The Manufacturing Accelerator Program: High Growth Strategies for Manufacturers (MAP) is a new, tuition-free executive education initiative designed to help primarily BIPOC- and woman-owned manufacturing businesses achieve sustainable growth. Developed by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) in partnership with Harvard Business School Professor Lynda Applegate and the Georgia Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Center, MAP equips underserved manufacturers with the knowledge and strategies needed to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.

Join the Inaugural 2025 Cohort

MAP’s inaugural cohort will begin in the late Spring of 2025, and we’re looking for independent, for-profit, growth-oriented manufacturers with at least 25 employees* to join this transformative program. Our innovative 12-week curriculum has been tailored to the unique needs of manufacturers, leveraging ICIC’s research and experience in fostering small business growth. With a focus on growth, access to capital, and sustainability, MAP will set you on a path toward greater success.

*Companies with less than 25 employees will be evaluated based on the recommendations of nominators, the business’s growth trajectory, and readiness to benefit from this program.

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Program Highlights

• Tailored Growth Strategies: Learn how to build and implement high-growth strategies specific to your manufacturing business.
• Expert-Led Curriculum: Gain insights from Harvard Business School experts and industry leaders who will provide actionable advice and strategies.
• Real-World Impact: Apply what you learn directly to your business and start seeing results in real-time.
• Community and Networking: Become part of a community of like-minded manufacturers and industry experts dedicated to fostering growth and innovation.

MAP Modules

Thinking strategically is about deciding which opportunities to focus your resources and efforts on and, more importantly, knowing which opportunities to forgo. The six modules of the MAP program will help you create a strategy in which you carefully assess and choose potential opportunities to set your business on a path to sustainable and profitable growth.

The program runs for 12 weeks, with weekly virtual classes. In these classes, you will develop a detailed road map for executing your strategy with the benefits of greater access to capital, top notch technical assistance and mentoring, and a deeper and broader network of contacts.

Rooted in Research

ICIC’s extensive research, including our report “Racial Equity in America’s New Industrial Transformation,” highlights both the challenges and opportunities facing minority-owned manufacturers. While Black- and Hispanic-owned businesses make up a fraction of all Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), our analysis shows that with the right policies, capacity-building support, and resources, these businesses can thrive in the resurgent American supply chains. Our program is designed to ensure that the benefits of America’s industrial renewal are shared equitably, driving economic growth in underserved communities.

MAP’s Advisory Board

Lynda Applegate
ICIC board member and Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School, who has agreed to serve as the initiative’s curriculum director. Lynda has extensive experience developing and delivering HBS Executive Education Programs for entrepreneurs and business owners and has been a longtime instructor for ICIC programs.

Donna Ennis
Co-Director of the Georgia Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing Technology Corridor (Georgia-AIM), who previously led the Georgia Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center for 18 years.

Caron Ng
ICIC program alum and board member, CEO of NU-SET Lock, a manufacturer of lockboxes, door locks, deadbolts, knobs, padlocks, handlesets and customized lock solutions.

Jennifer Pasley
Project Director of the Georgia MBDA Business Center at the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute.

Rosa Santana
Founder and CEO of the Santana Group. As part of the Santana Group, Forma Automotive is the first Hispanic-, Woman-Owned Direct Tier I Supplier to Toyota, providing fully assembled truck beds.

David Salazar Yanez
ICIC program alum and CEO and Founder of Andonix, a Detroit-based manufacturing company that provides technology solutions that serve the needs of frontline workers.

Other thought leaders that are helping inform our work include:

• Congressman Ro Khanna, U.S. representative from California’s 17^th congressional district, for whom revitalizing American manufacturing has been a principal focus throughout his career.
• Elisabeth Reynolds, Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who recently served in the Biden Administration as Special Assistant to the President for Manufacturing and Economic Development, where she helped to develop the administration’s manufacturing agenda and broader industrial strategy.

Join Us in Building an Inclusive Industrial Future

ICIC’s Manufacturing Accelerator Program (MAP) is informed by decades of experience, research, and collaboration with industry experts and partners. We are embarking on a transformative journey to build capacity for primarily BIPOC- and woman-owned manufacturing firms across the U.S.

By joining us as a program investor, member business, or ecosystem partner, you can be part of a movement that not only strengthens the nation’s manufacturing sector but also fosters inclusive prosperity. Together, we will help primarily BIPOC- and woman-owned small business owners seize the opportunities of the modern manufacturing renaissance and create lasting change in their communities.

Learn more about MAP and how you can be a part of the inaugural cohort that kicks off in 2025 by sharing your contact information.

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Do you have questions about MAP? Contact us at MAP@icic.org.