Applications are now open for the Fall 2026 CDI Community-Based Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (CETA) Accelerator
Community Development Investors (CDI) in partnership with Zelle is launching an intensive 12-week CETA Accelerator for students and mid-career professionals designed to prepare aspiring entrepreneurs to acquire, operate, and grow existing small businesses while creating lasting economic opportunity for workers and communities.
Participants will move through the full acquisition journey and combine practical instruction with hands-on coaching and support for participants interested in pursuing real acquisition opportunities.
Applications are currently being accepted until September 14th
Archie Jones, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and CEO of NxGen COACH Network
The Accelerator will be led by Archie L. Jones, Jr., Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and Chief Executive Officer of NxGen COACH Network. The program will include direct engagement with experienced searchers, business owners, lenders, investors, and other professionals across the ETA ecosystem.
Participants who are actively searching can bring businesses they are evaluating and real transaction challenges into Accelerator sessions for guidance, feedback, and coaching. Throughout the program, Archie will provide real-world perspectives on acquisition opportunities and transactions.
The Accelerator will be primarily virtual, with live sessions conducted via Zoom and select in-person meetings or events. Participants should expect to actively participate in live sessions, complete assignments between sessions, engage in mentoring activities, and complete a final project or presentation.
Whether you are exploring ETA for the first time or already evaluating a potential acquisition, the Accelerator is designed to help you move from learning about business ownership to pursuing it.
Applications are currently being accepted until September 14th
Who Should Apply
All participants must commit to the principles of Community-Based Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (CETA) by incorporating community development into their long-term business ownership approach, including creating quality jobs, investing in employees, supporting local organizations, engaging in civic life, and contributing to the long-term prosperity of the communities they serve.
Applicants must also meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
Option 1: Be an undergraduate business student, MBA candidate or mid-career professional from a low-income or low-wealth background; or
Option 2: Be an undergraduate business student, MBA candidate or mid-career professional who does not meet the low-income or low-wealth criteria but demonstrates a commitment to acquiring, operating, and growing a business that serves and strengthens a low-income community.
To ensure that the accelerator remains focused on expanding access to business ownership, CDI is committed to selecting at least 60 percent of each cohort from Option 1. The remaining participants may be selected from either eligibility pathway based on the strength of their application, commitment to CETA, and potential to create lasting economic opportunity in underserved communities.
The Fall 2026 CETA Accelerator is made possible with sponsorship from Zelle.
Questions? Contact info@cdinvestors.org.