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Zero-Equity Accelerator

Reimagining Business Acceleration Through Zero-Equity Support

At Utopian Help PBC, we believe that entrepreneurial success shouldn’t depend on giving away ownership of your business. As a Public Benefit Corporation, we’ve created a revolutionary approach to business acceleration that combines professional expertise with Christ-like compassion—all without taking a single percentage of equity from the businesses we serve.

What Are Zero-Equity Grants?

Our zero-equity grants represent the difference between our standard service rates and the sliding scale rates we offer based on your business’s operating gross margin. Rather than providing traditional cash grants, we deliver our services at significantly reduced rates to qualifying businesses—effectively “granting” you professional services that would otherwise be financially out of reach.

How Our Grants Work

  1. Assessment: We evaluate your business’s operating gross margin each month as part of the financial reporting standard in all the accelerator services. This evaluation is performed on a cash basis, to ensure that you have received the funds that are adjusting your grant totals. 
  2. Calculation: The grant amount for the current month is set based on the percentage of the “Gross Margin Multiple” associated with your tier. For example, at the Foundation tier, a 10x multiple is used. This means for every dollar that you earn in gross margin, your grant amount is reduced by $0.10 (10%). Once your business gross margin is 10x the business accelerate service costs, then the grant no longer subsidizes your services.
  3. Application: Your grant is automatically applied to your monthly service fees across any tier. The calculation varies slightly by tier due to the differences in Gross Margin multiple and maximum grant award amounts.
  4. Transparency: You always know exactly what your grant percentage is and how it’s calculated.
  5. Duration: The Business Accelerator contract renews on an annual basis and your grant award will be renewed at that time, under the current terms of the agreement.
  6. Intent: We seek to grow healthy businesses and wealth for God’s kingdom through our services. We strive to have our clients grow forward with us once they outgrow the grant since their fees make a positive impact in the lives of other small business owners by continuing to support and subsidize our services.

Why Zero-Equity Matters

Most traditional business accelerators follow a standard model:

  • Provide services, mentorship, and sometimes capital
  • Take 5-10% equity in exchange
  • Focus primarily on high-growth, venture-scale businesses
  • Prioritize rapid scaling and investor returns

While the traditional model works for some businesses, they can be both difficult to access due to the selective nature of the ventures they support. In addition, non-traditional and faith based businesses are often left unserved. Finally, even if your business is accepted to a traditional business accelerator, you are left with an impossible choice: give up ownership or go without essential support.

The Utopian Help Difference:

Our zero-equity approach means:

  • 100% Ownership Retained: You keep complete ownership of the business you’ve built
  • Decision-Making Control: Your company’s direction remains entirely in your hands
  • Value Preservation: All future value you create stays with you and your stakeholders
  • Mission Alignment: Your business can stay true to its purpose without external pressure
  • Accessible Excellence: Professional services become affordable regardless of your current margins

Who Should Consider Joining Utopian Accelerate?

Our grants program is specifically designed to help:
  • Early-Stage Entrepreneurs: When margins are tight and every dollar counts
  • Mission-Driven Businesses: When purpose takes priority over maximum profitability
  • Service-Based Companies: When traditional venture capital isn’t a fit
  • Bootstrapped Businesses: When self-funding means limited resources for support services
  • Underrepresented Founders: When traditional funding paths present additional barriers

Experience the Zero-Equity Difference

Don’t build your business alone, and don’t give away pieces of it to get the help you need. With Utopian Help’s zero-equity grants program, you can access the essential services that make the difference between struggling and succeeding—all delivered with the Christ-like compassion that sets us apart.