Community Innovation Entrepreneurship Leadership Opportunity (CIELO)

What Community Innovation Entrepreneurship Leadership Opportunity (CIELO) does

Community Innovation Entrepreneurship Leadership Opportunity (CIELO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered at 16787 Beach Blvd STE 233, Huntington Beach, California. The organization delivers individualized entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and microgrants to under-resourced, immigrant, and BIPOC entrepreneurs in Orange County, with a stated track record of serving over 4,500 individuals and supporting 400+ business launches or launch-ready outcomes. CIELO originated as an incubated project of Oak View Renewal Partnership (OVRP), officially launched as a fiscally sponsored project in 2016, and received independent 501(c)(3) status in March 2018.

CIELO's core product portfolio centers on two flagship cohort programs: the six-week virtual Small Business Startup Program (Roadmap for Entrepreneurship Success) covering business planning, marketing, financial training, and capital access, and the Childcare Business Incubator Program that prepares family/friend/neighbor caregivers to obtain licensure and launch in-home childcare businesses. These programs are layered with the CIELO MicroFund (donation-funded microgrants for graduates), Client Navigation (one-on-one case management), The Source (an online mentor/coach matching platform), and a monthly Entrepreneur Workshop Series. Programs are offered free of charge to participants.

The organization is funded entirely through donations, corporate gifts, microfund contributions, and grants, with revenue processed via Stripe. CIELO operates with a lean team of approximately 7 staff and a 5-member Board of Directors, and acquires clients through Community-Based Organization referrals, social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), email/SMS marketing, and event-driven engagement including the annual CIELO Night Market. Strategic partnerships with OC WBC, OCIE SBDC, First 5 Orange County, and other community organizations support program delivery, particularly within the childcare ecosystem.

Name

Community Innovation Entrepreneurship Leadership Opportunity (CIELO)

Legal name

Community Innovation Entrepreneurship Leadership Opportunity (CIELO)

Website

https://cielocommunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CIELO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free entrepreneurial training, coaching, and microgrants to under-resourced, immigrant, and BIPOC entrepreneurs in Orange County, California, via cohort programs and one-on-one client navigation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Small business support services
• Childcare business incubator
• Microgrants for entrepreneurs
• Community business development

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntington Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and corporate donations used to fund programs and microgrants for clients. Accepts monetary donations through Stripe portal.
2. OC MicroFund Contributions: Donor contributions specifically directed to microgrant fund used to provide clients startup cost support.
3. Microgrant Program: Clients who complete the six-week Startup Course qualify to apply for a microgrant to help support startup expenses. Funded by donations and contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CIELO is a nonprofit organization that provides free entrepreneurial training, coaching, mentorship, and microgrant funding to under-resourced, immigrant, and BIPOC aspiring small business owners in Orange County, California. Its core deliverables are two six-week virtual cohort programs — the Roadmap for Entrepreneurship Success (Small Business Startup Program) and the Childcare Business Incubator — supplemented by 1-on-1 Client Navigation, monthly workshops, an online mentor-matching platform called The Source, and the CIELO MicroFund grant.

