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The Truist Charitable Fund has awarded $300,000 to the Hurt Hub in alignment with the company’s strategic goal of strengthening small businesses in the Charlotte community with a strong focus on underrepresented founders. The grant allows the Hurt Hub to broaden its reach both in terms of participants and geographically while prioritizing access to startup capital, exceptional technical support, education and networks, and the growth of equitable small business ecosystems. 

More specifically, this support enables the Hurt Hub to set ambitious goals to help launch 25 new small local businesses, provide access to more than $35,000 in startup capital and offer up to 7,000 pro bono consulting hours, from students and professional staff, to over 70 small businesses. Additionally, the funding supports the expansion of successful educational programs in innovation and entrepreneurship, including five new cohorts of its flagship business-building programs in 2025. 

Thanks to the Hurt Hub and the community built through its programs, students, business owners, mentors and community members move their passions and interests forward. People like , founder of local tech startup Leantime, a project management platform designed for people with ADHD, autism and dyslexia, worked with Cate Phipps ’26 to further Leantime’s content marketing strategy. 

“Cate created content leveraging AI to generate a dozen blog posts supporting the development of a more inclusive future of work,” Gloria said. “She’s been incredibly helpful in amplifying my capacity.” 

Those involved with the Hurt Hub have countless opportunities to learn from others. Take �鶹��Ƶ���� resident , who this year facilitated a mindset conversation with small business leaders as part of the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program, a part of the Amplify �鶹��Ƶ���� initiative funded through the Town of �鶹��Ƶ����. She brought to the sessions business wisdom from years of owning hair salons, a bridal boutique, an event planning business and, currently, running a financial services company.

Phipps, Folaron and Spand are three of many. In the last academic year alone, more than 300 learners engaged in more than 20 educational programs and supported 84 start-ups and small businesses through programs offered at the Hurt Hub. Additionally, 79 students completed nearly 3,000 consulting hours for 59 clients, with 30 more students and young alums receiving industry-specific mentoring. More than $100,000 was awarded in startup capital to student ventures, and the Hurt Hub’s more than 200 coworking members, representing 132 businesses, called the space home.