Minority Business Accelerator

Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation Receives $1 Million Grant
Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation Receives $1 Million Grant Through the 2024 TD Ready Challenge to Support Small Businesses The grant will support Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation's solution designed to help underserved small business owners develop, ...
MBA Entrepreneur & MEP Alum Building Wellness Together
"Celebrating Leadership, Wellness & Impact at Building Wellness" - that was the inspiration that brought to Chamber Member companies together to create the first of its kind gathering to recognize local residents making a positive impact in the ...
Turning Family Crisis into a Lifeline: Why I Created Medlegal Safekeep to Empowers Families & Businesses
Last year, my dad faced a medical emergency that turned my families world upside down. He was rushed to the ER, but my mom didn’t know which one he was going to. She told me the wrong hospitals For a few weeks, everything felt ...
Grow Faster, Go Further: The Power of the Minority Business Accelerator
As a keynote speaker, information security leader, and small business owner, I’m honored to serve as the chair of the Tampa Bay Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator (MBA) for the 2024-2025 class. Additionally, I have the pleasure of ...

Presenting the Minority Business Accelerator 2026 Cohort!
Congratulations to the 2026 Cohort of the Tampa Bay Chamber's Minority Business Accelerator. The eighth cohort selected in the accelerator's history was presented today during the Chamber's 139th Annual Meeting! These Black and Hispanic owned ...

Minority Business Accelerator 2024 Cohort Becomes 6th in Program History
Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Chamber's 2024 Cohort of the Minority Business Accelerator. On November 18, 2024, the group of local entrepreneurs became the sixth cohort to graduate from the accelerator. The 2024 Cohort of nine Black and Hispanic ...

Dreams Really Do Come True!
If you would’ve told me back then that the story that originated in 1991 would continue through today and beyond, I would not have believed you. But, it’s true. My interest in television production began over 30 years ago at Highland ...
WFLA Daytime: Building the 2026 Cohort of the Minority Business Accelerator
WFLA Daytime spotlighted this year's recruitment for the Minority Business Accelerator's 2026 Cohort! Host Maggie Rodriguez interviewed Edwin Narain, Chair Elect of the Tampa Bay Chamber Board of Directors, and Michael Flores, Chair of the 2024 ...

Front Page Tampa Bay with Edwin Narain: A Closer Look at the Minority Business Accelerator
Image courtesy The Vibe - 101.5 FM Airing Sundays 6AM - 8AM Chair Elect Edwin Narain hosts the weekly Front Page Tampa Bay show on 101.5FM The Vibe. As the Tampa Bay Chamber recruits Black and Hispanic owned businesses for its Minority Business ...

Solmart: Spanish Radio Interview on Minority Business Accelerator
Se Habla Español! Solmart Media has launched the region's first Spanish language interview segments focused on the Chamber. The weekly segments with the Tampa Bay Chamber will spotlight Hispanic owned Chamber Member companies as well as ...

Hillsborough County Recognizes Minority Business Accelerator during Black Business Month Proclamation
During the August 7, 2024 meeting of the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, Gwen Myers of District 3, issued a proclamation recognizing local organizations supporting black-owned businesses, as well as black entrepreneurs in a variety of ...

In the News: Minority Business Accelerator Entrepreneurs Named Among top 100 Visionary Leaders
The Tampa Bay Chamber is proud to announce that two entrepreneurs in the Minority Business Accelerator Cohort '24 have been named among the top 100 visionary leaders in the Tampa Bay Business community. Congratulations to Courtney Jackson of Paragon ...

Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association Honors Chamber Member
The Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association International has named Tampa Bay Chamber Member Carl Chaisson among its honorees for this year's 40 Under Forty Award. The President & CEO of United One Communications is one of only ...

In The News: MAS Global Featured in Forbes Magazine
Congratulations to Chamber Member MAS Global on being featured in Forbes Magazine's June/July 2024 Issue! "I am grateful to be featured on Forbes," said MAS founder Monica Hernandez, interviewed on how companies are harnessing the power of data to ...

