We are driving economic activity to attract and retain businesses and talent to support a more inclusive economy for all residents.

The goal is to create a cluster of resident-owned businesses that are connected to and profiting from the region’s prosperity. We do this by partnering with organizations and academic institutions to bring start-up and scale-up opportunities for small businesses and local entrepreneurs, especially young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color.

We are intentionally attracting and connecting the assets and resources of the region to Diamond businesses, focusing on building pathways for upward mobility within growing industries.

Through partnerships with academic institutions and community organizations, we are creating systemic changes that provide increased opportunities for local residents who have been largely left out of the economic growth and prosperity seen elsewhere in the city, thereby transforming lives and place.

*For information on the Jacobs Center’s Local Economy program, email Bennett Peji at bpeji@jacobscenter.org.