WEPOWER
WEPOWER is a St. Louis organisation that runs an accelerator, two fellowships, a leadership and policy program and a revenue-based investment fund.
WEPOWER at a glance
| Address | St. Louis, MO, United States |
|---|---|
| Programmes | 5 standing programmes |
| Equity | None taken — all 2 programmes that state a policy |
| Official website | wepowerstl.org |
Which WEPOWER programme fits you
4 programmes compared by who they are for, the stage they accept, how long they run and what they cost.
| Programme | Best for | Stage | Duration | Format | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEPOWER Accelerator (2025 All Industries cohort) | Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in St. Louis, across all industries | — | 12 weeks | — | No equity |
| Chisholm's Chair Fellowship | Black and Latinx women pursuing public leadership in St. Louis | — | four months | — | — |
| Power-Building Academy | St. Louis and Metro East residents who want to lead policy change | — | four modules of about 16 hours each | — | — |
| WEPOWER Capital | Black and Latinx entrepreneurs with a strong growth trajectory in North St. Louis | — | — | — | No equity |
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at WEPOWER, separate from the funding calls above.
A 12-week business accelerator for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs across all industries, based in St. Louis.
Best for: Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in St. Louis, across all industries
- 12 weeks
- No equity
- Grant support for selected startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The accelerator is for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs across all industries, especially those that create living wage jobs. The site does not state an application form, a stage rule or a closing date for the next round.
What you get
- Bi-weekly one-on-one business coaching and weekly workshops
- In-kind professional services in accounting, marketing and other technical areas
- An equity-free grant, a wellness stipend and introductions to other capital providers
- Connections to mentors and other supporters
How to apply: The 2025 page asked people to RSVP and to contact the program lead. Check for the next round before you plan around it.
Tomorrow Builders Fellowship
FellowshipA two-year fellowship to redesign early childhood education across the St. Louis region. The inaugural cohort ran from 2019-2021.
- 2 years
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The inaugural Tomorrow Builders fellows spent two years working to redesign the early childhood education system across the St. Louis region. The site lists the 2019 to 2021 cohort and a sign-up for solution teams, but it does not describe a new fellowship intake.
How to apply: No open intake is stated. The site invites people to join a solution team.
Chisholm's Chair Fellowship
FellowshipA four-month training fellowship for Black and Latinx women pursuing public leadership in St. Louis. The cohort started on September 30, 2022.
Best for: Black and Latinx women pursuing public leadership in St. Louis
- four months
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Chisholm's Chair is for women who are champions of equity and want to pursue elected or appointed office in St. Louis or St. Louis County. Each cohort has 10 fellows, who take monthly training, peer coaching groups, guest expert sessions and a campaign bootcamp at the end.
Who can apply
- Black and Latinx women aged 18 years of age or older at the start of the cohort
- Committed to equity and open to feedback
How to apply: The site links to an application form for the fellowship. The most recent cohort start shown is September 30, 2022.
Power-Building Academy
ProgrammeA community leadership and policy program for St. Louis and Metro East residents, run as four-module tracks. The 2025 round is closed.
Best for: St. Louis and Metro East residents who want to lead policy change
- four modules of about 16 hours each
- Grant support for selected startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Power-Building Academy trains people to lead and organise for policy change. The 2025 round had three tracks: St. Louis Early Childhood Education, St. Louis Community Wealth Building and Metro East Community Wealth Building.
What you get
- A stipend for individuals, and a grant for brick-and-mortar child care programs or businesses
- Child care and meals at all sessions
- Membership of a lifelong community of changemakers
Who can apply
- Parents, educators and champions for the early childhood track
- Neighbours, business owners and workers for the community wealth tracks
How to apply: Applications used an 'Apply Today!' route. The 2025 deadlines were in June 2025, so the round is closed.
WEPOWER Capital
LoanA revenue-based investment fund for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in North St. Louis, launched in 2021.
Best for: Black and Latinx entrepreneurs with a strong growth trajectory in North St. Louis
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
WEPOWER Capital invests in Black and Latinx entrepreneurs with a strong growth trajectory, with a focus on North St. Louis. Repayment follows revenue rather than fixed instalments, and the fund does not require founders to give up significant equity. The underwriting drops common barriers such as collateral requirements and minimum credit score thresholds, and the fund offers technical assistance and connections alongside capital.
Who can apply
- Black and Latinx entrepreneurs with a strong growth trajectory, especially in North St. Louis
- Business owners who commit to hiring in areas with generational disinvestment and to paying living wages
How to apply: The community wealth page has an 'Interested?' link. Current availability is not stated.
