North Carolina A&T State University will host the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Women of Color (WOC) Incubator, offering a supportive platform for aspiring student entrepreneurs. The incubator will consist of six virtual evening sessions starting on Wednesday, September 18, and will conclude with an in-person pitch competition on Wednesday, October 30, in the Deese Ballroom at the Student Center. Each virtual session will run from 5 to 7 p.m., with the final pitch competition from 5 to 8 p.m.

The program is open to women of color students and recent graduates of N.C. A&T from various academic disciplines, provided they have an idea or an early-stage entrepreneurial venture. The cohort will include 30 to 60 participants.

The WOC Incubator, WBENC’s flagship initiative, has consistently provided valuable opportunities for young entrepreneurs at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Participants will gain skills in idea development, prototype creation, financial principles, and pitch presentation. This year, the program introduces mentor office hours and one-on-one support for the participants.

The incubator will award seed funding to three participants at the conclusion of the pitch competition, with the Pitch Competition Award offering $5,000, the Business Innovation Award $3,000, and the Audience Choice Award $1,000. The winner will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2025 WBENC National Conference in New Orleans.

In 2023, the WOC Incubator awarded $44,000 in seed funding to 22 recipients and provided two summer internships. Since its inception in 2021, the program has granted $85,500 to 48 recipients, along with four paid internships.

Following the incubator, participants will have access to continued support through WBENC’s NextGen, the Collegiate Accelerator Program, and the Women of Color Program, ensuring sustained engagement and growth opportunities.