The mission of Upswell is to accelerate the impact of social entrepreneurs moving their organizations from start-up to growth phase, with a focus on organizations serving communities of color. The Forum provides training, classroom discussion, and peer support explicitly grounded in the diverse identities of the participants. We strongly encourage leaders of color to participate. The Forum consists of 3 in-person days on the HBS campus, followed by a series of virtual sessions with HBS faculty and other distinguished speakers. Participants should plan to attend all sessions of the Forum.
Targeted Cities: Organizations serving the Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Houston metro regions
Fee: No fee. The Forum will cover session costs, curriculum materials, accommodations, and most meals during the on-campus portion.
Status: No longer accepting interest forms for 2024.
Please note that there is a limited amount of funding available to support travel expenses of individuals for whom travel cost is a barrier to participation. More information will be available once the interest form is submitted and participants have received an invitation to join the Upswell cohort.
Participants will leave the Forum with:
Specifically, cohort participants can expect to gain:
The Forum will include Harvard Business School case discussions facilitated by our world-class faculty, as well as individual assessment tools and interactive discussions with renowned social entrepreneurs. Cohort community building and opportunities for group discussion of classroom work are also key components of the Forum.
Key topics include:
“The four days at Upswell were nothing short of extraordinary, filled with invaluable insights, community building, and a shared commitment to accelerating the impact of social entrepreneurs in communities of color.”
“Being in community with people who understand the struggle at a fundamental level and are excelling at navigating these waters is the most invaluable aspect of the experience.”
“The Upswell Forum was an invaluable experience to gain new skills and to have a network of leaders who get the challenges and rewards (both personally and professionally) and are rooting for you.”
This Forum is an ideal fit for senior leaders of social enterprises (i.e., for-profit businesses with a clear social mission) or nonprofits. Participating ventures should be past the concept or start-up stage and moving to growth-stage to expand impact and reach sustainability. While not a strict requirement, organizations at this stage would typically have at least three full-time employees and a budget of over $500,000. Participating organizations should serve the Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, or Houston metro regions.
Organizations interested in participating may include names of up to 3 members of its leadership team on the Upswell Interest Form. All participants must retain a position of leadership within the organization (ex: Founder, CEO, COO, President, Board Member, etc.). The forum is designed for leaders whose work directly impacts communities of color.
We accept participants on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to submit the interest form as early as possible. Although the forum has no formal educational requirements, we will consider interested organizations based on potential for impact, proximity to the community it serves, and any significant milestones and measurable outcomes. Individual participants will be considered based on professional achievement and organizational responsibilities. Individual participants should be in a senior leadership role and involved in determining the strategic direction of the organization (titles include: CEO, executive director, board chair, founder, or chief operating officer, chief strategy officer, and other direct reports to the CEO).
Professor Archie Jones is the Upswell Faculty Lead. The teaching team is made up of Harvard Business School faculty with an abiding interest in leadership, strategy, and social entrepreneurship.
For more information about Upswell, please contact Cortney Robinson Jones at crobinson@hbs.edu.
We are no longer accepting interest forms for the Fall 2024 Upswell Forum.
Submit an Interest Form