• Welcome to Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative

    The only cooperative community for and by entrepreneurs

    Ayana Mack Designs
Ayana Mack Designs

Welcome to Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative

The only cooperative community for and by entrepreneurs

Own Your Future

We provide holistic and culturally relevant education, advising and community to support diverse entrepreneurs in creating thriving businesses in service to their communities.

Find out which program is right for your business.

Be Your Own Boss Bootcamp Launch Your Business Bootcamp Entrepreneur 
Academy Pre-Loan
 Advising Growth Advising Retention 
Advising
I like the idea of being an entrepreneur, but I don’t know what business I want to start
I am interested in starting or growing a business
I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
I have experience in the industry that I am starting or growing a business in
I have an idea for the business that I want to start, or I have already started my business
I want to grow my business beyond making a living for myself
I have tested and received feedback on my business idea beyond my friends and family
I have a website and social media presence for my business
My business has been making sales over the last year in the amount of…Between $5,000-$50,000 in the last yearOver $50,000 in the last yearOver $50,000 in the last yearOver $50,000 in the last year
I have received outside funding for my business through pitch competitions, crowdfunding, loans, and/or equity (excluding relief funds)Up to $10,000 of total fundingNot applicableFrom one of our partner organizationsNot applicable
My business is currently at risk of displacement or closure

Not sure where to start?

Match your goal with the program that is right for you!

  1. I like the idea of being an entrepreneur, but I don’t know what business I want to start
  2. I am interested in starting or growing a business
  3. I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
  1. I am interested in starting or growing a business
  2. I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
  3. I have experience in the industry that I am starting or growing a business in
  4. I have an idea for the business that I want to start, or I have already started my business
  5. I want to grow my business beyond making a living for myself
  1. I am interested in starting or growing a business
  2. I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
  3. I have experience in the industry that I am starting or growing a business in
  4. I have an idea for the business that I want to start, or I have already started my business
  5. I want to grow my business beyond making a living for myself
  6. I have tested and received feedback on my business idea beyond my friends and family
  7. I have a website and social media presence for my business
  8. My business has been making sales over the last year in the amount of…
    Between $5,000-$50,000 in the last year
  9. I have received outside funding for my business through pitch competitions, crowdfunding, loans, and/or equity (excluding relief funds)
    Up to $10,000 of total funding
  1. I am interested in starting or growing a business
  2. I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
  3. I have experience in the industry that I am starting or growing a business in
  4. I have an idea for the business that I want to start, or I have already started my business
  5. I want to grow my business beyond making a living for myself
  6. I have tested and received feedback on my business idea beyond my friends and family
  7. I have a website and social media presence for my business
  8. My business has been making sales over the last year in the amount of…
    Over $50,000 in the last year
  1. I am interested in starting or growing a business
  2. I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
  3. I have experience in the industry that I am starting or growing a business in
  4. I have an idea for the business that I want to start, or I have already started my business
  5. I want to grow my business beyond making a living for myself
  6. I have tested and received feedback on my business idea beyond my friends and family
  7. I have a website and social media presence for my business
  8. My business has been making sales over the last year in the amount of…
    Over $50,000 in the last year
  9. I have received outside funding for my business through pitch competitions, crowdfunding, loans, and/or equity (excluding relief funds)
    From one of our partner organizations
  1. I am interested in starting or growing a business
  2. I want my business to create meaningful positive social, environmental, or economic impact in my community
  3. I have experience in the industry that I am starting or growing a business in
  4. I have an idea for the business that I want to start, or I have already started my business
  5. I want to grow my business beyond making a living for myself
  6. I have tested and received feedback on my business idea beyond my friends and family
  7. I have a website and social media presence for my business
  8. My business has been making sales over the last year in the amount of…
    Over $50,000 in the last year
  9. My business is currently at risk of displacement or closure

Uptima’s Impact

725

Entrepreneurs Served

698

Jobs Created

$ 5,730,346

Funding Received by
Businesses We Support

Member Success Stories

TBD

Following Her Passion:
Ariana Marbley

Ariana Marbley founded Esscents of Flowers, an Oakland-based floral business. Through our relationship with The Runway Project and Kiva, Ariana was able to raise $30,000 to create a mobile floral business. Find out how Ariana got started.

A Modern Lemonade Stand:
Vicktor Stevenson

Vicktor Stevenson founded Gourmonade, a San Francisco-based gourmet lemonade business. Vicktor learned the art of bartending in order to apply mixology in creating unique lemonade flavors. Find out how Vicktor to turn his concept into a permanent lemonade stand.

Supporting Black-Owned Businesses: YaVette Holts

YaVette Holts founded the Bay Area Organization of Black-Owned Businesses (BAOBOB), a network for black-owned businesses. Find out how BAOBOB helps businesses and customers be intentional with how they spend their money, keeping dollars circulating within the African-American community.

What members are saying…

It was truly the single most important class that I have ever taken without exaggeration—including my formal academic graduate work. I’ve never before been in a class that so instantaneously established that it was critical to bring your complete self to the table in order to succeed. It is profound, what this “seeing of yourself”, can produce—clarity, confidence, and drive.

Anisha Desai, Radical Ceremony

Uptima Business Bootcamp came into my life right as I needed it. I was in the process of starting a creative business and was for the first time representing people other than myself. In a short time, I’ve been able to wrap my head around fundamental concepts necessary to embark on an endeavor of this magnitude and have found a supportive community of social entrepreneurs looking to do the same thing.

Brian Bergeron, Ivy Hill Entertainment

As someone who has started a few business ventures in the past, including a nonprofit organization and a national consulting practice, being a part of Uptima Business Bootcamp helped take Prof360 to a different level. In a large part, because of Uptima Business Bootcamp Prof360 is being built on a solid foundation that will ensure our ongoing success.

Lesa Hammond, Prof360

It is like getting an MBA in 9 months.  The program offers exceptional curriculum and business tools unavailable to most small business owners.  That combined with the carefully selected, inspiring and supportive business owners makes the program unparalleled to anything currently available.

Meet Our Team

Sherina McKinley
Program Director – Boston

Sherina Mckinley

Wendy Martinez
Business Instructor & Advisor

Wendy Martinez

Cairo Person
Program Director – Oakland

Cairo Person

Fyodor Ovchinnikov
Business Instructor & Advisor

Fyodor Ovchinnikov

Rani Langer-Croager
Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Rani Langer Croager

Nancy Larson
Business Manager

Nancy Larson

Sherri Lowe
Business Instructor & Advisor

Sherri Lowe

Loreal Mallett
Program Director – Chicago

Loreal Mallett

Upcoming Programs

ProgramEnrollment PeriodApplication DeadlineLocations
Entrepreneurship AcademyFall, 20218/6/21Boston, Oakland
Freelancer CourseFall, 20218/27/21Boston, Oakland
Explore Your Idea CourseFall, 20218/27/21Boston, Oakland
Be Your Own Boss CourseFall, 20219/10/21Boston, Oakland
Program Enrollment Period Application Deadline Locations
Small Business Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Chicago
Launch Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Oakland
Small Business Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Chicago
Small Business Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Chicago
Launch Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Oakland
Small Business Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Chicago

Upcoming Courses

Program Enrollment Period Application Deadline Locations
Small Business Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Chicago
Launch Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Oakland
Small Business Academy Spring / Summer, 2024 04/19/2024 Chicago
Small Business Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Boston
Launch Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Chicago
Launch Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Oakland
Small Business Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Chicago
Small Business Academy Fall, 2024 08/02/2024 Oakland

Upcoming Events

Own Your Future