What We Believe

ICA’s mission is to build sustainable and responsible inner city businesses that create quality jobs, reinvest in the community and contribute to the local economy. ICA provides a model for growing businesses and building communities by offering strategic advice, practical entrepreneurial education and access to key networks, resources, and capital that launch businesses to success. Building on the initiative and research of Harvard Business School Professor, Michael E. Porter, ICA strives to develop competitive and sustainable companies that have long-term impact on inner city communities.

History

ICA started over ten years ago in Oakland, California, as an affiliate of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) – a national, non-profit organization that promotes the competitive advantages and social impact of doing business in the inner city. Building on the research of ICIC, ICA offers an on-the-ground approach by providing business services and strategic direction to emerging entrepreneurs based in lower-income communities. The resulting success and growth of these businesses directly impact the neighborhoods where they operate and the people that they employ. As ICA grows and reaches more companies, so will its impact on these disenfranchised communities.