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Aspire Incubator 2025 - Program Application

Welcome to Aspire Incubator 2025!

ABOUT ASPIRE INCUBATOR 

The Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) is excited to announce that we will be accepting applications for the Aspire Incubator 2025 Program, starting December 23, 2024.

The Aspire Incubator Program is a cohort-based training program for up to 20 DC-residents who are returning citizens and justice-involved starting or growing a DC-based business. The Aspire Incubator Program is an opportunity for participants to grow a DC-based microbusinesses within a community of support and receive stipends for completing various business development milestones for up to $5,000 in direct stipends. This will include completing planning, regulatory, marketing, finance, and public speaking milestones. Microbusinesses accepted into this competitive program will receive business development training and support in the following areas:

  • Regulatory Set Up and Compliance
  • Business Pitch & Showcase
  • Financial Projections and Financial Management
  • Marketing & Branding
  • Peer Mentorship

Program eligible microbusinesses and entrepreneurs must be DC-residents operating or seeking to start a DC-based business. This program is only for For-Profit businesses. Applicants and program participants must be the majority business owner. Multiple participants per business are not accepted. Participants in the 2024 Aspire Incubator Program who received a pitch award and/or selected participants for the 2024 Dream Pitch Program are not eligible to participate in Aspire Incubator this year.

See the entire 2025 Aspire Incubator Program Official Rules available for download on the DSLBD website at https://dslbd.dc.gov/weaspire.

Applicants are encouraged to read the Official Rules entirely before applying.

PROUD TO SUPPORT RETURNING CITIZENS AND THOSE JUSTICE-INVOLVED THAT ARE DC RESIDENTS

DSLBD is proud to support returning citizens and justice-involved DC residents starting and/or growing their own DC-based businesses. A returning citizen is defined as someone who has been released from a correctional facility; or who has a criminal record but was not recently incarcerated. A justice-involved individual is a person who has spent time (incarcerated), in jails, youth correctional facility, detention center, or prison OR a person that is currently serving a sentence in jail (i.e. weekender), or under community supervision, such as a parole or probation.

Please note: Participation in the Aspire Incubator program is a public declaration of reentry and/or justice-involved status. We understand that not everyone who is justice-involved is comfortable with sharing their status publicly.

If you are not comfortable, you may prefer to not participate in the Aspire Incubator program and may reach out to DSLBD for referrals to alternative business development support.

Reach out to Inno.ED@dc.gov if you are seeking other support.
HOW TO USE THIS APPLICATION SYSTEM

The Alchemer system is a survey application system DSLBD is using to collect applications for Aspire Incubator 2025. Please only complete and submit one (1) application. 
  • Save and return. 
    The system includes an option to save your application and return to it before you submit. Once you start on page 2 of the system, you will see the option to create a log in and save at the top of the screen.
  • Editing a submitted application.
    For applicants who submit prior to a pre-eligibility review deadline as listed in the program     2025 Aspire Incubator Program Official Rules, the option to edit a submitted application will be possible through the confirmation of submission email. Applicants with required corrections to be eligible will be sent a reminder of the instructions provided on the submission confirmation email.
  • Submitting multiple applications. Applicants should only submit one application. Per the program Official Rules, DSLBD will reject all but the most recent submitted application if an applicant submits multiple applications.
QUESTIONS ABOUT ASPIRE INCUBATOR

Per the Official Rules or the 2025 Aspire Incubator, DSLBD will hold live Q & A sessions providing applicants an opportunity to ask questions. All questions must be asked during an information session or submitted in writing to Inno.ED@dc.gov.

Applicants can register for information sessions at: Aspire Incubator 2025: Information and Q & A Sessions
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