RICE

What RICE does

RICE (Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 504 Fair Street SW in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 2016 and operating with 11-50 employees. It runs the world's largest dedicated hub for growing, scaling, and developing Black entrepreneurs, serving 500+ active stakeholder companies and a broader 4,500+ Black-owned small business network through a vertically integrated program portfolio. Its signature platform, Big IDEAS, is a proprietary five-stage learning model (INSPIRE → DEVELOP → EXECUTE → ACCELERATE → SCALE) augmented by specialized accelerators — the Retail Readiness Academy (7-month retail market-entry sprint), the Supply Chain Accelerator (20-week Fortune 500 contracting program with Amazon, Disney, UPS, Clorox), the Product Development Pathways, Saturday School community programming, Coaching Circles, and the Georgia AIM 53-foot mobile innovation studio that extends reach statewide. Underpinning the on-site programming are digital platforms including Digital RICE (national online learning) and a stakeholder marketplace/e-commerce platform.

The organization generates revenue almost entirely through philanthropic grants and corporate donations from a concentrated set of foundations and Fortune 500 partners — including Truist Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Wells Fargo, Comcast NBCUniversal, Bank of America, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Target, and the Walmart.org / PayPal Center for Racial Equity consortium — with cumulative disclosed funding exceeding $10M since 2023. Programs are delivered to stakeholders at no direct cost; instead, the value exchange runs the other direction: $5,000 Retail Readiness Academy grants, $2,500-$10,000 Supply Chain Accelerator and Product Development Pathways graduate grants, facilitated access to capital ($15M accessed by stakeholders in 2024), distribution into Walmart, Target, CVS, and Amazon shelves via corporate Open Call events, and downstream economic outcomes reported at $547M+ in stakeholder revenue (2019-2024) and 2,500+ jobs created. A small non-donor revenue stream is emerging through paid bookings of the in-house RICE Content Studio.

Name

RICE

Legal name

The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs

Website

https://russellcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RICE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hub in Atlanta running the world's largest dedicated center for growing, scaling, and developing Black entrepreneurs through the Big IDEAS curriculum, retail and supply chain accelerators, and direct access to Fortune 500 corporate partners and capital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Incubation Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Entrepreneur support programs
• Business incubation services
• Small business acceleration
• Workforce development programs
• Nonprofit business development

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants and Donations: RICE operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that generates revenue through philanthropic grants from foundations (Truist Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Comcast NBCUniversal, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, etc.) and corporate donations from major companies including Target, Delta, UPS, JPMorgan Chase, and others. This constitutes the primary funding source supporting programs and operations.
2. Membership/Stakeholder Services: RICE provides services to stakeholder companies including office space, coaching circles, mentorship access, and programming. While described as a nonprofit, the organization generates some revenue through stakeholder engagement activities and facility usage.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RICE operates a comprehensive nonprofit entrepreneurial ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs, anchored by its proprietary Big IDEAS learning platform that guides participants from ideation through scaling across five developmental stages (INSPIRE, DEVELOP, EXECUTE, ACCELERATE, SCALE). It complements this with specialized programs—the 7-month Retail Readiness Academy, a 20-week Supply Chain Accelerator for Fortune 500 contracting, a Product Development Pathways program, Coaching Circles, Saturday School skill-building courses, and the Georgia AIM mobile innovation studio—plus the Digital RICE online platform for national reach. Services are delivered through the Atlanta headquarters, partnerships with corporate donors, and a stakeholder network of 500+ active companies and 4,500+ Black-owned small businesses.

Product overview

RICE (Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs) operates as a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem offering multiple integrated programs and platforms. The core offering is Big IDEAS, a signature learning platform that guides entrepreneurs through five developmental stages from ideation to scaling. Supporting this core platform are specialized programs including the Retail Readiness Academy (RRA) for retail market entry, Supply Chain Accelerator (SCA) for Fortune 500 contracting, and Product Development Pathways (PDP) for product development. Additional programs include Saturday School for community skill-building, Coaching Circles for peer mentorship, and the Georgia AIM Mobile Studio for statewide reach. Digital infrastructure includes Digital RICE for national online access and the RICE Marketplace for e-commerce. Supporting facilities include the Wells Fargo Learning Lab and the Content Studio. The portfolio is capped by the annual RICE Report publication documenting impact and outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big IDEAS: RICE's signature learning platform that guides entrepreneurs from ideation through execution to scale, featuring stages: INSPIRE, DEVELOP, EXECUTE, ACCELERATE, and SCALE
• RICE Retail Readiness Academy (RRA)
• Supply Chain Accelerator
• Product Development Pathway
• Saturday School

Products and services

• Big IDEAS Learning Platform RICE's signature proprietary continuous, experiential and individualized learning platform that guides Black entrepreneurs from ideation through scale across five stages (INSPIRE, DEVELOP, EXECUTE, ACCELERATE, SCALE) with subject matter expert support, hands-on experiences, community-driven development, and Readiness Indicators at each stage. Designed for Black entrepreneurs at all stages, from solo-preneurs to Pacesetter scaling companies.
• Retail Readiness Academy (RRA) A 7-month experiential learning sprint program (April–October) that provides product-based consumer brand founders with uncommon access to retail opportunities, expertise, strategy, and connections to navigate and grow in the retail space. Includes $5,000 grants to participants. Targeted at Black-owned consumer brands in Personal Care, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, Food & Beverage, Pet, Toys, Baby & Toddler, Wearable Tech, and Paper Goods.
• Supply Chain Accelerator (SCA) A 20-week program for Black entrepreneurs ready to do business with Fortune 500 companies or government agencies, focusing on contract readiness and reverse-engineered contract acquisition. Provides industry insights, procurement expertise, and potential contracting opportunities from partners such as Amazon, Disney, UPS, Walmart, Clorox, and King & Spalding. Includes grant awards of up to $10,000 for some participants.
• Product Development Pathways (PDP) A structured 12-month program that addresses the product development challenges Black entrepreneurs face by creating one ecosystem for design, prototyping, and mass distribution. Includes $2,500 grants per graduate. Targeted at RICE stakeholder companies.
• Saturday School An innovative community engagement and program pipeline initiative offering skill-building courses including Global Business Essentials, Retail Readiness Prep, Financial Prep for Growth & Scale, Networking & Etiquette, Launching Your MVP, The Digital CEO, and RRA Prep. Designed as a community entry point for aspiring Black entrepreneurs.
• Coaching Circles Peer coaching sessions providing RICE stakeholders with collaborative learning and mentorship opportunities with fellow entrepreneurs as part of the stakeholder support offering.
• Digital RICE An online learning platform that extends RICE's programming and resources nationally to Black entrepreneurs beyond the Atlanta region, providing digital access to content and learning.
• RICE Marketplace and e-Commerce Platform An online marketplace and e-commerce platform that enables contract opportunities and product sales for Supply Chain Accelerator participants and other RICE stakeholders.
• Georgia AIM Mobile Studio A 53-foot mobile innovation studio that travels across Georgia showcasing VR simulations and robotics demonstrations, providing pathways to future work, workforce training, and entrepreneurship exposure statewide.
• RICE Content Studio Professional content creation services supporting RICE stakeholders with media and marketing content production, available for booking at the Atlanta facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ entrepreneurs supported with 500+ active stakeholder companies
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• AmazoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in Supply Chain Accelerator program providing industry insights, procurement expertise, and potential contracting opportunities for RICE stakeholders.
• Walt Disney CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Supply Chain Accelerator program and collaborated with RICE on Supply Chain Accelerator initiative. Provides industry expertise and mentorship for entrepreneurs.
• UPScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPS executives visit RICE to connect with stakeholder companies. Partner in Supply Chain Accelerator providing logistics and supply chain expertise.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalmart hosts 'On the Road to Open Call' fast pass events at RICE, giving stakeholders opportunity to pitch products for Walmart shelves. Multiple stakeholders have earned Walmart deals.
• Georgia AIMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate Georgia AIM 53-foot mobile innovation studio traveling across the state with VR simulations, robotics demonstrations, and workforce training. Extends RICE's reach beyond Atlanta.
• King & SpaldingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal and business advisory partner in Supply Chain Accelerator program.
• CloroxsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in Supply Chain Accelerator program providing industry insights and potential procurement opportunities.
• Elavon (U.S. Bank)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHead of Learning & Development Terra Wallace recognized at Women Who Mean Business 2025 for partnership in advancing economic equity for Black entrepreneurs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: Largest nonprofit network of volunteer business mentors in the US offering free education and mentorship to small business owners. Closely comparable to RICE's mission of providing structured curriculum and mentorship to entrepreneurs, though SCORE is general-purpose rather than Black-entrepreneur focused.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Philanthropically funded program providing business education, mentorship, and capital access to small business owners, often from underserved communities. Directly comparable to RICE's Big IDEAS platform, Retail Readiness Academy, and Supply Chain Accelerator in structure and target audience.
• Endeavor: Global nonprofit supporting high-impact entrepreneurs through mentorship, networks, and access to capital. Comparable in providing curated peer-coaching circles, scale-up support, and capital pathways, though Endeavor is global and focused on 'high-impact' founders rather than a specific demographic.
• Village Capital: Nonprofit supporting early-stage entrepreneurs through peer-coaching-based programs, with a strong emphasis on underserved founders. Highly comparable to RICE's Coaching Circles and accelerator cohorts in pedagogy and target demographic.
• Ureeka: Community and resource platform purpose-built for small business owners from underrepresented backgrounds. Comparable to RICE's 4,500+ member network, providing peer learning, mentorship, and access to resources for Black and minority entrepreneurs.

Emerging players

• BLCK VC: Nonprofit working to increase representation of Black investors in venture capital. Adjacent to RICE's mission of advancing Black economic mobility but focused on the investor side of the ecosystem rather than operating entrepreneurs.
• National Black MBA Association: Nonprofit professional membership organization supporting Black business leaders through education, networking, and career development. Comparable to RICE in serving the Black professional/entrepreneur demographic, though with a focus on MBA-credentialed individuals and corporate careers.
• Ashoka: Global nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs through fellowships, networking, and capacity-building. Comparable to RICE in its nonprofit-coalition model supporting mission-driven founders, though Ashoka is global and focused on social-impact rather than for-profit entrepreneurship.

Others

• Black Enterprise: Long-running media, events, and education company serving Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and corporations. Comparable to RICE in serving the Black business community through content, networking events, and educational programming, though primarily media-led.

Broad incumbents

• SBA (Small Business Administration) Resource Partners: Federal network providing free business mentoring, training, and counseling through SBDCs, WBCs, and SCORE. RICE is a subcontracted SBA Navigator partner — directly comparable in service offering (training, technical assistance) and free-delivery model, though SBA is the incumbent public-sector umbrella.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RussellCenterAtlanta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riceatlanta
• Instagraminstagram.com/riceatlanta
• Xx.com/rcieatlanta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RICE