Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative

What Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative does

Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative is a multi-stakeholder cooperative that delivers holistic and culturally relevant business education, advising, and community support to diverse entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on minority, women, and underserved business owners. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the company operates through two legal entities, Uptima Business Bootcamp, LLC and Oakland Business Bootcamp Cooperative, Inc., and maintains additional offices in Boston and Chicago. Its product surface spans three core lines: Workshops (short-format practice sessions on funding, financial management, operations, leadership, acquisitions, and exits), Academy programs including the Launch Academy certificate program for startup and early-stage business owners, and one-on-one Consulting in five practice areas (Capital Access, Strategic, Cooperative Development, Business Acquisition, and Business Exit). Delivery occurs in-person at its three offices and online through its learning management system at learn.uptimacoop.com.

The company monetizes through custom-priced professional services engagements (typically multi-year in the consulting practice areas), certificate-program tuition, and partner-program contracts with government agencies, non-profits, loan funds, and business support organizations. Go-to-market is sales-led, driven by Apply and Contact CTAs on its website, content marketing via blog and email newsletter, organic social on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and a referral pipeline through its 12+ institutional partners including City of Antioch, Cook County Small Business Source, MassDevelopment, REAL People's Fund, and WEPOWER. Eligible team members can become worker-owners with patronage-based profit sharing, and the cooperative governance model gives members voice in operational decisions. The company reports that its community has supported 1,000+ entrepreneurs, helped create 1,000+ jobs, and supported the raising of $20M+ in funding by member businesses, and received approval to operate from the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education in 2025.

Name

Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative

Legal name

Uptima Business Bootcamp, LLC and Oakland Business Bootcamp Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://uptimacoop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative is a multi-stakeholder cooperative providing culturally relevant business education, workshops, and one-on-one consulting (capital access, strategic, cooperative development, acquisition, and exit) to diverse and underserved entrepreneurs, delivered in-person across Oakland, Boston, and Chicago and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Education and Consulting

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Associations (813910), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE)

Keywords

• Entrepreneur education
• Small business consulting
• Cooperative development
• Business exit advising
• Capital access coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs: Certificate programs like Launch Academy providing comprehensive educational content for startup and early-stage business owners
2. Workshops: Practice workshops on topics like funding, financial management, operations, leadership, acquisitions, and exits for business owners and advisors
3. Business Consulting: Customized one-on-one business consulting including Capital Access, Strategic, Cooperative Development, Business Acquisition, and Business Exit consulting
4. Partnership Programs: Customized business assistance programs designed for governments, non-profits, and business support organizations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative is a multi-stakeholder cooperative that sells business education workshops, certificate programs (notably Launch Academy), and customized one-on-one consulting covering capital access, strategic planning, cooperative development, business acquisition, and business exit. Offerings are delivered in person at its Oakland, Boston, and Chicago offices and online through its learning management system, with separate partner programs tailored for government agencies, non-profits, small business funds, and business support organizations.

Product overview

Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative operates a multi-product education and consulting platform offering Workshops (practice workshops on funding, financial management, operations, leadership, acquisitions, and exits), Academy programs (Launch Academy for startup and early stage business owners), and Consulting services (Capital Access, Strategic, Cooperative Development, Business Acquisition, and Business Exit consulting). The company also offers Partner Programs for funds, business support organizations, and government agencies. All programs are designed to support diverse entrepreneurs in building thriving businesses and creating community wealth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Launch Academy: Comprehensive educational certificate program to help startup and early stage business owners launch and grow their business and its community impact.

