ELEVATE
ELEVATE (Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs) is a premier training initiative designed to support the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in the Washington, D.C. area. Developed by the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CFEE) at the GW School of Business, in partnership with The Coalition (formerly CNHED), the program is led by Ayman ElTarabishy and delivered by distinguished GWSB faculty. It provides high-quality, practical education focused on real-world business growth.
ELEVATE equips business owners with the tools to strengthen operations, improve product and service delivery, increase revenue, and expand employment opportunities—enabling them to grow more effectively and sustainably.
2025 ELEVATE Cohort
ELEVATE Cohort V focuses on businesses championing sustainable business models, supporting and empowering District-based enterprises committed to integrating sustainable practices and driving environmental innovation for growth and expansion.
Businesses engaged in sustainable supply chains, green manufacturing, renewable energy, eco-friendly products and services, and other forward-thinking initiatives that promote environmental stewardship were considered.
Three core curriculum elements will be highlighted:
- A set of standardized business skills for growth and expansion
- A specialized track for contracting and procurement with anchor institutions and corporations
- A unique diagnostic tool to assess the strengths and needs of individual businesses
- About ELEVATE
The Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs (ELEVATE) program is a partnership between The Coalition (formerly CNHED) and the GW School of Business. It provides best-in-class training to small businesses in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area. Through ELEVATE, metro area small business owners work to acquire new skills that allow them to more effectively and efficiently manage their business, products, and services and increase revenue and employment.
ELEVATE is the only executive education program in D.C. backed by a university partner. The three-month ELEVATE curriculum, developed by the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, is led by business school faculty members.
- About the Center For Entrepreneurial Excellence (CFEE) at the GW School of Business
Established in 2005, the Center For Entrepreneurial Excellence (CFEE) at the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) strives to empower entrepreneurs by integrating academic objectives within GW’s business community. CFEE engages in research and other scholarly activities that significantly contribute to entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial leadership, women’s entrepreneurial leadership, and new venture development. CFEE works with the GW School of Business and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), among other partners, to advance GWSB's nationally-recognized achievements in the field of entrepreneurship education and to further promote entrepreneurship among students and throughout communities.
- About The Coalition
The Coalition is a dynamic 501(c)3 nonprofit that advances equitable community economic development solutions in the District of Columbia. Their holistic systems-change approach encompasses community-informed budget and policy advocacy, data-driven thought leadership, and needs-based programmatic initiatives in Housing and Homelessness, Workforce Development, and Small Business Ecosystem Building.