Frequently Asked Questions.

We provide support and resources to a few different types of entrepreneurs and businesses. First, we have a sweet spot and passion for first-time founders — entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting a new business, still clarifying the idea and finding the path forward. We also provide value through several of our programs to emerging operators: founders who’ve started something and made some progress, but are still figuring out their business model and the systems that can make it a sustainable business. And we work with established small businesses, who often find a fit in specific offerings like our visioning workshops and AI upskilling training.

Across all three groups, our focus is under-resourced entrepreneurs, particularly Black and Brown-led businesses, in the Twin Cities metro area. On occasion, we’ve provided training and support outside the metro area where it fits our mission.

All of our programs are a little different. We generally try to keep the barrier to entry low, so in some cases they’re free or low-cost. Keeping it accessible for entrepreneurs is a priority. We also have an expectation, and a hope, that participating entrepreneurs will pay it forward after completing our programs: giving back to the next generation of businesses coming through with their time and their network. This gets at one of our core values as an organization. We’re working to create a regenerative ecosystem.

Once a month, Vernon and Justin set aside a few hours on a Friday for 30-minute conversations with founders and entrepreneurs in our ecosystem. Sometimes that’s a business we’ve connected with in the past, helping them work through a targeted topic or a challenge they’re facing right now. Sometimes it’s someone we haven’t met yet, getting to know their business and giving them a chance to ask about our programs and whether there’s a fit. And sometimes a business wants a regular mentoring check-in with us over a period of time. We’ve had entrepreneurs use Office Hours monthly just to check in and make sure they’re keeping their momentum.

The Entrepreneur AI Adoption Fund is a new program. FutureNorth is actively raising the funds to support it. As money comes in, FutureNorth will curate a group of entrepreneurs and use a set of criteria to select a cohort to receive funding for a period of time, covering their AI technology stack: software licenses and the hardware needed to run AI applications, like computers. Fully taking advantage of these capabilities can get expensive for entrepreneurs to maintain month to month, and we want to help carry that cost. The fund also covers the cost of training the entrepreneurs, on top of the software and hardware. More details, including how entrepreneurs are selected, will be shared as the program launches.

FutureNorth is currently structured as an initiative rather than a standalone 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We’re in the process of establishing a fiscal sponsorship arrangement, which will allow donations to be tax-deductible. For the latest on giving options, reach out to hello@ourfuturenorth.com.

FutureNorth offers a range of sponsorship opportunities. See the full breakdown on our Sponsorship Opportunities page, or reach out to hello@ourfuturenorth.com to talk through the right fit.

Collab Sessions come in a few different forms. The first looks like working with an individual who is an expert in a specialty area, like finance, marketing, legal, or fundraising. They share that knowledge directly with curated entrepreneurs in our target communities, through training, co-produced events, or direct programs. Another version is having Vernon or Justin provide training in our focus areas to your entrepreneurs and community, assuming there is alignment on our broader vision and who we are built to support. A third is finding ways to collaborate or partner on specific areas where something does not already exist, or where there is a resource need: see the areas FutureNorth is actively recruiting for, like the Entrepreneurial Brain Trust, or finding a collaborative partner for hosting space. Learn more and get in touch on our Collab Sessions page.