EQUIPPING INVENTORS, ENTREPRENEURS, STARTUPS AND SMALL BUSINESS THROUGH EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, RESOURCES & EMPOWERMENT

We have a history of working with communities, governmental agencies, and other entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) in a variety of programs that span from Puerto Rico to Hawaii, as well as administering multiple grant programs through the SBA, facilitating programs involving the SBIR Program, and the USDA, to name a few.

Scholarships & Cohorts

Sponsorships / Affiliates

Support Our Mission

10 Week Entrepreneur Programs

Our Program

Acture is offering a 10 week course comprised of 10 sprints for cohorts of up to 10 participants to teach, guide and coach them through a practical, action-driven, collaborative process with like minded-people and led by experienced team of seasoned entrepreneurs who live what they teach.

Our Focus

Our 10 week program is designed to give students a real-world and real-time experience of taking an idea for a product or business and to take the actual steps to turn them into a reality. Using proven, evidence-based strategies, we personally guide these participants using a combination of inter-applicant accountability, real-life examples for every sprint, and a record of each applicant’s progress throughout the duration of their enrollment.

Curriculum

Week 1 - Getting Started with the Right Idea that Works for You & Your Marketplace
Week 2 - Protecting What’s Valuable: Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks & More
Week 3 - The Bootstrapped Frankentype: Testing Your Model Efficiently & Affordably
Week 4 - A Proof of Concept Guide & How to Frame, Build, and Sell on Scale
Week 5 - The Market Demotype: The Build - Test - Fail - Learn Cycle
Week 6 - Sourcing, Licensing, and Steps from Product to Profitability
Week 7 - Marketing Optics: Preparing to Go Live with Sales/Building a Brand
Week 8 - Learning to Sell It Successfully: Market Validation & Pivot Strategies
Week 9 - Building Successful Traction with Sales IRL: B2C, B2B, B2B2C
Week 10 - Your Plan to Be Successful & Help Others

Reach out to us about customizing our programs to fit the needs of your facility or community development organization.

1-2 Day Entrepreneur Workshops

Overview

Acture provides workshop/training sessions and provides individualized coaching of a 1-day or 2-day event, either via remote or in-person.

We facilitate a Multi-Topic course designed to teach, guide and coach the cohort through a practical, action-driven, collaborative process with like-minded people and led by a seasoned entrepreneur who believes in living what he teaches.

What We Cover

Our program is designed to give students a real-world expectation and experience of taking an idea for a product or business and take the actual steps to turn them into physical reality. Using proven, evidence-based strategies, we guide these participants using a combination of accountability, real-life examples, and a practical application for each applicant to track their progress moving forward throughout the duration of the event.

Outline of a Day's Events

Morning Session
- Workshop-Style Roundtable of learning about each attendee’s business startup or product, and hearing feedback from leaders and the group.
- Teaching sprints that cover IP strategy, prototyping, product/market fit, developing good marketing optics, learning to sell successfully, and/or other entrepreneurial topics as per feedback from the cohort.
Afternoon Session
- One-on-one meetings with select individual participants, coaching and mentoring each on what they have, where they are, and overcoming where they’re stuck.

Reach out to us about customizing our programs to fit the needs of your facility or community development organization.

SBIR: Preparation Guidance and Post Implementation

Our History with SBIR

Acture has a history of guiding, coaching and working with startups and small businesses looking
to apply for non-dilutive grant funding through multiple governmental agency SBIR programs, as well as
other R&D funding.

We not only help with the preparation process and coaching through Phase I and Phase II
programs, but also with the critical, unpublished “Phase 3” post-process of turning a developed
innovation into a real, profitable product or business with ROI, helping to fulfill SBIR's true mission.

Our Focus

We believe SBIR programs should stay true to their name by focusing on small businesses rather
than large institutions like universities, which often draw attention and resources away from the
innovative small companies these programs were designed to support. Our mission is to put the
small business back at the center of SBIR.

We Help With

Identify the best funding opportunities
Support for initial drafting process
Supplemental drafts and edits for other organizations (e.g.; NSF formatting if the initial target is NIH)
Ongoing communication channels at the applicant’s comfort level (e.g.; Slack, Telegram, Discord)
Networking opportunities with secondary and tertiary entities in our ecosystem
An ever-increasing roster of service providers such as 3D printers and CAD artists.

Reach out to us to see how we can provide SBIR help for your innovation,
startup or small business.

Online Courses: Innovation & Entrepreneurship

The Courses

Acture offers a number of online courses that the student can learn at their own pace from the
convenience of their home or office. Our courses range from getting started with just an idea all
the way to launching their own business and selling products. Topics include critical subjects
such as picking the right idea, buying products and services, IP protection, prototyping,
preparing a pitch, crowdfunding, selling, managing money, and turning a product into a business.

Reach out to us to see how we can provide these courses for your or your community.

