Women's Small Business Accelerator

What Women's Small Business Accelerator does

Women's Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 25 North St., Dublin, Ohio, that delivers accelerator-style education, mentorship, and peer-support programs to women entrepreneurs across the state, with primary operations in the Columbus metropolitan area. Co-founded by Mary McCarthy (President/CEO, also founder of YMT Consultants and co-founder of angel investor firm Accelerating Angels) and Caroline Worley (formerly of Worley Law LLC), WSBA operates a portfolio of four core cohort-based programs: Inspired Entrepreneur ($2,000, 4-month pre-launch accelerator, capped at 15–20 participants), Determined Entrepreneur ($3,000, growth-stage program for $100k+ revenue businesses), Mentor Match ($4,200, 12-month one-on-one mentorship for 3+ year entrepreneurs), and Power Circles ($150/month peer accountability groups of up to eight non-competing business owners), supplemented by tiered digital memberships (free Community / Empower $99/year / Innovate $385/year) on the Heylo platform.

The business model is hybrid nonprofit: fee-for-service program tuition and membership subscriptions generate a recurring revenue layer, while tax-deductible individual donations and a tiered corporate sponsorship stack (Benefactor Huntington Bank, Supporter Pathways Financial Union, Promoter MCR Medical and Accelerating Angels, plus Partners Ice Miller, NAWBO Columbus, and Patrons COhatch, FCBank, City of Columbus Office of Diversity and Inclusion) supply fundraising and grant-style revenue. Distribution is direct-to-applicant for cohort programs and self-serve for the membership tier; go-to-market combines signature events (Annual Casino Night Gala scheduled October 2, 2026 at Worthington Hills Country Club, Columbus Women's Leadership Conference, FundHERBiz pitch competition at Rev1 Ventures), monthly Power Hour networking, workshops/webinars, email newsletters, and a partner referral pipeline spanning NAWBO, WBENC, SCORE, the Women's Business Center of Central Ohio, and Accelerate Columbus. Scholarships funded by Accelerate Columbus and Franklin County are built into the pricing model, expanding access but reducing net realized revenue per participant.

Documented program outcomes include 10% of participants exceeding the $1M revenue threshold, 68% reporting substantial revenue/profitability increases, 150% average post-graduation revenue growth, 79% expanding professional networks, and 62% reporting increased self-confidence. The board is dominated by female financial-services and SMB operators (KeyBank, Morgan Stanley, Ice Miller, MCR Medical, D2C Accounting, SavKon Construction), and the operating team is lean — only two non-board paid staff are named (Rahma Abdullahi, Gloria Rizzato). Technology footprint is minimal: a Heylo-powered membership platform and a Squarespace website; no proprietary product, app, API, or AI capability is disclosed.

Name

Women's Small Business Accelerator

Legal name

Women's Small Business Accelerator

Website

https://wsbaohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women's Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Dublin, Ohio, delivering cohort-based accelerator programs, mentorship, and peer accountability groups to women entrepreneurs across Ohio, funded through program fees, tiered memberships, corporate sponsorships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Coaching and Mentorship Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship programs
• Small business accelerator
• Business mentorship services
• Peer accountability groups
• Entrepreneur education training

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue generated from structured accelerator programs including Inspired Entrepreneur ($2,000), Determined Entrepreneur ($3,000), and Mentor Match ($4,200). These are one-time fees for multi-month program participation.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Three-tier membership model: Community (free), Empower ($99/year), and Innovate ($385/year). Provides ongoing recurring revenue with tiered access to networking, masterclasses, and member directory listings.
3. Power Circles Membership: Monthly subscription at $150/month for peer accountability group membership, facilitated by business experts, meeting monthly for 12-month commitment.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting women entrepreneurs. Major annual fundraising through Casino Night Gala, pitch competitions, and general donations.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from companies supporting WSBA programs, events, and entrepreneurs. Includes annual sponsorships, conference sponsorships, pitch competition sponsorships, and gala sponsorships at various tiers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women's Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that delivers structured cohort-based accelerator programs, one-on-one mentorship, peer accountability circles, and tiered memberships to help women entrepreneurs move from startup to scale-up. Core programs include Inspired Entrepreneur (early-stage launch), Determined Entrepreneur (growth-stage), Mentor Match (12-month mentorship), and Power Circles (peer accountability), complemented by annual memberships and a digital masterclass library.

Product overview

Women's Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering a portfolio of accelerator programs, mentorship services, peer accountability groups, and membership benefits designed to help women entrepreneurs at every stage from startup through scale-up. The core programs include Inspired Entrepreneur (early-stage launch), Determined Entrepreneur (growth-stage), Mentor Match (mentorship), and Power Circles (peer accountability), supplemented by tiered membership access, business masterclasses, downloadable templates, and signature events including the Annual Gala and Women's Leadership Conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inspired Entrepreneur A 4-month accelerator program for early-stage women entrepreneurs. Includes 8 three-hour classes, 5 one-on-one mentoring sessions, and community support to help launch sustainable businesses. Limited to 15-20 women per class. Program fee $2,000, with scholarships available.
• Determined Entrepreneur A growth program for women business owners in business 2+ years with $100k+ revenue. Focuses on refining strategies, developing growth plans, and peer networking. Limited to 15-20 participants per session. Program fee $3,000, with scholarships through Accelerate Columbus partnership.
• Mentor Match A 12-month one-on-one mentorship program connecting women entrepreneurs in business 3+ years with experienced mentors who have achieved similar goals. Mentees drive the program based on their goals. Program fee $4,200 with monthly meetings.
• Power Circles Monthly peer accountability groups facilitated by business experts, with up to eight non-competing business owners per circle. Includes goal-setting, SWOT analysis, and quarterly financial reviews. Priced at $150/month per member with a 12-month commitment; Franklin County scholarship availability.
• WSBA Membership Tiered annual membership program offering community access, networking, and exclusive benefits. Includes Community (free), Empower ($99/year), and Innovate ($385/year) tiers with access to Heylo platform, Power Hour networking, workshops, webinars, member directory listing, and masterclass library (Innovate tier).

