ELEVATE Cohort VI marks the sixth graduating class of The Coalition’s Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs (ELEVATE) program, an executive education initiative developed in partnership with the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
Through an intensive, applied curriculum, Cohort VI brought together a diverse group of DC-area small business owners committed to strengthening their leadership capacity, expanding operational strategy, and positioning their businesses for long-term growth. Specifically designed to ignite, empower, and support the next generation of local entrepreneurial leaders, Cohort VI focused on building the foundational strengths of emergent small businesses and their owners, working to transition them from survival mode to a place of growth and profitability.
ELEVATE is uniquely positioned as the only university-backed executive education program for small businesses in the District, offering participants access to faculty-led instruction through the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) and applied business frameworks grounded in real-world implementation. The program is designed to help entrepreneurs strengthen organizational strategy, identify new market opportunities, and scale their businesses within both public and private sector ecosystems.
Cohort VI continues ELEVATE’s broader mission to equip local business owners with the tools needed to grow revenue, create jobs, and contribute meaningfully to the regional economy.
The graduation of Cohort VI was marked by a culminating ceremony that brought together participants, faculty, partners, and funders in celebration of their achievements. Speakers from across the ELEVATE ecosystem reflected on the importance of investing in entrepreneurial leadership and strengthening pathways to capital, growth, and long-term business success.