Product overview

CIELO operates as a comprehensive small business ecosystem providing individualized entrepreneurial training and support programs. The core offerings include the Small Business Startup Program (a 6-week virtual course with coaching) and the Childcare Business Incubator Program (a 6-week virtual cohort for childcare entrepreneurs). These core programs are supported by supplementary services including The Source (online mentor/coach matching platform), Client Navigation (ongoing case management), and the Entrepreneur Workshop Series (monthly community workshops). CIELO MicroFund provides microgrants to program graduates. The organization serves Orange County's under-resourced communities, immigrants, and people of color, having assisted over 4,500 individuals and helped launch over 400 businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small Business Startup Program A 6-week virtual course that teaches aspiring small business owners how to plan, launch, and finance a business, with private coaching and post-course navigation. It is free to participants and is the primary entry point for under-resourced, immigrant, and BIPOC entrepreneurs in Orange County.
• Childcare Business Incubator Program A 6-week virtual cohort that prepares immigrant and BIPOC caregivers to launch licensed in-home childcare businesses, delivered in partnership with OC WBC, OCIE SBDC, First 5 Orange County, and other Orange County childcare ecosystem partners. Free for participants.
• Client Navigation 1-on-1 ongoing support for program participants covering business plan writing, permits and licenses, social media setup, grant and funding sourcing, and site selection for selling (pop-ups and markets). Free for CIELO clients.
• Entrepreneur Workshop Series Monthly in-person educational workshops on various business topics, taught by different community business leaders and co-hosted with a rotating community partner. Open to everyone at no cost.
• The Source An online mentor and coach matching platform where clients post needs and volunteers share expertise, with profile-based matching. Available to CIELO clients and volunteer mentors.
• CIELO MicroFund A microgrant program funded by donations through Stripe that provides qualifying graduates of the Small Business Startup Program with financial support to cover startup expenses for their new businesses. Available to qualifying program completers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,500+ individuals served and 400+ businesses launched or launch-ready
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oak View Renewal Partnership (OVRP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012OVRP incubated CIELO as a project in 2012 to serve the under-resourced Oak View community in Huntington Beach. CIELO operated as a fiscally sponsored project of OVRP for three years before receiving independent 501(c)(3) status in March 2018.
• OC WBC (Orange County Women's Business Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Orange County In-Home Licensed Childcare Program. OC WBC leads the program while CIELO provides support as part of a consortium including OCIE SBDC, First 5 Orange County, Help Me Grow Orange County, Children's Home Society of CA, Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children, and Quality Start OC.
• OCIE SBDC (Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Orange County In-Home Licensed Childcare Program collaborative initiative supporting family childcare providers.
• First 5 Orange CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in collaborative childcare program supporting early childhood development through childcare business pathways.
• Help Me Grow Orange CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in childcare ecosystem providing developmental support services for families and childcare providers.
• Children's Home Society of CAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in collaborative childcare business development initiative serving families and children.
• Orange County Association for the Education of Young ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association partner supporting quality education in early childhood through childcare business incubation.
• Quality Start OCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuality improvement initiative partner for childcare business development in Orange County.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Working Solutions CDFI: San Francisco Bay Area CDFI providing microloans and business advising to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs, including immigrants. Comparable on combining affordable capital with bilingual technical assistance.
• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans, training, and peer support to women entrepreneurs living in poverty. Direct comparable on the combination of financial support plus wraparound business education for under-resourced entrepreneurs.
• Mission Asset Fund: San Francisco nonprofit that builds credit and financial capability for low-income and immigrant families through lending circles and small business support. Comparable model combining culturally responsive financial access with entrepreneur training.
• Pacific Community Ventures: California nonprofit providing capital, coaching, and connections to under-resourced small business owners. Directly comparable on the triad of training + capital + networks targeting minority and low-income entrepreneurs.
• AnewAmerica Community Corporation: California-based nonprofit providing entrepreneurship training, microloans, and small business support to immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs. Direct comparable on mission, target population, and program structure (training + capital + navigation).
• Latino Business Action Network (LBAN): National nonprofit focused on accelerating Latino-owned business growth through Stanford-affiliated education programs and capital access. Comparable on culturally specific entrepreneur education targeting an underrepresented community.
• Women's Business Center of Orange County / OC WBC: Local SBA-affiliated partner of CIELO providing business training and mentorship in Orange County. Closely aligned on geography and small business training mission; serves a broader but overlapping demographic.

Emerging players

• Appalachian Community Capital: Community development financial institution supporting small business lending and capacity building in distressed communities. Comparable on nonprofit mission to expand economic opportunity in under-resourced geographies, though operating in a different region.

Broad incumbents

• Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC): Initiative of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) that prepares small business owners in under-resourced communities for capital access. Comparable on serving minority and under-resourced entrepreneurs at larger national scale.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) - SBDC Program: Federally funded network of Small Business Development Centers providing no-cost training and advising nationwide, including OCIE SBDC which is a CIELO partner. Broad incumbent offering general small business support services that overlap with CIELO's curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CIELO_Community
• Facebookfacebook.com/CIELOCommunity.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cielo-community
• Instagraminstagram.com/cielocommunity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Community Innovation Entrepreneurship Leadership Opportunity (CIELO)