You already have the idea. Let’s build the business.
Empower716 helps young entrepreneurs of color, age 25 and under, in Buffalo and Niagara Falls build a business, pitch it, and earn the investment to grow it.
2027 Development Program applications open October 19 and close November 15. No cost to participate.
Talent is everywhere. Access isn't.
Every neighborhood in Buffalo and Niagara Falls has a young person already in business. Braiding hair on Saturdays. Selling shirts they designed. Selling snacks out of a locker.
Most of them never get the room, the people, or the money to find out what it could become. So the idea stays small. Or it stays in the notes app.
It doesn’t have to.
Four ways in. Find yours.
Applications open October 19
Entrepreneur Development Program
Students in grades 8 through 12
Five months of weekly
coaching, a written business
plan, a pitch in April, and the
opportunity to earn a Business
Investment.
Entrepreneur Recognition
Young entrepreneurs of color, 25 and under, already in business
Recognition at the April 24
celebration and the opportunity
to earn a Business Investment.
Registration opens early 2027
Applications open October 19
Entrepreneur Development Program
Students in grades 8 through 12
Five months of weekly
coaching, a written business
plan, a pitch in April, and the
opportunity to earn a Business
Investment.
Entrepreneur Recognition
Young entrepreneurs of color, 25 and under, already in business
Recognition at the April 24
celebration and the opportunity
to earn a Business Investment.
Registration opens early 2027
Why families trust us
We know what it takes to go from a good idea to a business with a name, a price list, and customers who come back. We also know most young people are never shown how.
Since 2023, Empower716 has recognized more than 40 young entrepreneurs of color and awarded more than $25,000 in stipends, pitch prizes, and business investments. In 2027 we meet in person at The Foundry in Buffalo and Packard Court Community Center in Niagara Falls.
Three steps. That’s it.
1
Find your door.
Pick the pathway that fits, or put forward
someone who fits one.
2
Apply.
3
Build it. Pitch it. Grow it.
Sessions start in January. The pitch is in
April. The network keeps going after that.
What is
Empower716?
The Empower716 Young Entrepreneurs of Color Initiative is a youth entrepreneurship program in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New York, for young entrepreneurs of color age 25 and under.
At the center of it is the Entrepreneur Development Program, a five-month entrepreneurship program for students in grades 8 through 12. Twenty students meet weekly at The Foundry in Buffalo, and twenty meet at Packard Court Community Center in Niagara Falls. They work alongside local business owners, write a business plan, practice their pitch, and deliver it at the Youth Pitch Competition in April. Students who complete the steps have the opportunity to earn a Business Investment for an approved business need, such as equipment, inventory, or a license.
Young people already running a business can be nominated for Entrepreneur Recognition. Honorees are celebrated each April and join the Growth Series & Alumni Network, which keeps going after the program ends.
The Youth Pitch Competition is open to the whole community. It includes a Saturday Pitch Prep Academy on March 20, 2027, and a live pitch contest on April 10, 2027.
Questions parents ask
Does it cost anything?
No. There is no cost to participate.
How much time does the Development Program take?
Tuesdays from 7 to 9 PM, January through May 2027, at both sites.
Where is it?
The Foundry in Buffalo and Packard Court Community Center in Niagara Falls.
Does my child need a business already?
No. An idea and the willingness to show up every week is enough.
What is a Business Investment?
Money for an approved business need, earned by completing the program steps. Think equipment, inventory, or a business license. It is not a cash prize.
What do parents do?
Help with the application, come to family orientation in January, and be the adult we can reach. You are invited to the pitch and the celebration.
Who is in the room with my child?
Experienced facilitators, with at least two adults present at every in-person session in Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
Can I nominate someone?
Yes. Teachers, counselors, coaches, pastors, family members, mentors, and business owners can all nominate. Young people cannot nominate themselves. Nominations open in early 2027.
Who do I contact?
Dr. Clement Kwakye, Program Coordinator: [email protected]