Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship

What it is

The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship is a national consortium and resource hub based at the Howard University School of Business. It supports the launch, growth and acquisition of business ventures through programs, capital, curriculum, research, skills training and events. PNC announced a $16.8 million, five-year grant in October 2021 to launch the Center. It works through four regional hubs: Howard University (Mid-Atlantic, including DC and Virginia), Morgan State University (Mid-South, including Maryland), Clark Atlanta University (Southeast) and Texas Southern University (Southwest).

What it offers founders

Programs are grouped by audience:

• Community entrepreneurs: the 15-week Idea-to-App Accelerator for first-time and non-technical founders building a tech application, the five-week Ready, Set, Launch social entrepreneurship bootcamp, the Startup Skills Academy of noncredit courses on digital tools, and Dreams to Dollars, a monthly webinar series with founders.
• Students: the Startup Scholars Program, with up to $10,000 in funding, one-to-one mentorship and workshops, and the eight-week HBCU Consulting Lab pairing students with local businesses.
• Faculty and institutions: a Faculty Fellowship with $10,000 awards, the HBCU Entrepreneurship Education Institute, and $25,000 Education Innovation Grants for HBCUs.

The Center states that it funds entrepreneurs mainly through pitch competitions and specific programs and has no ongoing grant program. It does not offer general one-on-one coaching outside select program mentorship hours.

Who it is for

The Center serves HBCU students, faculty and institutions as well as community entrepreneurs. Eligibility varies by program, with some criteria tied to business stage, industry or student status. Howard alumni status is not required, and many webinars, events and workshops are open to anyone.

How to engage

The easiest entry points are the free webinars and workshops and the annual HBCU Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit. The 2026 summit ran June 24 to 26 in Washington, DC, with a pitch competition, entrepreneur office hours, a resource fair and tracks on entrepreneurs, ecosystems and investing. Full-conference tickets were $249 for students, faculty and staff and $349 for general attendees. For programs, apply to the one that fits your stage or status. Organizations can partner through sponsorships, program collaborations, procurement opportunities or investment. Contact the Center at hupnc_center@howard.edu or see the Center page for current offerings.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

The Center gives DMV founders, especially Black and HBCU-connected entrepreneurs, a structured route into skills training, tech product building and national HBCU networks. With Howard leading the Mid-Atlantic hub and Morgan State covering Maryland, it ties DC-area founders to a multi-state network of institutions, investors and partners.