consecutive Thursday evenings starting March 13.
The six-week program, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday, costs $25 and helps entrepreneurs create and grow their businesses.
The program includes six weeks of training, opportunities for mentorships with entrepreneurs, one-on-one consulting during and after the program, and connections to community resources.

For six consecutive Thursday evenings, starting March 13, the Louisiana Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Center will host its next session of Accelerate Northside.

The six-week program, which will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday, will include training, opportunities for mentorships with entrepreneurs, one-on-one consulting during and after the program, and connections to community resources, according to Kevin Guillory, operations and community engagement coordinator for LEED.

Accelerate Northside is a start-up and small business program that began in 2021 and helps entrepreneurs create or grow their businesses. The LEED has hosted eight program cohorts in the past 48 months.

To be eligible for the Accelerate Northside program, applicants should be existing business owners seeking assistance with growth strategies and individuals who have a business idea or who want to turn a hobby or side job into a full-time business.

Applications must be received by March 10, but walk-ups are welcome on March 13 if space is available, Guillory said.

The session will conclude April 17. Thanks to a sponsorship by the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, participants are only responsible for a $25 program fee, valued at $450.

LEED and the LEDA have partnered to continue the Accelerate Northside program in 2025.

There are than 400,000 small businesses in Louisiana, according to a study by the U.S. Small Business Administration. In Lafayette Parish alone, there are 20,000 with fewer than 20 employees, ReferenceUSAGov said.

Dr. Geoffrey Stewart, director of LEED and the Moody Company/BORSF Endowed Chair in Regional Business Development at UL Lafayette, said the LEED Center and B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration is excited to offer its ninth Accelerate Northside Program.

“We are grateful for the continuing support of the program from LEDA, Senator Gerald Boudreaux, and the Louisiana Legislature and pleased to once again have LEDA as our sponsor,” Stewart said. “Since its inception four years, over 355 people have engaged in Accelerate Northside and have established over 100 LLCs within the Lafayette ecosystem. The success of Accelerate Northside stems from the willingness of entrepreneurs to engage in the six-session program.”

President and CEO of LEDA, Mandi Mitchell, said they are looking forward to continuing to support LEED’s Accelerate Northside program.

“By empowering local individuals to start new businesses, the LEED Center is fostering a thriving and diverse entrepreneurial community, further enriching Lafayette’s business ecosystem,” Mitchell said. `

As the LEED prepares to launch its ninth annual event for business owners in Lafayette, State Sen. Gerald Boudreaux said the program will continue to create opportunities for entrepreneurs in the community.

“Investing in our local businesses means investing in the future of Lafayette, and I’m thrilled to see how this initiative is empowering individuals, strengthening our economy, and fostering a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape,” Boudreaux said.

For more information and the online application, visit 

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