Right now, members of our selection committee are watching interviews. Sixteen finalists, sixteen recorded conversations, each one offering a window into an entrepreneur’s journey, vision, and readiness to grow.
The committee members aren’t distant evaluators—they’re current Cohort 2 fellows who remember what it felt like to share their own vision on camera just a year ago, alumni who’ve been through the entire fellowship, and community partners deeply invested in the Bronx entrepreneurial ecosystem.
This is selection by design, not by chance. And it reflects what we believe: that the people who build businesses in a community should help shape who joins them.
In a few weeks, we’ll gather in person to deliberate and choose the five entrepreneurs who will become Cohort 3. But first, let me walk you through how we got here.
This year, we received dozens of applications from Bronx entrepreneurs eager to grow their businesses and deepen their community impact. Selecting Cohort 3 has been both an exciting and thoughtful process—one that balances rigor, fairness, and a deep respect for the diverse experiences and aspirations of each applicant.
Our goal is simple: to identify Bronx entrepreneurs who are building businesses with real traction and who are committed to contributing to a stronger, more connected local economy.
The Selection Process: Where We Are Now
The process began in May with an open call for applications from Bronx-based entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs told us about their business model, community engagement, goals for growth, and what they hoped to gain from the program.
Here’s how applications have moved through the stages:
- Initial Screening ✓
Staff reviewed all applications to confirm eligibility and completeness and to assess overall response quality. - Assessor Review ✓
Our Selection Committee independently evaluated each eligible application using a standardized selection rubric. Assessors worked in pairs, but each scored applications independently. These scores were then averaged and weighted according to the rubric criteria. From this process, we identified our top 16 applicants as finalists. - Finalist Interviews ✓
In September, finalists participated in in-person, on-camera interviews with staff to share their journey, business, and growth vision. These recorded conversations help us see motivation, leadership, and readiness to fully engage in ways that don’t always come through on paper. - Committee Review & Scoring ← We are here
Right now, Selection Committee members are independently reviewing and scoring the interview recordings. Each member is evaluating finalists on qualities like entrepreneurial motivation, problem-solving ability, coachability, and willingness to collaborate with peers. - Deliberation and Selection → Coming in early November
In a few weeks, the committee will come together in person for our deliberation meeting. We’ll discuss each finalist and collectively select the five fellows who will join Cohort 3.
The Selection Committee
The Selection Committee reflects our belief that entrepreneurs should help shape the ecosystem they belong to. This year’s committee includes all five members of Cohort 2—Kevin Shabazz, Yasiris Ortiz, Anthony Epps, Howard Lindsay, and Ibrahima Badji—alongside CEA staff and invested community stakeholders from local institutions and partner organizations, including Kimberly Kendall from Lehman College and Rasheeda Frazier from NYPACE. This composition brings lived experience, operational insight, and ecosystem perspective to every decision.
When Cohort 2 fellows help choose Cohort 3, they’re not just evaluating candidates—they’re investing in relationships that will strengthen all of their work. They bring questions and insights that only come from building a business in the Bronx themselves.
Our Evaluation Rubric
We use a clear rubric to ensure transparency and consistency while leaving room for qualitative judgment and lived experience. The rubric focuses on four dimensions:
- Business Model & Operations (25%) — Clarity of model and strategy, revenue trends and sustainability, systems to manage operations
- Community Impact & Engagement (30%) — Demonstrated benefit to the Bronx, commitment to equity and inclusion, partnerships and local involvement
- Entrepreneur’s Vision & Strategic Planning (25%) — Clarity of vision and long-term goals, strategic thinking and adaptability, leadership and team development
- Growth Potential & Opportunities (20%) — Potential for measurable growth, market opportunity and scalability, readiness to leverage mentorship and resources
Applications are scored on a 1–3 scale in each area, where 1 indicates significant concerns, 2 meets basic expectations, and 3 exceeds expectations.
The interview process uses a separate rubric with its own 1–3 scale, focusing on personal qualities and readiness for collaboration: entrepreneurial motivation, problem-solving and adaptability, commitment and reliability, teamwork and collaboration, coachability and self-awareness, mentorship utilization, contribution to the fellow community, and long-term vision.
What These Criteria Mean in Practice
As committee members review applications and interviews, they’re not just looking for checkboxes. Take community impact, for instance. We’re asking: How does your success ripple out?
Among our finalists this year, we’re seeing diverse approaches to strengthening the Bronx—from businesses creating local employment opportunities to those providing essential services that keep other Bronx organizations running smoothly. We’re seeing entrepreneurs who understand that their success is tied to the community around them.
The interview reviews happening right now dig even deeper into personal qualities: Can this entrepreneur take feedback and grow from it? Will they show up consistently for their peers? Do they see other fellows as collaborators or competitors?
Community-Centered by Design
Beyond scores and metrics, we’re looking for something harder to quantify: an authentic sense of purpose and a collaborative spirit.
We’re building an ecosystem, not a portfolio. That means we need entrepreneurs who see other fellows as potential collaborators, not competitors. People who believe that when one Bronx business grows, it creates opportunities for others. The selection process itself models this—when Cohort 2 fellows help choose Cohort 3, they’re not just evaluating applications; they’re building the foundation for relationships that will make everyone stronger.
This approach comes with trade-offs, and our committee is wrestling with them right now. We might pass on a business with the highest revenue potential if the founder isn’t ready to engage with the community we’re building. We might take a chance on someone whose model is still evolving if we see the mindset and commitment that makes for a strong ecosystem contributor. It’s a bet on potential, on character, and on shared purpose.
What we’re after are entrepreneurs who are ready to learn, collaborate, and give back to the CEA community—strengthening the broader Bronx ecosystem as they grow.
What Happens Next
Over the next few weeks, our selection committee will complete their independent scoring of the finalist interviews. Then we’ll gather in person in early November for what is always the most meaningful part of the process: deliberation.
In that room, we’ll discuss not just individual strengths, but how each entrepreneur might contribute to and benefit from being part of a cohort. We’re thinking about diversity across industries, growth stages, and community impact focus. We’re considering who will challenge each other, support each other, and push each other to grow.
We’re building an ecosystem, not just selecting a class.
Five entrepreneurs will receive the news that they’ve been selected for Cohort 3, and we’ll introduce them publicly at our next Bronx Brilliance event on December 12th. Their nine-month fellowship will begin in early 2026, and they’ll join a growing community of Bronx business owners who believe that when one of us succeeds, we all have the opportunity to rise.
Want to be part of this work?
Applications for Cohort 4 will open in 2026. If you’re a Bronx entrepreneur building something that matters—to you, to your customers, and to this borough—stay connected with us.
And if you care about the future of entrepreneurship in the Bronx, there are many ways to contribute to this ecosystem—as an advisor, funder, or partner. Reach out to learn how you can support the entrepreneurs shaping the future of our borough.
