Our Mission
The National Center for Entrepreneurship is an innovative resource network focused on enhancing entrepreneurship education at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and empowering Black entrepreneurs around the country. The National Center enhances the success and growth of Black-owned businesses through providing programming, capital, curriculum, research, and other resources in collaboration with HBCUs and their surrounding communities.
“The vision of the center is to be a catalyst for economic opportunity for HBCU students, HBCU alums and Black entrepreneurs broadly. We will provide catalytic support and really be a resource for the larger community. There are significant barriers to Black entrepreneurship, so when we think about how to solve those problems, who better to do that than HBCUs, because some of our greatest minds and thinkers have come through these institutions and they have created significant change.”
– Erin Horne McKinney, National Executive Director
National Conference: BLACK COMMERCE
“Black Commerce: The Future of Entrepreneurship,” is our annual national conference to empower the next generation of Black entrepreneurs and expand the resources to enhance the capacity of Black-owned businesses. This conference connects and convenes Black entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, HBCU students, scholars, and institutions to collaborate and collectively grow the impact of Black-owned businesses. The conference includes fireside chats, workshops, panel discussions, a resource fair, a fashion show, and an awards gala that all serve to inspire, encourage, empower, and support Black entrepreneurs across the country.
2ND ANNUAL
BLACK COMMERCE CONFERENCE
JUNE 19-22, 2024
GAYLORD NATIONAL RESORT
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD
Regional Centers
The Center is located on Howard University’s campus, but also includes programming at four regional HBCUs, which coordinate programs, research and other community outreach efforts at partner HBCUs across the country. Howard University, Morgan State University, Clark Atlanta University and Texas Southern University, each lead one of the four regions to allow for effective coordination of programs and activities across all HBCUs, including education programs, research strategies and business outreach.
Media
“We are making significant progress on our commitment to support the economic empowerment of Black Americans and low- to moderate-income communities. The five-year grant to create a nationally recognized Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship is a major part of this pledge.”
– Richard Bynum, Chief Corporate Responsibility PNC Financial Services Group
Recent News & Updates
Feature Story in ESSENCE: PNC And Howard University Are Shaping The Future Of Black Entrepreneurship
By Ebony Flake · Updated June 14, 2024 Black-owned businesses are booming. Contributing over $206 billion annually to the economy [...]
Taraji P. Henson Visits Cramton Auditorium for 2023 Bison Boss Summit
WASHINGTON – During a special visit to her Alma Mater on September 21, Academy Award-winning [...]
PNC Foundation Announces $16.8 Million Grant to Support and Develop Black-Owned Businesses
PITTSBURGH and WASHINGTON, D.C. – The PNC Foundation today announced a five-year, $16.8 million [...]
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