Why 1863?

Programs
Focus on fundamentals of building a scalable brand.

"We arm you with the process & systems you need to succeed"

Melissa Bradley

Founder
‍1863 Ventures

Participants receive free, non-dilutive instruction from industry experts on a wide variety of topics framed around key best practices, systems & processes.

After instruction, participants apply their learnings in real-time to their business. After each program, they receive one-on-one support from both the 1863 team and Brain Trust in order to refine their strategy and implementation.

Rebuild your brand post COVID.

For brands of all types and stages

An online program to help you reevaluate your business models and execute with a clear roadmap. ($5000 in grants available)

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Improve your operations via process.

B2C brands w/ annual revenue of $100K or more

Prioritizes process while facilitating partnerships with distributors to help qualified firms reach critical velocity faster to raise capital sooner.

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Higher growth, less effort

B2B brand w/ annual revenue of $1m or more

Supports brands seeking rapid growth or scale within 6-12 months of graduation and have at least two years of market traction.

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Core to our programs is improving operational efficiency, reducing execution risk and catalyzing growth through our rigorously developed, process based curriculum.

This curriculum is composed of six key areas of focus. Marketing, Sales, Fundraising, Finance & Accounting, Product, and Operations.

Make your product sell itself.

Brands are built on authenticity and trust. At the core of an essential brand is a strong value proposition. We help you distill what you offer into what makes you unique.

Build and maintain relationships with high-ticket customers.

A strong sales strategy helps you target the right customers at scale. We work with you to develop a repeatable and data-driven approach to close more deals faster.

How to approach and manage investor & lender relationships.

Fundraising should be a means to an end for your business, not a signal of success. We help you understand how to create value within your company so you can attract the right capital to get you to the next milestone.

Ensure your business has the capital to not only survive but thrive.

We get it, excel spreadsheets and financial models can be intimidating. We empower you to project the performance of your business using historical financial data & research-based assumptions.

Build the right products for the right customer segments.

To tackle large market opportunities, you must start with those initial adopters. Using customer discovery, you'll understand what markets and segments have the highest need for your product.

Manage your team like the pros.

A business is made of many moving parts. Each business function should contribute to your overall business goals. We help you transition from doer to leader so you have clarity on the road ahead and confidence to execute on your mission.

Program Curriculum

Comprehensive approach to brand development.

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In addition to rigorous process development and management, all 1863 program participants gain access to our Brain Trust of experts across multiple sectors and disciplines.

Members
Don't take our word for it. Meet the dope teams whose lives we've touched.

Black girl-centric anime brand. Currently being developed for TV & movies via 1863 partnership with Madison Wells.

Jacque Amadi

CEO of Chigami Studios
& Adorned by Chi

We have programs designed to support brands in any sector or industry. Each is specifically crafted to launch participating brands to the next stage of entrepreneurial success.

Whether you're at the growth stage, and are preparing to scale existing systems and operations, or if your pre-growth and looking to establish those long overdue processes in the first place, we've got you. Here are a few of the brands we've worked with so far.

Federal Contractors, Inc. is an electrical, plumbing & architecture firm with a record of expertise and experience in renovation projects. FCI has successfully completed contracts with the Social Security Administration, U. S. Dept of Labor, National Park Service and U. S. Dept of Agriculture.

Founded in 2014 by travel and lifestyle expert Teri Johnson, the Harlem Candle Company is the manifestation of her love affair with fragrance, jazz, and Harlem. They've been declared by publications such as Cosmopolitan, The Today Show, Glamour and Essence as a brand to watch.

Naa-Sakle Akuete, CEO of Eu’Genia Shea & Naasakle International LLC, produces a line of high-quality shea butters and advises governments and NGOs about shea butter standards, fair trade, and sustainability.

NUEKIE is the brainchild of founder & Chief Chemist, Eunice N. Cofie and a member of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial program. She leverages ACTUAL science to create skincare products that give your melanated skin the love it deserves.

From occupancy monitoring to contact tracing, SAMS improves operations and enhances customer experience through technology. Staci Redmon, is trusted by clients such as Dell, Booz Allen Hamilton, IBM, Navy Mutual, Army National Guard, Dept of Homeland Security & Dept of Veterans Affairs.

STAR Enterprises, helmed by Naoimi Brown, is a professional staffing solution that works diligently to accommodate the scheduling & budgetary needs of all their clients such as Marriott, Smithsonian, Wework & Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Kunbi Tinuoye founded UrbanGeekz, a groundbreaking digital news platform focused on technology, science, and business. It focuses on the African American, Latino, and multicultural markets, spotlighting women innovators.

Fashionista, Genevieve Gralton, created Underbares. A lingerie brand that truly understands that women want to feel both comfortable and beautiful in their own skin. Heralded by Vogue & Refinery29 as one of the most comfortable lingerie brands around.

The People Behind the Data

Behind each set of numbers is a compelling New Majority story of accomplishment in spite of intense adversity.

$125M

Service-based

$60M

Retail

$15M

SaaS/Tech Enabled

$2M

In equity investments

$930K

In non-dilutive funding

$602K

In debt financing

The Partners
Growth doesn’t have to come at the cost of equity.

"1863 continues to develop amazing New Majority flow opportunities."

Aerica Shimizu Banks

Angel Investor

Our objective is to improve the state of innovation & entrepreneurship for both New Majority founders and ecosystem builders alike.

Whether you're a corporate brand, non-profit, venture capitalist, or something in between, we have a variety of both pre-packaged and custom services that can be rapidly deployed nation-wide.

Partnership Options

Solution Partners

Support our teams with your products & services.

Join the likes of M&T, Facebook and Amazon.

Brand Pipeline

Pre-vetted New Majority brands.

Access brands in the 1863 network or part of the broader national ecosystem.

Custom Programs

Vertical specific or agnostic accelerators.

Programs in any location with a focus on any industry.

Brand Activations

Establish your brand in local communities.

From online promotion to large in-person gatherings.

Pitch Competitions

Vertical specific or agnostic competitions.

Discover the leading innovators of tomorrow.

We pride ourselves on delivering meaningful & measurable outcomes for partners in all industries and sizes. Meet some of the amazing brands we've worked with and the outcomes we've produced.