National ACE
National ACE is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit chamber of commerce that advocates for and delivers grant, accelerator, coaching, and policy programs to AAPI and other small business owners across the United States, funded by corporate sponsorships and federal grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What National ACE does
National ACE (National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit chamber of commerce founded in 2012 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., operating as the national advocacy and resource organization for Asian American, Pacific Islander, and other small business owners. Its portfolio of programs is delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and includes the AAPISTRONG Small Business Fund and AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund (cumulative grants exceeding $8.1M and 500+ awards), the Capital Readiness Program and Empower Capital Readiness Program (8-week virtual accelerators with multilingual one-on-one coaching), the Restaurant Accelerator in partnership with Grubhub (combining $5,000 grants with virtual accelerator sessions), the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready co-branded $10,000 grant program, regional small business roundtables in markets including Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, Charlotte, Houston, and Atlanta, pitch competitions (Minority Women Lead and Trailblazers: Women Innovators), and ACE NextGen youth programming. The organization also convenes an annual conference (700+ attendees in NYC in 2025, scheduled for Houston in 2026) and maintains formal working relationships with CAPAC, WHIAANHPI, MBDA, SBA, and 40+ congressional offices.
The business model is sponsorship- and grant-funded rather than fee-based: National ACE generates operating revenue through corporate partnerships and event sponsorships with Grubhub, Verizon, Bank of America, AT&T, Wells Fargo, Amazon, McDonald's, Deloitte, and Toyota, alongside federal funding from the Minority Business Development Agency. Grant dollars and program content are passed through to small businesses at no cost. Distribution occurs through a 120+ affiliate chamber network, co-branded corporate channels, regional roundtables, the nationalace.org website (Submittable-powered applications), and direct one-on-one business coaching in multiple languages. Reported cumulative impact metrics include 60,000+ businesses helped, $68M+ in capital raised for 600+ founders, and over $9M invested through the Grubhub partnership since 2021. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on standard web, email, and event infrastructure rather than AI or SaaS systems.
National ACE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- National ACE
- Legal name
- National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship
- Website
- https://nationalace.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- National ACE is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit chamber of commerce that advocates for and delivers grant, accelerator, coaching, and policy programs to AAPI and other small business owners across the United States, funded by corporate sponsorships and federal grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
National ACE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Chamber of Commerce / Small Business Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Partner, Channel & Alliance Summits (THAHAMAC), Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL)
Keywords
Where National ACE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
National ACE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: National ACE generates revenue through corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations with major companies including Grubhub, Verizon, Bank of America, AT&T, McDonald's, Wells Fargo, Amazon, and others who support their programs and events. These partnerships fund grants, accelerators, and roundtables for small businesses.
- Grant Administration and Program Fees: The organization administers grant programs (such as the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund) and accelerator programs. While grants are passed through to small businesses, administrative costs may be covered through program fees or corporate funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free programs and grants for eligible small businesses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
National ACE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
National ACE is a nonprofit chamber of commerce that administers grant programs (AAPISTRONG Small Business Fund, AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund), operates accelerator and coaching programs (Capital Readiness Program, Restaurant Accelerator), hosts regional advocacy roundtables and an annual conference, and conducts federal-level policy advocacy on behalf of AAPI and all small business owners. Its services are delivered free of charge to eligible small business owners, with funding sourced from corporate partnerships and federal grants.
Product overview
National ACE operates as a chamber of commerce organization offering a portfolio of grant programs, accelerator services, and networking initiatives for AAPI and all small business owners. The core offerings include the AAPISTRONG Small Business Fund (grants), Capital Readiness Program (8-week accelerator with coaching), Restaurant Accelerator & Community Fund Grant (restaurant-specific support), Verizon Small Business Digital Ready partnership, Business Coaching, Small Business Roundtables, and youth development through ACE NextGen. These programs are connected through a unified mission to provide capital access, mentorship, and resource connections to entrepreneurs nationwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund: Grant program supporting Asian American, Pacific Islander, and all small business restaurants with funding up to $25,000
- Capital Readiness Program
- ACE NextGen
- ACE Foundation
- Empower Capital Readiness Program
Products and services
- AAPISTRONG Small Business Fund Grant program awarding over 500 grants to AAPI and all small business owners, providing direct financial support for business growth, recovery, and operational needs. Grants are administered through the National ACE program with corporate partner funding.
- Capital Readiness Program 8-week virtual accelerator providing workshops, mentoring, and networking focused on business model refinement, expansion strategies, and improving access to funding. Includes personalized one-on-one business coaching available in multiple languages.
