Sage Foundation has partnered with entrepreneurship support organisation Village Capital to help 165 "impact-focused" start-ups across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, Europe and the US.
The Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program aims to reach 55 under-represented business leaders each year through mentoring, product support, grants and training. The partnership will champion purpose-driven start-ups that are driving positive social, economic and environmental impacts in their communities.
Sage Foundation, the social impact arm of Tyneside-based software giant Sage, says it shares a mission with Village Capital to equip small and mid-sized businesses with the skills, technology and capital they need to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
Non-profit Village Capital is said to be working to unlock social and finance for impact-creating entrepreneurs outside of traditional tech hubs. To date the organisation says it has supported close to 1,800 start-ups in more than 70 countries and has made more than 150 investments through its various affiliated funds.
Cadence Willis, vice president of Sage Foundation, said: “This partnership represents a significant next step in Sage Foundation’s journey. Since 2015, we’ve been committed to creating equal access to skills, growth and entrepreneurship, and now, we are excited to be scaling our activity in partnership with Village Capital - their expertise makes them the ideal partner for us to build a truly equitable entrepreneurial landscape."
Allie Burns, CEO of Village Capital, said: "We’ve seen how critical tech can be to drive growth for small businesses -- that’s why our partnership with Sage, a tech leader used by millions of businesses across the world, is key to providing much-needed support to underserved entrepreneurs. Our work will help ensure that all entrepreneurs get the support they deserve – not just those that belong to certain communities or that are based in major business and tech centres."
Sage Foundation has been in operation since 2015 and has fundraised $3m to support non-profit organisations across the world. It has helped Sage employees participate in almost 150,000 volunteer days to help causes they care about, build routes into education and support work readiness for young people and women.
Entrepreneurs interested in applying for the Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program can visit . Applications are open until January 10, 2025.
