GW Business welcomed the fifth cohort of its Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs (ELEVATE) training program, continuing its commitment to strengthening small and medium-sized businesses throughout the Washington, D.C., region.
The 2025 ELEVATE cohort focused on businesses advancing sustainable business models. Participants represent District-based enterprises committed to integrating environmentally responsible practices into their operations while driving innovation and growth. Businesses involved in sustainable supply chains, green manufacturing, renewable energy, eco-friendly products and services, and other initiatives that promote environmental stewardship were selected for the program.
Over the course of three months, participants engaged in a curriculum that combined executive education with hands-on business development. The program emphasized three core areas:
- Building standardized business skills that support sustainable growth and expansion.
- Developing expertise in contracting and procurement opportunities with anchor institutions and corporations.
- Utilizing a proprietary diagnostic tool to identify each business's unique strengths, challenges and opportunities for growth.
Upon completing the program, participants emerged with renewed clarity, confidence and momentum, equipped with actionable strategies to elevate their businesses while contributing to a stronger, more sustainable regional economy.
About ELEVATE
The Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs (ELEVATE) program is a partnership between The Coalition (formerly CNHED), the GW School of Business and its Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CFEE). Through this three-month executive education experience, small business owners from Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area gain the knowledge, skills and resources needed to more effectively manage and grow their businesses.
As the only executive-level business education program for small businesses in the District backed by a university partner, ELEVATE provides participants with direct access to the expertise of GW Business faculty and a collaborative network of fellow entrepreneurs.