Entrepreneurs Academy

What Entrepreneurs Academy does

Entrepreneurs Academy is an Illinois-registered 501-C3 nonprofit founded in 1996 that delivers entrepreneurial training and support services to underserved communities of color, justice-impacted individuals, and military veterans in the Chicago metropolitan area. Its program portfolio centers on the FLEET (Fast Launch Entrepreneurial Education & Training) 12-week signature program, supplemented by specialized skills courses in drone operation (Drones I & II, FAA Part 107 prep), urban farming and hydroponics, mental health wellness, cooking for wellness, and master class workshops. Programs are priced modestly — FLEET at $1,495 per semester, Drones at $495, Urban Farming at $295 — with extensive scholarships covering Illinois Veterans, Justice-Impacted individuals, and R3-zone residents. Free offerings include master class workshops, mental health sessions, and one-on-one counseling.

The organization operates a hybrid in-person and virtual delivery model across multiple Chicago locations (4950 W Thomas Street headquarters, 1150 N Lamon Westside, 208 E 61st Southside) and Harvey Public Library, using MS Teams and Kajabi as standard technology platforms. It does not build proprietary technology; its core intellectual property is a co-authored accredited maker literacy curriculum with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Funding comes predominantly from state and city government grants — Illinois Department of Human Services ($3.2M), ICJIA ($654K annually, renewed at $400K), and City of Chicago ($546K) — supplemented by individual donations processed via Donorbox and PayPal, and program tuition.

The business model combines a nonprofit grant-funded base with earned revenue from tuition and corporate/banking partnerships that provide capital-access pathways for graduates (CIBC Bank guaranteed loans, Chase SBA financing up to $5M). CEO and founder Philip Fairweather, an Air Force Veteran and patented inventor, leads a lean team of approximately 7 employees supported by a board including former Motorola controller Dee Peart, former Museum of Science and Industry VP Rabiah Mayas, and international business advisor Laura Ortega Lamela. The organization reports cumulative outcomes of 1,250 businesses launched, 3,700 entrepreneurs trained, 8,000 jobs created, and $200 million in business revenue generated by its alumni since 1996.

Name

Entrepreneurs Academy

Legal name

Entrepreneurs Academy

Website

https://entrepreneursacademy.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Entrepreneurs Academy is a Chicago-based 501-C3 nonprofit, founded in 1996, that delivers entrepreneurship training and holistic support services — including its flagship FLEET 12-week program, drone certification, and urban farming courses — to underserved communities of color, veterans, and justice-impacted individuals across the Chicago metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Entrepreneurship Education and Workforce Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Small business education
• Workforce development services
• Nonprofit community development
• Cohort-based business coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Tuition-based revenue from educational programs including FLEET (12-week program at $1495), Drones I & II ($495 per 6-week semester), and Urban Farming ($295). Discounted rates available for veterans and justice-impacted individuals.
2. Donations and Grants: Nonprofit funding from government grants (ICJIA $654K per year, Illinois Department of Human Services $3.2M) and private donations to support free and subsidized programming for underserved communities.
3. Scholarship Funding: Funded scholarships for veterans, justice-impacted individuals, and R3 zone residents covering full program costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Entrepreneurs Academy delivers cohort-based and workshop-format entrepreneurship training programs for aspiring and existing business owners in Chicago's underserved communities, anchored by the multi-week FLEET program and supplemented by shorter courses in drone technology, urban farming, wellness, and business fundamentals, with mentorship and 1-on-1 counseling layered on top.