1-on-1: Coaching & Consulting

Who We Work With

- Innovators - Startups

- Entrepreneurs - Small Businesses

- Anyone with an idea for a product or business

Our Process

Our approach focuses on understanding an entrepreneur’s unique goals, challenges, and working
style, then tailoring guidance to fit their specific situation. Instead of offering generic advice, we
use targeted questioning, strategic analysis, and hands-on problem-solving to identify strengths,
reveal hidden obstacles, and shape actionable next steps. This personalized method helps
founders gain clarity, make confident decisions, and get a procedural outlook that support long-term
growth.

Issues We Help You Work Through

Ideation & Market Validation
Funding Methods & Cash Flow
Technical Development Challenges
Intellectual Property Protection
Market Entry & Competition
Business Operations & Scaling
Sales, Marketing & Visibility
Exit Plans
Alternative Approaches (e.g.; Licensing)

Reach out to us to see how we can provide one-on-one coaching or consulting for potential new businesses in your community.

Special Events

Interactive, Engaging, Gamified, Cooperative

Some examples of our interactive Open Meetings, Expos, and Conferences include a fundraising activity, film analysis, real-life and real-profit market testing, and a 3-day conference with dozens of speakers from all around the globe.

Reach out to us to see how we can provide a Special Event in your community.

Member Scholarships & Cohorts

Overview

An All-Access Membership in Acture is an over $800 value, and includes:

Complete access to all online Open Meetings
Complete access to all Behind-the-Scenes Livestream programs
Exclusive access to confidential Inventor/Entrepreneur Workshop
Complete replay access to all Recorded and Archived Meetings
Inventor/Entrepreneur Assessment Evaluation on your idea
20% Discount to all Empowered Inventing Academy Classes
20% Discount to all Empowered Inventing Coaching Sessions

Member Scholarship Program

Member Scholarships can be purchased for your community in 10-member blocks. We have
successfully worked with organizations, sponsors, communities and federal agencies with our
scholarship program.

Cohort Program

The Cohort Program helps community leaders grow their economies through entrepreneurship. We’ve worked with communities in metro and rural areas to help form cohorts and develop strong and vibrant communities. We understand that entrepreneurship thrives within a supportive and collaborative ecosystem and that every one of us is a part of that ecosystem.

We teach the value of thoughtful learning and action on taking the right, lean and strategic steps
necessary to move forward to a product or business that makes revenue and builds a legacy.

These programs can also be customized to fit the needs of the facility or
community development organization in terms of length, venue (in-person vs
teleconference), and curriculum. Reach out to us with your needs.

Sponsorships / Affiliates

Overview

We Hold 36 events per year, as well as supplemental events not included in our core curriculum. Our outreach spans across the United States as well as every continent besides Antarctica. Our attendees are in a very specialized niche that fit an ideal customer avatar of marketing company. An investment with guaranteed exposure to a concentrated number of prospective clientele would be a great foray into this otherwise insular ecosystem.

Sponsorships

Sponsoring Acture means more than providing financial support—it means directly fueling the development of innovators who are working to build stronger communities and create meaningful solutions. Sponsors gain visibility as champions of entrepreneurship while enabling access to training, mentorship, and vital resources for emerging inventors and founders. Through sponsorship, partners join Acture in expanding economic opportunity, advancing innovation, and ensuring that great ideas have the support they need to succeed.

Affiliate Program

Acture’s affiliate program enables partners to support local innovators while gaining shared
visibility and collaboration opportunities. Affiliates can refer entrepreneurs, promote programs,
and participate in joint initiatives that strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help
founders access the resources they need to succeed.

Supporting Our Mission

Empowering Ideas Into Impact

Acture exists to turn ideas into impact. Every day, countless inventors and entrepreneurs
possess the spark of innovation but lack the support, knowledge, or pathways needed to bring
their solutions to life. Acture bridges that gap. Through hands-on training, structured
programming, expert mentorship, and a supportive entrepreneurial community, we help
creators develop the skills and confidence required to build sustainable ventures. Our
programs empower individuals from all backgrounds to translate ingenuity into real-world
progress—strengthening local economies, advancing technology, and creating opportunities
where none previously existed.

Investing in Innovation and Community

Your support fuels this mission. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Acture depends on donors who believe
in possibility—those who understand that the next breakthrough often comes from someone
simply needing the right guidance at the right time. By investing in Acture, you are investing in
the people and ideas that change communities. You are helping unlock talent, accelerate
innovation, and build a future where problem-solvers thrive. Join us in enabling the next
generation of makers, founders, and visionaries to turn their bold ideas into tomorrow’s
solutions.

Getting Involved

Provide connections to customers, partners, or resource providers
Offer in-kind services (design, legal basics, accounting, workspace, tools, equipment)
Promote the organization on social media or within professional networks
Serve on a committee or advisory board
Help run events (setup, logistics, photography, facilitation)
Test products or give feedback to founders
Provide internships or apprenticeship opportunities
Advocate for entrepreneurship and supportive policies

Reach out to us to see how you can work with us as a sponsor, affiliate or supporter.