February, 2023
ASW CEO André Thornton has been selected to the 2023 EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN) cohort. EAN is a business accelerator program created to support founders of Black- and Hispanic/Latino-owned companies. Entrepreneurs are chosen based on their potential for scalability, leadership style, business acumen, and company culture.
Of the roughly 1,000 applications that were opened, 70 people were selected, representing 15 geographies and ten different sectors. These trailblazers focus on resolving some of the most pressing issues facing society and consumers today.
“The contributions of Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs are nothing short of transformative, and we are thrilled to support this talented cohort as they take their businesses to the next level. The societal, economic and cultural impact of their businesses strengthens our communities on many levels – especially when these executives can access the resources to succeed in the long run,” said Lee Henderson, Americas EY Private Leader; Executive Sponsor, EY Entrepreneurs Access Network.
As many programs focus on funding small business owners who are people of color, there is a gap when it comes to offering broad-scale support for larger enterprises. As the owner of a mid-market company, Thornton welcomes the opportunity to participate in the EAN and engage with comparable entrepreneurs and industry leaders. "In order to achieve long-term, sustained growth, businesses need to be able to tap into available resources (intellectual capital, technologies, and people) and forge strategic partnerships. I look forward to collaborating with the enterprising business leaders involved with the EAN.”
The Entrepreneurs Access Network was first conceived in 2019, following decades of working with diverse entrepreneurs and understanding their opportunities and challenges. For more information on the EAN, please visit ey.com/EAN.
