Organization · Community
ConnectUP! Institute
ConnectUP! Institute focuses on bridging gaps between underestimated entrepreneurs and investors, providing support in capital readiness and ecosystem building.
Overview
What ConnectUP! Institute does
What ConnectUP! Institute is
ConnectUP! Institute focuses on bridging gaps between underestimated entrepreneurs and investors, providing support in capital readiness and ecosystem building.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Community
- Founded
- Founded in 2017
- Approximate age
- About 9 years
- Structured capabilities
- Community
- Last reviewed
- March 16, 2026
Official channels
Find ConnectUP! Institute elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
ConnectUP! Institute as a community
Community overview
ConnectUP! Institute is a social finance and enterprise development studio founded to advance underserved communities through capital and capacity building. The organization focuses on providing education, consulting, and collaboration for entrepreneurs from underestimated communities, particularly emphasizing support for Black and Brown women.
Community focus
ConnectUP! Institute invests in and provides services for entrepreneurs, particularly those who are BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, and rural founders. Their initiatives include various accelerator programs aimed at different stages of business development, with a strong emphasis on equitable access to capital, resources, and networks.
Member value
Members benefit from access to various accelerator programs, capital readiness support, networking opportunities, and culturally responsive education tailored to their specific needs.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Benefits
- network-access and mentorship
- Program types
- accelerator and community
- Selection criteria
- open
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
- Annual events
- 2
Events and activity
ConnectUP! Summit is a two-day event that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations for networking and workshops. Additionally, Mini-Summits are one-day events tailored for specific industry sectors, focusing on networking and business growth.
Notable members
Y. Elaine Rasmussen - Founder + CEO; Sarah Clyne - Associate Director; Joanna Drew - Fundraising Lead; Jennifer Tuder - Strategic Partnership Lead.
Common questions
What to know about ConnectUP! Institute
Upseed classifies ConnectUP! Institute under the Community organization type. Its current public profile includes community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 16, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.