Minority Business Accelerator Company Showcased in Juneteenth Celebration in Washington D.C.
Chamber Member Sherrel Sampson was showcased in Washington D.C. during CVS Health’s celebration of Juneteenth! The inventor and founder of Canviiy was the guest of honor during the event hosted by CVS which included meet & greets, live ...

Minority Business Accelerator Recruiting for Cohort '26: PezCo Testimonial
Drawing inspiration from the PezCo journey in the Minority Business Accelerator's Cohort '24, Black and Hispanic owned businesses are invited to attend the June 12th MBA Information Session at the Tampa Bay Chamber in Downtown Tampa. The 2-year ...

Minority Business Accelerator's Carl Chaisson Shines at SOF Week
When the Special Operations Forces Week was held in Tampa on May 6 - 10, 2024, Chamber Member company United One Communications was in the thick of it. The conference attracted 17,000+ attendees and 700 exhibitors to the Tampa Convention Center for ...

MBA 2024 Cohort News: CANVIIY Reaches Important Milestone
Canviiy will now be sold in 6,000+ retail stores nationwide with its expansion into Walgreens! Congratulations to our MBA '24 Cohort Member and its inimitable Founder & CEO, Sherrel Sampson. Canviiy CEO, Sherrel Sampson, says “The company ...

In the News: Babcox Media Profiles Ice Cold Air's Ashley Butler
Babcox Media, serving the auto dealer, auto care and enthusiast industries, is sharing Ashley Butler's story with readers nationwide! The graduate of the Tampa Bay Chamber's Minority Business Accelerator 2021 Cohort is called a "Vehicle Care ...

In The News: Bay News 9 Spotlights Minority Business Accelerator
Spectrum's News cameras visited Ortega Custom Cabinets, as part of their story on the $134,000 Grant from JPMorgan Chase to the Tampa Bay Chamber's Minority Business Accelerator. CEO Damaris Ortega, a graduate of the accelerator's 2023 Cohort, was ...

Chairing and Celebrating Diversity and Entrepreneurship
Chairing and Celebrating Diversity and Entrepreneurship: The Growth and Service Diversity of the 2024-2025 Class of the Tampa Bay Chamber Minority Business Accelerator I am excited to share the remarkable journey we are embarking on with the ...
JPMorgan Chase Fueling Success of Minority Business Accelerator
The Tampa Bay Chamber's Minority Business Accelerator Receives $134,000 from JPMorgan Chase to Empower Growth and Economic Inclusion for Underrepresented Business Owners in the Region TAMPA, FL. - The Tampa Bay Chamber has received $134,000 from ...

In the News: Florida Trend Spotlights MBA Entrepreneur in 2024 Cohort
Florida Trend Magazine’s feature on “Rising Executives” profiled Tampa Bay’s own Sherrel Sampson. The career switch from corporate America to entrepreneurship was documented in the story creatively headlined ...

In The News: Florida Trend Spotlights Chamber Member on Leadership Journey
In the December issue of Florida Trend, reporter Nancy Dahlberg spotlighted Chamber Member and alum of the 2022 Cohort of the Minority Business Accelerator, Tony Selvaggio. The native of Venezuela's story was featured in the Next Gen section. It's ...

Minority Business Accelerator Cohorts Making SBOY History
The Tampa Bay Chamber’s Small Business of the Year Awards on November 16th marked the 43rd year of the awards. More than 500 guests were on-hand at the Seminole Hard Rock & Casino Tampa when SBOY history was made with its first winner from ...

Minority Empowerment Program 2024: LAST CALL TO SPONSOR
As we approach the final stretch of 2023, the Tampa Bay Chamber has received several dozen applications from local entrepreneurs applying to the 2024 Minority Empowerment Program. With a record number of applicants since MEP's launch in 2021, the ...