- Restaurant Accelerator & Community Fund Grant Program combining a four-part virtual accelerator with $5,000 Community Fund Grants for eligible small, independent restaurants, in partnership with Grubhub. Focuses on maximizing revenue, building digital presence, and attracting customers through expert-led training.
- Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Partnership program with Verizon offering $10,000 grants to small businesses through Verizon's Small Business Digital Ready platform. Also provides free courses, coaching, and community support to help businesses grow digitally.
- Business Coaching One-on-one business coaching provided directly by National ACE to help small business owners with financial documents, business plans, and funding applications. Available in multiple languages with little to no wait time.
- Small Business Roundtables Regional roundtable series held in various cities across the country (Chicago, Sacramento, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, Newark, NYC) gathering insights on barriers to small business growth and facilitating connections between entrepreneurs, policymakers, and corporate leaders.
- Minority Women Lead Pitch Competition Annual national pitch competition co-hosted with California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce celebrating visionary minority women entrepreneurs. Has awarded $60,000+ to winners since inception with 12,000+ women in attendance across events.
- Trailblazers: Women Innovators Pitch Competition
- ACE NextGen Program focused on fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs and executives within the AAPI community, providing youth development and leadership pathways.
- Empower Capital Readiness Program Multi-state small business development program designed to help growth-stage entrepreneurs and firms strengthen operational capacity and readiness for government contracting and next-phase opportunities, delivered in partnership with the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce.
Quantifiable outcome
- $68M+ in capital raised for over 600 founders
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use National ACE
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
National ACE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
National ACE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- GrubhubflagshipLongstanding partnership providing restaurant grants and accelerator programs. Since 2021, over $9M in grants has been invested directly into small restaurants through the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund. The 2025 Restaurant Accelerator & Community Fund Grant awarded $485,000 to 97 restaurants. Combines financial support ($5,000 grants) with expert-led virtual accelerator sessions covering digital presence, customer acquisition, and operational excellence.
- VerizoncoreVerizon offers $10,000 grants to small businesses through its Small Business Digital Ready program, which also offers free courses, coaching, and community support. National ACE promotes this program to its small business network, helping extend Verizon's reach into AAPI communities.
- AT&TcoreAT&T received Corporate Champion Award in 2025 for multicultural engagement. Hosted Dallas Small Business Roundtable at AT&T Discovery Center. Partnership includes sponsorship of events and programs supporting AAPI entrepreneurs.
- McDonald'scoreMcDonald's is a corporate partner hosting Small Business Roundtables at their headquarters in Chicago. Partnership focuses on advocacy to protect and uplift small business owners. Over 95% of McDonald's restaurants are franchised, operated by small business owners.
- AmazoncoreAmazon participates in National ACE roundtables and programs. Hosted Seattle Small Business Roundtable at Amazon headquarters. Amazon Web Services and retail operations engage with AAPI small businesses through National ACE events.
- DeloittecoreDeloitte is listed as a valued corporate partner, providing expertise and resources for small business programs and initiatives.
- ToyotacoreListed as a valued corporate partner supporting National ACE programs and initiatives.
- California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (CalAsian)flagshipLongstanding partnership with CalAsian Chamber for joint programs including Minority Women Lead pitch competition, Sacramento roundtables, and Empower Program administration. CalAsian is the largest statewide ethnic chamber in California with 754,000+ AAPI-owned businesses.
- The OutpostcoreStrategic partner in driving the East Coast Hub (Capital Readiness Program) to empower socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Hosted inaugural East Coast Hub Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Alexandria, VA. Partnership provides workshops, mentoring, and networking focusing on business model refinement and access to funding.
- Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest (FCCPNW)coreCo-hosted Small Business Roundtable at Amazon's Seattle headquarters focusing on accelerating business growth and trade opportunities.
- Asian Chamber of Commerce HoustoncorePartnered for Houston Small Business Roundtable focused on trade, growth, and opportunity. Hosted at Port Houston.
- Carolinas AAPI Business Alliance (CABA)coreCo-hosted Small Business Roundtable at Wells Fargo's Charlotte offices focused on economic growth, capital access, and innovation.
- Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC)coreCo-hosted Small Business Roundtable with CABA and National ACE at Wells Fargo's Corporate Offices in Charlotte.
- New Jersey Chinese American Chamber of Commerce (NJCACC)corePartnered for Small Business Roundtable in Newark, NJ focused on strengthening local small businesses. NJCACC plays key role in helping immigrant-founded and minority-owned businesses scale and connect.
