Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Celebrates First Anniversary: Support for More Than 3,000 Entrepreneurs Through 200 Training Programs

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27, 2016 -- Launched in September 2015, The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center set out to support entrepreneurs from a variety of backgrounds and industries in achieving their goals through free expert education and support. In its first year, the Center surpassed its goals and proudly served more than 3,000 entrepreneurs – 46 percent of whom are women – with continued growth each day. This includes 200 peer-to-peer entrepreneur programs that helped foster their growth as business leaders.

Highlights from year one of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center:

• 3,031 entrepreneurs served
  • Nearly half of these entrepreneurs are women or minority founders
  • 1 in 5 lead with a double or triple bottom line
  • They come from a range of industries, including tech, consumer, service, and beyond
  • Total learning hours: 444.5
• 200 programs offered at no charge to entrepreneurs
  • These cover a range of topics: People, Product, Presence & Profit
  • The programs are led by 167 teachers/trainers/mentors
  • Marquee programs include the monthly Author in Residence program, the Founders’ Leadership Series and Faces of Entrepreneurship.

“Historically, there has been a gap in the knowledge ecosystem for entrepreneurs, and our mission is to rectify this by supporting entrepreneurs from all industries and stages of growth throughout their developmental journey,” said Bruce Aust, Vice Chairman of Nasdaq and President of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. “Because of this mission to ensure entrepreneurs have access to information they need, when they need it, we’ve seen thousands of entrepreneurs take advantage of the Center’s resources and ultimately achieve milestones that are imperative to their business success.”

Building upon successes and lessons learned from its network, the Center has set two initiatives for its second year.

1. Launch the organization’s Milestone Makers program
2. Drive educational access to serve entrepreneurs globally

In conjunction with its anniversary, the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center announced its inaugural class of Milestone Makers, a 12-week program for a select group of 12 entrepreneurs – chosen through a competitive application process – from across various industries. The Milestone Maker program kicks off this week with a series of educational and mentoring sessions. To celebrate the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s first anniversary, Tyra Banks, Super model, Television Creator/Producer and CEO of TYRA Beauty will ring the Nasdaq closing bell today, followed by a gala celebration this evening.

One success story from year one of the Center is Alexa Fleishman, co-founder of Savvy Society, which was showcased at the Center’s pop-up store.

“Most notably, the educational resources the Center equipped me with aided in my company’s acceptance into the Tory Burch Foundation Fellow’s program, which has enabled numerous opportunities,” added Fleishman. “As a founder, it’s difficult to find the resources you need in one place, especially as issues and questions change quickly throughout the startup process. The Center’s educational classes, events, and network of experts are resources that are hard to find through any other organization.”

About the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization designed to educate, innovate and connect aspiring and current entrepreneurs. Established in 2014 with support from the Nasdaq Educational Foundation, the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center serves the greater Bay Area community through differentiated events, meaningful entrepreneurial education and a prominent mentorship program. For further information, please visit http://thecenter.nasdaq.org/.

About The Nasdaq Educational Foundation
The Nasdaq Educational Foundation, Inc. was established in 1994 and is supported entirely by contributors from Nasdaq. The mission of The Nasdaq Educational Foundation, Inc. is to promote and provide opportunities through collaborations and initiatives that support and deliver innovative educational programs and charitable activities.

About Nasdaq
Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) is a leading provider of trading, clearing, exchange technology, listing, information and public company services across six continents. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today's global capital markets. As the creator of the world's first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 70 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to more than 3,700 listed companies with a market value of approximately $9.3 trillion and more than 17,000 corporate clients. To learn more, visit: nasdaq.com/ambition or business.nasdaq.com

Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Media Contacts: 
Celena Aponte
[email protected]

Sharon Kane
(215) 527-2945
[email protected]

Nasdaq Media Contacts: 
Stephanie Lowenthal
(646) 441-5073
[email protected]

Emily Pan
(646) 441-5120
[email protected]