NextFab’s Artisan Accelerator is a nine-month program to provide current and aspiring creative entrepreneurs who create physical products with business education, access to resources, and community support to build viable businesses. One accelerator cohort will be held for 2024 and 10 applicants will be selected.

Accepted participants will receive:

• 2.5 months of business education covering topics in business models, marketing strategy, and financial management.
• 6+ months of self-paced product and production coaching, shop education, and business growth consulting.
• 9 months of a micro-studio or bench rental space included with a legal business address at NextFab’s North Philly location (1800 N. American St, Philadelphia, PA 19122), and business services, such as shipping and receiving.
• An annual NextFab membership with up to 24 hours of shop education included.

How to Apply

This program is designed for creative entrepreneurs, whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level. This program can help if you’re new to running a business, feeling overwhelmed, and/or struggling to balance creativity with day-to-day tasks.

This program is free to apply, and if selected, all costs are covered as part of the Dept. of Commerce BTAP grant. Applications are due by Sunday, June 16th at 11:59 pm, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The Artisan Accelerator is open to residents living in Philadelphia, and surrounding areas, and will be a hybrid of virtual and in-person. Applicants must qualify as a micro-enterprise (5 or fewer employees) and be classified as low-to-moderate income households per Dept. of Commerce guidelines (for single households, making less than $28,140-$56,304/year). We will prioritize applications submitted by businesses owned by people of color, women, immigrants, and people with disabilities. This program includes a Facilitation Fund, to aid in program access to services such as childcare, transportation, and access to technology. For additional questions, please reach out to us at artisan@nextfab.com.

This program is a good fit for you if you:

• Are feeling overwhelmed and isolated, and are unsure what the next steps are needed to grow.
• Have started or plan to start a business (either casually selling to friends/family or with consistent monthly sales).
• Are aiming to turn your creative business into your full-time work.
• Create physical products or perform contract work, and want to prototype new products, scale production, or incorporate new mediums.
• Are searching for your brand/business identity and want to reach more customers.
• Could benefit from access to education and equipment provided by NextFab’s makerspace. Explore our equipment and classes here.

Application Timeline

• Applications open: Monday, May 20th at 9:00 am‍
• Info session #1: Thursday, June 6th from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (in-person)
• Info session #2: Tuesday, June 11th from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (virtual)‍
• Application deadline: Sunday, June 16th at 11:59 pm
• Selection notifications: Monday, July 8th
• Program begins: Tuesday, August 8th