- Natural Allies for a Clean Energy FuturecorePartnership to present 'Powering Prosperity: Why Energy Literacy Matters for Small Business' sessions at National ACE Conference, exploring how energy choices impact small business costs and resilience.
- Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW)coreCo-hosted Small Business Leadership Roundtable in Atlanta focused on AI innovation, digital access, and access to capital. Partnership brings together goal-oriented, motivated business women leaders.
- Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Project (WEOP)coreCo-hosted Small Business Leadership Roundtable with CAPAW and National ACE in Atlanta, advancing economic empowerment for women through education and community initiatives.
- White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI)flagshipOngoing collaboration with WHIAANHPI to advance key issues affecting AANHPI communities. National ACE has built productive relationship with the Initiative under multiple administrations.
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)flagshipFormal working relationship with CAPAC leadership (Chair Rep. Grace Meng, First Vice-Chair Rep. Mark Takano, etc.) for advocacy and policy work supporting AAPI communities and small businesses.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
National ACE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives): National nonprofit providing free business mentoring, workshops, and resources to small business owners. Comparable in small business coaching and capacity-building services delivered to entrepreneurs, with similar free-program economics and volunteer-driven model.
- Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): Federal agency that funds Capital Readiness Programs at National ACE and other minority business intermediaries. Functions as a key funding partner and ecosystem counterpart rather than a direct competitor, but shapes the policy and grant environment in which National ACE operates.
- National Women's Business Council: Federal advisory body that overlaps with National ACE's Minority Women Lead and Trailblazers pitch competitions. Comparable in policy advocacy and research focus on an underserved business segment, and a natural partner or model for cross-segment programming.
Broad incumbents
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The dominant U.S. business association, providing a benchmark for chamber-of-commerce scale, advocacy infrastructure, and corporate partner monetization. Operates at vastly greater scale and breadth, and overlaps only on national small business policy issues.
- U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC): The national Hispanic business chamber, operating a parallel model of affiliate local chambers, corporate partnerships, advocacy, and capacity-building programs. A comparable peer for benchmarking scale, federal advocacy approach, and corporate sponsorship strategy, but serving a different demographic segment.
- National Black Chamber of Commerce: National minority business chamber running a similar affiliate-network and advocacy model for Black-owned businesses, with comparable corporate partner set and federal engagement—useful as a structural peer for chamber-of-commerce economics and policy-advocacy mechanics.
Direct peers
- U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC): The largest direct national peer: a nonprofit AAPI business membership organization that runs education, certification, and procurement-matchmaking programs for AAPI-owned firms, and convenes a major annual business summit—closely overlapping National ACE's mission, programs, and corporate partner set.
- California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (CalAsian): National ACE's flagship partner and the largest statewide AAPI chamber, serving 754,000+ AAPI-owned businesses in California. Co-administers the Empower Capital Readiness Program and the Minority Women Lead pitch competition, making it both an ally and the most natural alternative network for the same constituency.
Regional players
- Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC): Northeast-focused AAPI business development organization running supplier diversity summits, leadership awards, and capacity-building programs. Comparable in mission and programming mix, but primarily regional and event-led rather than a national chamber network.
- Asian Business Association (ABA): A Southern California-based Asian American business association providing networking, advocacy, and supplier diversity programming. A relevant regional peer for the AAPI business chamber model, but does not operate nationally like National ACE.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
National ACE social profiles
Digital presenceNational ACE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
National ACE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
National ACE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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National ACE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about National ACE
What does National ACE do?
National ACE is a nonprofit chamber of commerce that administers grant programs (AAPISTRONG Small Business Fund, AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund), operates accelerator and coaching programs (Capital Readiness Program, Restaurant Accelerator), hosts regional advocacy roundtables and an annual conference, and conducts federal-level policy advocacy on behalf of AAPI and all small business owners. Its services are delivered free of charge to eligible small business owners, with funding sourced from corporate partnerships and federal grants.
Is National ACE a public or private company?
National ACE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was National ACE founded?
National ACE was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is National ACE based?
National ACE is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does National ACE make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are grant Administration and Program Fees.
Who are National ACE's main competitors?
Others on record are SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and National Women's Business Council. Broad incumbents are U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) and National Black Chamber of Commerce. Direct peers are U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) and California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (CalAsian). Regional players are Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC) and Asian Business Association (ABA).
Does National ACE have an API?
No public API is recorded for National ACE.
What industry is National ACE in?
National ACE's product category is Chamber of Commerce / Small Business Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAC, Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking, with a secondary code of MPAGAGAK, Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.