LITTLE ROCK – Thirteen participants will graduate tonight from Businesses United in Leadership Development (BUILD) Academy, a free, 12-week business incubator in the City of Little Rock.

BUILD Academy was created to help small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs develop all aspects of their business. It is intended to help level the playing field, reduce economic injustice and connect potential with opportunity, especially during COVID-19 recovery efforts.

“From end to end, our city is loaded with entrepreneurial talent, but not every would-be business owner has access to resources that can help them master the many, many skills needed to run a small business,” said Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. “BUILD Academy is a program meant to empower just those visionary people. It’s meant to provide them a solid base of skills upon which to grow their idea to its full potential.”

Each week, participants in BUILD Academy met for two-hour sessions, each focused on a different aspect of operating a small business, from foundations and finances to operations and marketing. At the conclusion of the course, all participants will receive an opportunity to pitch their ideas to potential investors, with cash prizes available, at a celebration held tonight at the historic and recently renovated Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center.

BUILD Academy was conducted under the Small Business Development Office of the City of Little Rock, with assistance of silver sponsors Chick-Fil-A (Markham Street), Comcast Business, and Garver and bronze sponsors Think Rubix, Encore Bank, and HOPE Credit Union.

“With the success we’ve seen, more than a dozen aspiring business owners are now empowered to scale, manage and market their ideas, so we’re definitely excited to bring back this academy in the future to continue growth and economic development within our community,” said Derrick Rainey, small business development coordinator. “You will certainly see BUILD Academy return in 2022.”