RCC today hosted the grand opening of the Business Innovation Center (BIC), a business incubator hub housed on RCC’s campus. Over 60 supporters joined RCC President Jonathan K. Jefferson, Senator Liz Miranda, Executive Director Luciano Ramos, RCC student Carlens Henri (Business Major), and Director Edwidge LaFleur to celebrate the BIC launch and tour the Center today.
The BIC is a step toward increasing access to capital, information, and networks that will help new entrepreneurs get their businesses started. Identifying gaps, working with various resources in the community, and collaborating to find a solution that fills these gaps is paramount to setting a foundation of support for new businesses and alleviating this disparity at a more systemic level.
“The opening of the Business Innovation Center allows us to expand the resources we can provide to entrepreneurs and create more opportunities for local businesses to get off the ground,” said Dr. Jonathan Jefferson, President of RCC. “Entrepreneurs and small businesses are critical to the economic growth of Boston and the Commonwealth and are important job creators. We’re proud to be at the forefront of supporting emerging businesses and fostering the next generation of leaders and changemakers.”
The BIC serves as a central location for accessing resources and educational programming to support business growth, including partnering with established local and national leaders that provide access to capital, training, and mentorship.
“We can’t forget that opportunity lives here,” said Senator Liz Miranda, longtime supporter and advocate for RCC, who successfully sponsored a $500,000 line item in the FY25 budget for RCC programming currently housed in the BIC. “RCC is an engine, not only for the community of Roxbury but for the city as well. Nothing that happens in this city that doesn’t go through these four corners.”
The new space has seven workstations that provide an area for businesses in residence to convene and work. The BIC will provide workshops and training sessions aimed at running and strengthening a business, writing a strong business plan, securing funding, and more. There will also be special initiatives tied to high growth areas, like green technology and energy, for which RCC already has strong programming.
“The Business Innovation Center is more than just a space—it’s a launchpad for entrepreneurial success and community growth. It’s a hub that will empower local businesses to develop strong foundations that pave the way for future growth,” added Luciano Ramos, Executive Director, Center for Economic and Social Justice at RCC. “We are grateful to our partners that are providing mentorship and support to create a collaborative environment where innovation and progress can flourish.”
For more information on the Business Innovation Center, contact Director Edwidge LaFleur at elafleur@rcc.mass.edu or 857-701-1007.
