Adidas Community Lab is looking for social impact entrepreneurs for the latest installment of its accelerator program. Applications are open online.
The program is focused on entrepreneurs working in the areas of equitable access to sports, health and wellness. Last year, the program worked with eight Black and Latina women. This year, the accelerator will work with another eight entrepreneurs.
Adidas has invested $1 million into the program. This includes $75,000 to each social enterprise plus training, workshops and travel stipends, said Ayesha Martin, senior director for Adidas Purpose.
“We are excited to deepen connections with social entrepreneurs in Portland and continue to build an ecosystem of change that removes barriers faced by them and the communities we collectively serve, to accessing sport,” Martin said. “This is our second year of this program, which will continue to grow in years to come.”
The program has virtual and in-person components including access to facilities within Adidas Village, the German company’s North American headquarters. The accelerator program is tailored to the participants. In addition to the funding, participants receive access to industry experts, mentors and workshops. They also have access to Adidas’ broader network.
This is the first time the program is being offered in Portland. Last year the program focused on New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta.
"Our ambition is to continue growing and expanding the Adidas Community Lab offer to sustain the PDX chapter, add a youth track and continue to build a key city track that offers opportunities to social entrepreneur across the U.S.," Martin said.
The application deadline is Aug. 28. Here’s the requirements for the nine-month program:
- Founders are based in the Portland metro
- Founders are creating equitable access to sports in their community
- Founders are Black or Latino/a/e and focused on social impact
Adidas Community Lab partners with the global group Impact Hub, which supports social impact entrepreneurs with community and education resources. Once founders complete the accelerator they are part of the global Impact Hub network.
Education support for Adidas Community Lab also comes from Industry Education.
Adidas Community Lab started last year under the name Cultivate & BLOOM It was created to support entrepreneurs of color and remove opportunity gaps.
