Small businesses already employ 59 million Americans and account for nearly half of private-sector jobs, according to the SBA’s 2024 FAQs. When these companies focus on climate solutions and inclusive growth, their impact multiplies: they create cleaner technologies, stronger local economies, and more equitable opportunity. National Small Business Week offers a fitting moment to explore how RevHub and its partners turn that potential into reality.

Climate Solutions Gain Speed Inside CABI

Clean energy employment grew 4.9 percent in 2023, adding 149,000 new US jobs, while global investment in clean power reached $1.7 trillion IEA. Yet many climate founders still struggle to bridge the gap between lab insight and market traction.

RevHub’s Climate Action Business Incubator (CABI) answers that challenge with a six-month venture-building program that blends:

• Market research, unit-economics coaching, and go-to-market planning

• Mentorship from industry leaders in technology, finance, and policy

• Virtual workshops and peer exchange that turn solo problem-solving into collective learning

• Pitch-deck refinement and direct introductions to aligned investors

• Access to RevHub’s innovation network and a global online community for long-term collaboration

Graduates leave with more early-stage investment readiness, measurable climate-impact metrics, and an ecosystem of partners ready to pilot, purchase, or fund their solutions.

Microgrants Move Great Ideas Off The Sidelines

Venture capital distribution remains highly uneven. Black founders received under 0.5 percent of US VC dollars in 2024, reports Reuters. The NorthSTAR Microgrant, delivered through NorthSTAR and RevHub, tackles this funding gap with flexible, equity-free capital.

A single grant can pay for equipment, cover patent fees, or finance a market pilot—all without diluting ownership. NorthSTAR pairs the money with targeted coaching, ensuring that every dollar accelerates revenue and keeps economic benefits circulating through local suppliers and new hires.

Women-Led Enterprises Multiply Returns When Capital Meets Coaching

Women own 14 million U.S. businesses that employ 12.2 million people an

d generate $2.7 trillion in annual revenue, according to the 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Businesses report. Despite this contribution, female founders claimed less than one-fifth of venture deal value last year, though they raised a record $38 billion, up 27 percent year-over-year PitchBook.

These programs give women-led ventures the runway to validate products before larger funding rounds. When grants combine with mentorship and clear paths to seed capital, companies enter negotiations with stronger traction and maintain greater control, building durable businesses and more diverse leadership pipelines.

A Connected Blueprint For Inclusive Climate Progress

These initiatives share a single goal: to equip entrepreneurs with the resources, relationships, and risk-tolerant capital they need to grow. CABI transforms climate research into a mo

ve towards being more early-stage investment readiness. The NorthSTAR Microgrant ensures that founders from historically excluded communities can secure early wins. NorthSTAR stitches these efforts together with coaching that keeps ventures on a growth trajectory.

The result is a virtuous cycle. Climate-positive startups create high-quality jobs, investors gain resilient portfolios, and communities see tangible economic and environmental returns.

Ready To Get Involved?

• Apply to CABI or volunteer as a mentor → revhuboc.com/cabi-climate-action-business-incubator

• Learn how the NorthSTAR Microgrant empowers underrepresented talent → revhuboc.com/news/wells-fargo-empowers-underrepresented-entrepreneurs

• Explore NorthSTAR’s full support network → northstaroc.com/who-we-are