Incubation tracks
The routes into WEPOWER, and what each one includes.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEPOWER AcceleratorA 12-week cohort for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs across all industries. The most recent cohort stated on the site is 2025. | Acceleration | — | — |
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
Business advisory
Bi-weekly one-on-one business coaching and weekly workshops in the accelerator
How to apply to WEPOWER
Choosing the right program
- Black or Latinx founders with an all-industries business in St. Louis should start with the accelerator.
- Women who want public office should look at Chisholm's Chair. Its last stated cohort started in 2022.
- Residents who want to organise for policy change should look at Power-Building Academy. Its 2025 round is closed.
How applications work
- The 2025 accelerator page asked people to RSVP and to contact the program lead. No online form is linked there.
- Power-Building Academy used an 'Apply Today!' route, with deadlines in June 2025.
- None of the pages read show a 2026 intake for the accelerator or the fellowships. Check with WEPOWER before you plan around a round.
What to check
- Ask whether the accelerator is taking a new cohort, and what it asks of applicants.
- Ask whether WEPOWER Capital is still investing, and on what terms.
About WEPOWER
WEPOWER is a St. Louis, Missouri organisation that runs a business accelerator for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, leadership fellowships and a revenue-based investment fund. Its programs are aimed at St. Louis and the surrounding region, so founders based in India are not the intended audience, and most listed rounds have already closed.
How the programs work
The WEPOWER Accelerator is a 12-week program for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs across all industries, especially those that create living wage jobs. The 2025 round offered bi-weekly one-on-one coaching, weekly workshops, in-kind professional services, an equity-free grant, a wellness stipend and introductions to other capital providers.
The Tomorrow Builders Fellowship was a 2-year program to redesign early childhood education across the St. Louis region. Its inaugural cohort ran from 2019-2021.
Chisholm's Chair Fellowship trains Black and Latinx women for public leadership in St. Louis. Each cohort has 10 fellows who meet over four (4) months, and the most recent cohort start shown is September 30, 2022.
Power-Building Academy is a community leadership and policy program. The 2025 round had three tracks, and each track ran four modules of approximately 16 hours per module.
Who can apply
Accelerator applicants are Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who want to grow a business in St. Louis. Chisholm's Chair takes Black and Latinx women aged 18 years of age or older who are committed to equity. Power-Building Academy is open to parents, educators, neighbours, business owners and workers in St. Louis and the Metro East area.
Funding and investment
WEPOWER Capital launched in 2021 as a revenue-based investment fund for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in North St. Louis. Repayment follows revenue rather than fixed instalments, and the fund does not require founders to give up significant equity. Its current availability is not stated on the site.
Scale
WEPOWER says nearly 500 alumni have gone on to lead businesses and community work. The site does not give a verified count of startups supported.
Locations
The accelerator and the investment fund work in St. Louis. The Power-Building Academy sessions run in St. Louis and in the Metro East area.
Frequently asked questions about WEPOWER
What is WEPOWER?
WEPOWER is an accelerator based in St. Louis, MO.
What does WEPOWER do?
WEPOWER is a St. Louis, Missouri organisation that runs a business accelerator for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, leadership fellowships and a revenue-based investment fund. Its programs are aimed at St.
Where is WEPOWER located?
WEPOWER is located at St. Louis, MO, United States.
What programs does WEPOWER run?
WEPOWER runs WEPOWER Accelerator (2025 All Industries cohort), Tomorrow Builders Fellowship, Chisholm's Chair Fellowship and Power-Building Academy, among others.
Does WEPOWER take equity?
No. WEPOWER states that it takes no equity in WEPOWER Accelerator (2025 All Industries cohort) and WEPOWER Capital.
Does WEPOWER provide funding?
Selected startups in some WEPOWER programmes can receive grant support, including WEPOWER Accelerator (2025 All Industries cohort) and Power-Building Academy. Grant amounts are set per programme and cohort, and selection into a programme does not guarantee a grant — check the programme's own page for current terms.
How do I apply to WEPOWER?
- Black or Latinx founders with an all-industries business in St. Louis should start with the accelerator. - Women who want public office should look at Chisholm's Chair. Its last stated cohort started in 2022. - Residents who want to organise for policy change should look at Power-Building Academy. Its 2025 round is closed.
Recommended grants & schemes
Other open programmes matching WEPOWER's focus areas.