CEED to Success delivers financial readiness, business training and local partnerships through a community college-led model.
Baker Hill, a leading fintech company providing cloud-based loan origination and risk management software, and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) have launched CEED to Success, a national pilot program designed to empower underserved entrepreneurs — including veteran-, women- and minority-owned businesses — with the business acumen, financial readiness and local connections they need to secure funding and grow.
Rooted in Baker Hill’s Community Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development (CEED) framework, which affirms that “when entrepreneurs are ready, entire communities rise” — this initiative brings together education, entrepreneurship and financial institutions to strengthen local economic ecosystems.
“CEED to Success isn’t just a program — it’s a catalyst for systemic change,” said Dirk Soma, director, CEED at Baker Hill. “By working alongside NACCE and aligning education, entrepreneurship and local partnerships, we’re building resilient ecosystems where underserved entrepreneurs don’t just start businesses; they drive lasting, community-centered impact.”
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The CEED to Success pilot leverages NACCE’s nationwide network of community and technical colleges to provide training, mentorship, and direct access to local partners. Participants will gain support through local workshops, BAIL (Banking, Accounting, Insurance, Legal) teams, pitch-readiness training, peer cohorts, and alumni engagement. They will also benefit from established NACCE programs like STRIVE (Startup Training Resources to Inspire Veteran Entrepreneurship), which supports transitioning service members in launching and scaling businesses.
“This initiative reflects NACCE’s mission to empower colleges to ignite entrepreneurial thinking, strengthen workforce ecosystems, and create pathways to prosperity,” said Dr. Rebecca A. Corbin, president and CEO, NACCE. “Together with Baker Hill, we’re helping entrepreneurs not only dream, but also build the financial capacity and confidence to scale their businesses and strengthen communities.”
Twenty select community colleges across the country will participate in the pilot, hosting entrepreneur cohorts and connecting participants to banks, credit unions and local stakeholders. The program will track outcomes such as training completion, capital access, job creation and long-term business sustainability.
This partnership advances Baker Hill’s commitment to powering economic growth through inclusive entrepreneurship and reinforces NACCE’s national impact in fostering innovation and opportunity through higher education.
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