The Community College of Baltimore County is launching a new small business accelerator program geared toward companies based in Randallstown, starting in January 2026. The CCBC Center for Business Innovation and Trades’ Growth Lab Accelerator Program will offer participants six months of business support, including 12 interactive sessions focused on topics such as financial health, marketing strategy, leadership, operations and technology.
Business owners will also receive one-on-one business coaching and networking opportunities, as well as seed funding of up to $5,000. The program is funded by CCBC’s partners the Philip E. & Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, Wells Fargo and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship’s Everyday Entrepreneur Program.
Interested parties can learn more in a general information session at CCBC Randallstown on Nov. 5, 6-7:30 p.m. We ask that you please RSVP to attend in-person or virtually. Applications are due Dec. 1, after which a panel of CCBC faculty and community leaders will select the top applicants to participate in the program. The chosen companies will spend their six-month session developing an actionable growth plan before a final pitch competition and graduation ceremony on June 18.
CCBC’s Growth Lab Accelerator Program provides hands-on support to help established small businesses identify barriers, pursue growth opportunities and execute strategies for long-term success in targeted communities. Participants engage in class sessions, coaching and mentorship designed to enhance business operations, marketing and financial management, while also developing a personalized growth plan to guide their next steps. The inaugural cohort focuses on Randallstown-based businesses, with plans to expand to additional communities in the future.
Learn more about CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation and Trades by emailing Delise White at dwhite5@ccbcmd.edu.
Since 1957, CCBC has opened the doors to accessible, affordable, high-quality education empowering generations of area residents to transform their lives and the lives of others. Each year, over 50,000 students enroll at the college’s main campuses, extension centers and online to make their starts, earn degrees, launch and build careers. CCBC offers the region’s most expansive selection of degree, certificate and workplace certification programs that prepare students for transfer, job entry and career advancement in such industries as business, education, health care, information technology, cybersecurity, construction, and transportation. Designated as the “Best Community College” among the Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Reader Rankings, CCBC is also nationally recognized as a leader in innovative learning strategies and among the nation’s top associate degree producers.