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% of entrepreneurs have exceeded million-dollar revenue mark
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NAWBO Columbus (National Association of Women Business Owners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAWBO is a WSBA Partner Organization. They represent interests of women entrepreneurs across all industries and sizes, serving as a one-stop resource for women business owners. WSBA is listed as a partner organization for referrals and collaboration.
• WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the U.S. WSBA refers entrepreneurs to WBENC for certification and programming. Zulene Adams serves on WBENC's National Forum and Corporate Engagement Committee.
• WBEC ORV (Women's Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing WBENC and WOSB certifications for women business owners seeking to do business with corporations and government entities. WSBA board member Zulene Adams serves as Advocate of the Year.
• SCOREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational all-volunteer organization funded by the SBA providing free mentoring, workshops, and webinars. SCORE is referenced as a resource partner for small business support alongside WSBA programs.
• Small Business Development Center at Columbus StateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free coaching and support for small businesses including training and one-on-one mentoring on how to develop, launch, and grow. Listed as an additional resource alongside WSBA.
• Women's Business Center of Central Ohio (WBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at ECDI, the WBC provides business mentoring, workshops, co-working space, and funding for women business owners. Listed as a complementary resource to WSBA programs.
• Rev1 VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate Central Ohio's innovation economy. Provides office space, meeting rooms, business office hours, and workshops. WSBA hosts FundHERBiz pitch competition at Rev1 Ventures.
• Columbus Minority Business Assistance CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free technical assistance for minority-owned businesses including financial readiness, access to capital, contract assistance, bonding programs, and certification.
• Dublin Entrepreneur CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-working organization in Dublin, Ohio providing coworking, collaborative, and meeting space along with workshops and one-on-one coaching for members. Geographic proximity to WSBA headquarters.
• Bunker LabsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) national organization dedicated to supporting veteran and military spouses with their entrepreneurial journey. Listed as a partner resource for additional support services.
• Women Educating WomenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides workforce education grant dollars to micro-enterprises owned and operated by women for upgrading business operation skills. Listed as a complementary resource.
• Ice Miller LLPminorOthersLaw firm serving as a Partner sponsor. Radha Desai, Associate Attorney at Ice Miller, serves on the WSBA Board of Directors. Provides legal expertise support.
• COhatchminorOthersWorkspace and community platform serving as a Patron sponsor of WSBA. Provides event space for workshops and programs.
• City of Columbus Office of Diversity and InclusionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity agency providing certification assistance for women and minority business owners. Listed as a resource and Patron sponsor of WSBA.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: National nonprofit offering free mentoring, workshops, and resources to small business owners. Comparable in delivery model (mentoring, workshops, cohort-style training) and target audience (small business founders), and is explicitly cited as a WSBA partner/adjacent resource.
• Tory Burch Foundation: Foundation supporting women entrepreneurs through fellowship programs, mentorship, and capital access. Direct peer to WSBA in mission, target audience, and use of structured accelerator/fellowship programs to advance women-led businesses.
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): Largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the U.S., providing certification, programming, and corporate connections. Mission-aligned peer to WSBA and explicitly listed as a strategic partner.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): National membership organization advocating for and supporting women business owners across industries. Comparable to WSBA in mission and audience, with a membership/subscription model that parallels WSBA's Empower and Innovate tiers.
• Springboard Enterprises: National accelerator and network supporting women entrepreneurs through cohort-based programming, mentorship, and investor connections. Closely comparable to WSBA in mission (women-focused business acceleration), cohort delivery model, and emphasis on measurable founder outcomes.
• DreamSpring: CDFI providing capital, coaching, and connections to underserved entrepreneurs with a focus on women and minority-owned businesses. Comparable to WSBA in audience, mission, and combination of capital-adjacent support with business education.
• Women's Business Centers (SBA): SBA-funded network of centers providing training, mentoring, and resources specifically for women entrepreneurs. Direct mission peer to WSBA with overlapping program offerings (training, mentorship, networking) and a similar SMB women entrepreneur target audience.
• Count Me In / Grameen America: National nonprofit supporting women entrepreneurs through microlending, mentorship, and business education. Comparable to WSBA in mission (women business owners), underserved-market focus, and combination of education with capital access.

Broad incumbents

• Kauffman Foundation FastTrac: Large foundation offering entrepreneur education programs (FastTrac) and ecosystem-wide research. Comparable to WSBA in delivering structured curriculum for early-stage founders, though broader in scope and not gender-specific.

Emerging players

• Babson College Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership: Academic center producing research, programs, and resources to advance women entrepreneurial leadership. Comparable in mission focus on women entrepreneurs and educational programming, though anchored in higher-education research rather than community delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wsba_oh
• Facebookfacebook.com/wsbaoh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wsbaohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Women's Small Business Accelerator