Products and services

• Workshops Practice workshops on topics including funding, financial management, operations, leadership, acquisitions, and exits, designed for business owners and business advisors.
• Academy Comprehensive educational certificate programs designed to help startup and early-stage business owners launch and grow their business and its community impact.
• Launch Academy Comprehensive educational certificate program under the Academy line to help startup and early-stage business owners launch and grow their business.
• Consulting Customized one-on-one business consulting to support established businesses in accessing capital, developing strategic plans for growth, strengthening cooperatives, acquiring another business, or planning an exit.
• Capital Access Consulting One-on-one consulting under the Consulting line to help businesses access capital and develop strategies for obtaining financing.
• Strategic Consulting One-on-one consulting under the Consulting line for developing strategic plans for business growth.
• Cooperative Development Consulting Customized consulting under the Consulting line to help existing cooperatives strengthen their democratically-owned business through structure, governance, and business strategy support.
• Business Acquisition Consulting Consulting under the Consulting line to help identify, evaluate, negotiate, finance, and complete strategic business acquisitions aligned with growth and community impact goals.
• Business Exit Consulting One-on-one consulting under the Consulting line supporting business succession and exit planning, including conversion to cooperative ownership or sale to community members.
• Partner Programs Partnership programs designed for Small Business & Cooperative Funds, Business Support Organizations, and Government Agencies to co-design and implement customized business assistance programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $20 million in funding raised by supported entrepreneurs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• City of AntiochminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment partner collaborating with Uptima on business support initiatives through the Antioch Business Collaborative.
• Cook County Small Business SourceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCook County government initiative providing small business resources, partnering with Uptima for program delivery.
• Greater Chatham InitiativeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity development organization in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood partnering for local business support.
• Honolulu OERminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHonolulu-based business support organization collaborating on economic revitalization initiatives.
• MassDevelopmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMassachusetts state finance authority supporting business development partnerships.
• Roanhorse ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partner providing business development expertise in the partnership network.
• REAL People's FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity-focused funding organization providing restorative capital partnerships.
• Runway RootsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily-focused business support organization in the partnership network.
• SCALEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalifornia Office of the Small Business Advocate initiative supporting small business centers.
• South East Chicago CommissionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChicago regional development organization supporting South East Chicago business growth.
• The Community WebminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity-focused digital platform partner for business support initiatives.
• WEPOWERminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSt. Louis-based organization focused on building economic power in communities of color.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: SCORE is a U.S. nonprofit network providing free business mentoring, workshops, and educational resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners. It is the most direct peer to Uptima in mission and product (workshops + one-on-one advising), though it operates at national scale via volunteers rather than a paid cooperative model.
• Kiva: Kiva is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform providing 0% interest loans to underserved entrepreneurs, paired with borrower education and partner organization support. It shares Uptima's focus on capital access for diverse, low-income entrepreneurs and its partnership model with mission-aligned community organizations.
• DreamSpring: DreamSpring is a nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans and business coaching to underserved entrepreneurs, with a focus on women, minority, and veteran business owners. It is highly comparable to Uptima in target customer, mission, and combined capital-plus-educationservice model.
• Grameen America: Grameen America provides microloans and financial education to women entrepreneurs in underserved U.S. communities. It overlaps with Uptima's customer segment and mission of culturally relevant support for diverse entrepreneurs, though it focuses specifically on microlending rather than the broader consulting and curriculum offerings Uptima provides.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Accion Opportunity Fund is a nonprofit community development financial institution providing small business loans, advisory, and educational resources to underserved entrepreneurs in the U.S. It directly competes with Uptima in serving minority and women-owned small businesses with a combination of capital and advising.

Broad incumbents

• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Centers: MBDA is a U.S. federal agency operating a network of Business Centers providing consulting, capital access, and contracting support to minority business enterprises. The MBDA network is the largest publicly-funded incumbent serving Uptima's exact target customer, and a team member (Marlena Ortiz) is a former MBDA advisor.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC): The U.S. Small Business Administration's SBDC program is a nationwide network of centers providing free business consulting, training, and capital access support to entrepreneurs. SBDCs overlap heavily with Uptima's consulting and workshop offerings, particularly in California, Massachusetts, and Illinois where Uptima operates, and represent the dominant publicly-funded incumbent in the space.

Emerging players

• Justine PETERSEN: Justine PETERSEN is a St. Louis-based CDFI providing small business loans, housing counseling, and business education to underserved micro-entrepreneurs. It overlaps with Uptima in serving minority and underserved business owners with an integrated education and capital-access model.
• Pacific Community Ventures: Pacific Community Ventures is a California-based nonprofit that provides business advising, capital access, and impact research to underinvested small businesses. It is comparable to Uptima's Oakland-based mission and consulting-plus-capital model, and operates in the same California geography.
• Business Cohorts (formerly Fearless Fund / Founders First): Founders First CDC supports diverse, revenue-generating small businesses through capital, coaching, and community programs. It is comparable to Uptima's academy/workshop model and underserved entrepreneur focus, with a national footprint of cohort-based programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/uptimacoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uptimacoop
• Instagraminstagram.com/uptimacoop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative