Center for Black Innovation

Name

Center for Black Innovation

Legal name

Center For Black Innovation

Website

https://cfbi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Support and Innovation Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Career Exploration & Industry Exposure (Guest Speakers, Company Visits) (EDAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education programs
• Startup accelerator services
• Investor education programs
• Community coworking spaces
• Youth STEM education

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Services: The organization offers accelerator, investor education, and business development programs free of charge. No equity is taken from startup participants.
2. Space Rental: Coworking and event spaces available for booking through Peerspace platform. Revenue generated from renting out meeting rooms, conference spaces, outdoor garden, and media production facilities.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsors support programs and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Center for Black Innovation is a think tank and Black innovation ecosystem builder that delivers entrepreneurship, investor, and youth education programs alongside a physical coworking and event space in Miami. Its flagship offerings include the VCIR Accelerator Program (8-week virtual founder accelerator with no equity taken), the Angel Accreditation Academy and VCIR Investor Academy (angel investing education for HNW Black individuals), the Black Business Development Program (business infrastructure and capital access support), youth STEM programs (Cyber Warrior Program, Youth Virtual Tutoring), CFBI Stories (digital content initiative), and a multi-use facility with coworking, conference rooms, outdoor garden, and a green screen media production room available for booking.

Product overview

The Center for Black Innovation operates as a think tank and innovation ecosystem organization rather than a traditional product company. Its portfolio consists of programs and services organized around five pillars: Innovation, Economic and Social Mobility, Business Development, Education, and Family and Community. The core offerings include the VCIR Accelerator Program (an 8-week online accelerator for Black founders), the Angel Accreditation Academy (angel investing education), the Investor Academy (capital pathway development), the Black Business Development Program (entrepreneurship support), and CFBI Stories (digital skills content for Black entrepreneurs). Additionally, CFBI provides physical facilities including coworking space, conference rooms, a media production room with green screen capabilities, and multi-use classrooms. Youth-focused programs include the Cyber Warrior Program and Youth Virtual Tutoring. The organization previously operated as Code Fever Miami and has trained over 4,000 students through its educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VCIR Accelerator: Startup accelerator program that guides entrepreneurs through pathways to capital, helping Black founders prepare their ventures for investment.
• Angel Accreditation Academy
• VCIR Investor Academy

Products and services

• VCIR Accelerator Program An 8-week online accelerator program that transforms early-stage Black founders into investor-ready ventures through digital real estate creation, market strategy expansion, pitch deck development, and business foundation building. Participation is free and no equity is taken from participating startups.
• Angel Accreditation Academy A comprehensive angel investing education program for high-net-worth Black individuals, covering the fundamentals of angel investing, risks, due diligence, valuation, and term sheets, and connecting participants with investment opportunities. Delivered as a hybrid in-person and virtual cohort.
• VCIR Investor Academy A program that fosters equitable capital pathways by sourcing potential Black investors and providing insights and practical tips for navigating early-stage investments and fund building.
• Black Business Development Program A comprehensive program providing Black entrepreneurs with business infrastructure education, access to capital facilitation, knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and consultancy services to increase Black-owned business success.
• Coworking and Event Space A multi-use physical workspace facility in Miami's Historic Overtown neighborhood, including semi-private coworking areas, private conference rooms, an outdoor garden event space, a media production room with green screen capabilities, and multi-use classrooms. Available for booking on an hourly/daily basis through the Peerspace platform.
• CFBI Stories An initiative that interviews and shares stories of Black entrepreneurs and small business owners nationwide, providing digital skills content for economic and technical growth through social media, print media, and technology education.
• Cyber Warrior Program A technology and cybersecurity training program for youth, focused on digital literacy and STEM education for young people from Black and minority communities.
• Youth Virtual Tutoring Academic support services combining digital and socially distant learning for middle and high school students, with tutoring and technology education components.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4000+ students reached through educational programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• NBCUniversalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with NBCUniversal in 2017 to build a platform for the Grinch Movie video game that introduced over 3 million students and educators to their first lesson in computer programming.
• Miami Workers CenterminorOthersCommunity partner organization focused on building power and self-determination of oppressed people in South Florida, serving Black and brown women workers, tenants, and families.
• 100 Black Men of South FloridaminorOthersMentorship organization of men in business, industry, public affairs, government and professions working to improve quality of life for African-Americans through mentorship.
• Black Men Talk TechminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHub connecting Black tech founders with investors, major corporations, other entrepreneurs, and relevant market practitioners.
• Black Women Talk TechminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity specifically for Black women tech entrepreneurs to create visibility and investment opportunities.
• Girl Power RocksminorOthersYouth empowerment organization providing programs and activities for young girls to become healthy, smart, strong and active.
• Miami Dade Public LibrarymoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Miami Dade Public Library for Overtown Literacy Day event celebrating Black Children's Book Week and Black History Month.
• Miami Bayside FoundationmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides services for minority business owners including loan programs. Presented at Black Business Development Conference on business credit.
• Roane Consulting GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging director Melvin Roane presented on team building and leadership at Black Business Development Conference.
• InviziominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Kevin Michael presented on digital business tools at Black Business Development Conference.
• Florida International University (FIU)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFIU Smart Growth Accelerator Six-Week Cohort sessions hosted at CFBI location, providing startup education in partnership with FIU.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Village Capital: Impact-focused accelerator operating across multiple geographies and themes; overlaps with CFBI on accelerator methodology and capital-access mission but serves a wider demographic.
• Echoing Green: Long-established social impact fellowship and leadership organization supporting emerging leaders; broader scope but overlapping mission of building Black innovation and economic mobility.

Direct peers

• Founder Gym: Training program preparing underrepresented founders to raise venture capital; comparable training/education-led approach to CFBI's VCIR Accelerator and investor prep curriculum.
• Code2040: Organization activating, training, and connecting Black and Latino tech talent and founders; comparable programmatic, educational, and career-exposure model to CFBI's youth and founder programming.
• NewMe Accelerator: Accelerator and community focused on Black and minority founders, providing mentorship, capital access, and programming directly comparable to CFBI's VCIR Accelerator and ecosystem-building model.
• SoGal Ventures: Global community and venture fund for diverse founders and investors with chapters in multiple cities; directly comparable founder+investor ecosystem-building model.
• Black Women Talk Tech: Community specifically for Black women tech entrepreneurs building visibility and investment pathways; directly adjacent programming and target founder segment to CFBI.
• Black Men Talk Tech: Community and hub connecting Black tech founders with investors, corporations, and peers; overlapping audience with CFBI and an active CFBI GTM/marketing partner.
• Concrete Rose Coalition: Accelerator and pre-seed fund for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx founders; highly comparable mission, capital-access focus, and accelerator cohort model to CFBI.

Emerging players

• The Plug / Plug In Ventures: Black tech ecosystem media platform and deal network that has extended into founder support; overlapping audience and capital-pathway thesis with CFBI's investor academy work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/CenterForBlackInnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-black-innovation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors4 records

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Center for Black Innovation