WASHINGTON, June 27, 2024 /3BL/ - Comcast NBCUniversal and 2Gether-International (2GI), a leading 501c3 non-profit and startup accelerator run by and for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities, announced an extended partnership. Comcast is expanding its organizational support by granting $1.5 million to power 2GI’s programming through 2025. The funding helps equip disabled start-up founders with the tools and resources they need for their companies to be leaders in their respective industries. The grant will also further 2GI’s efforts to recruit and serve more people specifically with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities throughout all their programs and initiatives.

Comcast’s donation is part of Project UP, the company’s $1 billion commitment to connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.

Our ongoing partnership with 2Gether-International has proven to be transformative, not just within the disability community, but also in the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

DALILA WILSON-SCOTT

EVP and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation & President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

Entrepreneurship has become an increasingly viable option for people with disabilities to embark on a meaningful career path. According to a 2022 report from the National Disability Institute (NDI), “there are 1.8 million business owners with disabilities in the U.S.,” and “with a significant portion (74 percent) of people with disabilities outside the labor force, entrepreneurship is an important employment option for this population.” The report went on to state that people with disabilities, “are often hindered by limited access to affordable startup capital and a scarcity of support, services and programs tailored to their unique needs and challenges.”

“We’re both excited and grateful for Comcast’s steadfast commitment and partnership,” said Diego Mariscal CEO and Founder, 2Gether-International. “Our organization’s goal is to create a pipeline that supports 3,000 to 5,000 Disabled Entrepreneurs annually by 2030, and Comcast’s backing will be instrumental in fulfilling this goal. Their support has already led 2GI to experience a marked increase in program enrollment, community involvement and recognition. I’m looking forward to reaching more people and tackling the systemic barriers faced by Founders with Disabilities.”

2GI will further innovate and expand their programming to address the evolving needs of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities at any stage of their respective business journey. The organization’s current initiatives include but are not limited to:

• Cohorts for Founders with Disabilities: Selected participants, all of whom are Disabled Founders of early-stage, high-growth, tech startups, are immersed in 2GI’s 10-week accelerator program designed to improve their pitch and business model. The accelerator program culminates in a pitch competition, providing the entrepreneurs with an opportunity to be awarded seed funding. Since the launch of 2GI’s first accelerator in 2019, over 80 startups have participated, and these businesses have collectively raised approximately $70 million in funding from investment, revenue and acquisitions from outside investors.
• Apprenticeship Program: 2GI is partnering with BuildWithin, a venture-backed technology company and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Apprenticeship Intermediary, to create the first ever apprenticeship program designed for aspiring founders and startup executives with Disabilities. This initiative marks the first of its kind, focusing on empowering entrepreneurs with tailored on-the-job training and curriculum for the roles of Startup CEO and Startup CFO. The new program is being incubated in Washington D.C.’s Apprenticeship Building America Innovation Hub with the support of the U.S. Department of Labor.
• First-Ever Disability VC Fund: The launch of the first-ever VC fund specifically for start-up Founders with Disabilities. 2GI is currently working to raise $5 million in philanthropic capital for this initiative.

In 2022, 2GI and Comcast first partnered to facilitate the launch of 2GI’s Cohort Accelerator program, which offered participants mentorship, coaching, and connections to investors, among other resources. Graduates have since raised millions of dollars in investment capital, generated new jobs and developed accessible technology that improves the lived experiences of people with disabilities.