Product overview

Entrepreneurs Academy is a nonprofit educational organization that offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services designed to support entrepreneurs in underserved communities of color. Its core offerings include the FLEET (Fast Launch Entrepreneurial Education & Training) 12-week program as the flagship signature program, supplemented by specialized technical skills programs covering Drone Training (Drones I, II & III), Urban Farming & Hydroponics, Cooking for Wellness, and Mental Health Wellness Workshops. Additional services include Master Class Workshops, the Business Foundation Bootcamp, The Pulse Workshop Series, an EA Mentorship Program with one-on-one sessions, and free 1 on 1 Counseling. The organization also provides entrepreneurial support services including innovation retreats, skill-building workshops, and community business development. Programs are delivered in-person at Chicago locations and virtually via MS Teams, with some content hosted on the Kajabi platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FLEET entrepreneurship program Multi-week cohort program delivering structured entrepreneurship and small-business fundamentals to aspiring and existing business owners in Chicago's underserved communities.
• Drones I & II Two-level drone technology training program teaching participants how to operate drones and apply the skill toward a small-business or technical pathway.
• Urban Farming program Training program teaching urban farming practices and how they can be translated into a small business or community enterprise.
• Mental Health Wellness program Mental-health education and support program that complements the entrepreneurship curriculum and helps participants sustain progress in their business journey.
• Cooking for Wellness program Hands-on culinary program combining cooking skills with wellness concepts, often paired with entrepreneurship training for micro-enterprise or personal development.
• Master Class Workshops Short-form, topic-specific workshop sessions covering advanced or specialized business and personal-development themes for entrepreneurs.
• Business Foundation Bootcamp Intensive bootcamp covering the core business fundamentals (planning, finance, operations) for entrepreneurs who are starting or formalizing a venture.
• EA Mentorship program Structured mentorship service pairing program participants with experienced mentors to guide them through launching and growing a small business.
• 1-on-1 Counseling Personalized one-on-one counseling sessions addressing individual business, personal, or wellness needs of program participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,250 businesses launched nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Museum of Science and Industry, ChicagosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting STEM education and science literacy initiatives in Chicago communities.
• Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner serving Puerto Rican and Latino communities in Chicago through collaborative programming.
• Chicago Park DistrictsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Building Wealth & Wellness Festival and provider of programming locations for community events.
• City Colleges of ChicagosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting workforce development and entrepreneurial education programming.
• Housing Authority of Cook CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing authority partner providing programming access to public housing residents and supporting economic development initiatives.
• Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and InnovationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Chicago affiliate providing entrepreneurship resources, mentorship connections, and expertise.
• LivePlansupportingTechnology or IntegrationBusiness planning software partner providing planning tools for entrepreneur training programs.
• New Life Knew SolutionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health partner providing complimentary support services to program students through wellness consult referrals.
• Hatch ChicagosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation and startup support organization in Chicago ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free business mentoring, workshops, and education to entrepreneurs. Comparable in being a nonprofit business education provider offering free/low-cost training, but with much broader national reach and a volunteer-driven model.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving workforce and economic mobility initiatives for underserved populations. Comparable in addressing systemic barriers to entrepreneurship and employment for low-income communities, with significant government funding.
• Chicago Urban League: Long-standing Chicago-based nonprofit serving underserved Black and Brown communities with workforce development, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment programs. Directly comparable given shared geography, mission, and EA's prior history developing programming for Chicago Urban League.
• Accion: National nonprofit focused on small business lending and entrepreneurship support for underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable in mission (capital + training for underserved founders) and in being a nonprofit that pairs financial services with education.

Direct peers

• Women's Business Development Center (WBDC): Chicago-headquartered nonprofit providing entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and capital access to underserved entrepreneurs. Closely comparable in target market, business model (nonprofit training provider), and use of grant and corporate funding.
• Start Small Think Big: Nonprofit providing free business development services to under-resourced entrepreneurs. Comparable in mission, free delivery model, and reliance on corporate and grant funding, though geographically focused on major coastal cities.
• Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: University of Chicago affiliate providing entrepreneurship resources, mentorship, and training. EA partners with Polsky, and they are comparable in providing entrepreneurship programming and access to capital for underrepresented founders in Chicago.

Regional players

• LiftFund: Nonprofit small business lender providing microloans and training to underserved entrepreneurs, primarily in Texas and the South. Comparable in pairing capital access with entrepreneurship training for minority and low-income founders.

Emerging players

• City Colleges of Chicago - Entrepreneurship Programs: Community college system offering workforce and entrepreneurship training to Chicago residents. EA partners with City Colleges, and they are comparable in providing accessible entrepreneurship education to underserved students in Chicago.
• 1947 (Startup94): Nonprofit providing entrepreneurship training and mentorship to underserved founders, particularly in immigrant and minority communities. Comparable in nonprofit model and target underserved founders, though with a different curriculum approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eacademynet
• Facebookfacebook.com/EntrepreneursAcademyNet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/entrepreneurs-academy-net
• Instagraminstagram.com/entrepreneursacademynet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Entrepreneurs Academy