Entrepreneurs in Charlotte, North Carolina, are coming together to build a creative hub designed to support and uplift small Black businesses no matter the industry.
According to The Charlotte Observer, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce is advancing its mission to empower Black businesses and strengthen the community through the development of an Innovation Center. Designed as a creative hub, the center will support small Black-owned businesses by providing a space to strategize, collaborate, and scale their operations.
According to artist and entrepreneur Cathay Dawkins—a member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce—the Innovation Center will include an agri-tech program to help farmers leverage advanced technology and expand their market reach. It will also offer event spaces for business meetings, outreach programs, co-working areas for startups, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits, as well as a retail store and distribution center to support small business growth.
On Monday, Dawkins shared an update on the Innovation Center’s progress through a video posted to Instagram. The clip showed her friends and former students joyfully exploring the space, even with construction still underway. In the caption, Dawkins noted that once completed, the center will feature “11 rooms, [a] full kitchen, amazing bathrooms,” in addition to several other amenities.
Prior to breaking ground on the space, Dawkins told The Charlotte Observer that she and members of the team spent time traveling to other cities to see how the space could be used. To determine the best use of the future Innovation Center, they embarked on a research tour of cities with similar business hubs—including Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and nearby Durham, North Carolina. The insights they gained from these visits inspired the team to design a one-of-a-kind space in Charlotte dedicated to uplifting Black-owned businesses and professionals.
The Innovation Center is needed now more than ever
For Dawkins, the Innovation Center comes at a critical time, as in May, the Trump Administration unveiled its proposed FY 2026 discretionary budget, which—if enacted—would slash funding for key small business support programs and significantly scale back the operations of several federal agencies.
President Trump has proposed significant cuts to the U.S. Small Business Administration, including a $167 million reduction to Entrepreneurial Development Programs and the elimination of 15 key initiatives—among them, Women’s Business Centers and SCORE, both of which are vital support systems for small business owners, according to the Small Business Majority. The proposal also targets the U.S. Department of the Treasury, calling for a $291 million cut to the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund—reducing its budget to less than $30 million to serve entrepreneurs in underserved communities.
“As things in the community get taken away, like federal funding and grants, we want to be a safe space,” Dawkins explained. “I wanted to create a safe space for business owners and professionals to come get elevated.”
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce invested approximately $30,000 to acquire the property and is now spearheading a $3.7 million fundraising campaign to bring their ambitious vision to life. The planned renovations are expected to take anywhere from six months to a year to complete.
SEE MORE:
NFL Secures $21M Through NBBF For Minority Banks
Black-Owned Banks & Fintech
Black Entrepreneurs In Charlotte Launch $3.7M Campaign To Build Innovation Center
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