Othello

Aligning capital, procurement, and capacity building to create sustainable growth in underserved communities.

Breaking Barriers to Build Opportunity

Imagine a talented entrepreneur with a groundbreaking idea — eager to make a mark on the world. They’ve put in the work, sacrificed endlessly, and developed a business model poised for success. Yet, despite their vision and determination, they find themselves ensnarled in an economic system that prevents them from securing the resources they need to succeed.

This is the reality for far too many entrepreneurs today — particularly those from underserved and marginalized communities. The problem isn’t a lack of ambition or innovation. The problem is a system that continues to push talented founders to the margins, locking them out of opportunities that fuel sustainable growth for their businesses and their communities.

At Othello, we believe in the promise of community development through economic growth. We reimagine underserved communities and build thriving, inclusive local economies that address the structural barriers that keep under-resourced entrepreneurs from reaching their full potential.

The Othello Approach: Building Ecosystems That Work

Unlocking opportunity is not about addressing a single barrier; it’s about creating interconnected systems that function collaboratively. Othello serves as an ecosystem builder, fostering a supportive environment that includes entrepreneurs, anchor institutions, developers, lenders, and government partners, all working together to promote economic growth.

Our solution is simple but powerful: align three critical forces — capital, procurement, and capacity building — to create a supportive ecosystem where under-resourced entrepreneurs can thrive.

When these forces come together, entrepreneurs can compete for high-value contracts, expand their workforce, and generate wealth that sustains entire communities. Here’s how we make it happen:

Force #1: Capital That Ignites Growth

Access to capital is more than securing funding — it’s about unlocking opportunity. For many under-resourced entrepreneurs, the barrier isn’t vision or capability; it’s navigating a financial system that wasn’t designed for them.

At Othello, we connect businesses to the kind of funding that drives sustainability, opens doors, and positions them to compete for larger contracts and partnerships. We bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and the funding they need to grow.

Through our network of CDFIs, impact investors, procurement-focused lenders, and anchor institutions, we curate capital solutions tailored to each entrepreneur’s journey. But we don’t just connect them to funding — we equip them with the strategies, relationships, and financial readiness tools to maximize their impact.

Whether it’s:

• Early-stage founders seeking microloans or grants to stabilize operations
• Growth-ready businesses securing working capital to expand their teams
• Scaling firms preparing to pursue seven-figure procurement opportunities

When capital is aligned with procurement and capacity-building strategies, it becomes a growth engine that creates jobs, wins contracts, and fuels thriving local economies.

Force #2: Real Procurement Opportunities

Even in underserved communities, billions of dollars move through public and private procurement pipelines each year. Yet, despite the volume, too many under-resourced entrepreneurs in these communities remain locked out.

At Othello, procurement is one of the most powerful levers for creating true economic inclusion. Our role is to change the status quo. We connect businesses to real opportunities — from local development projects to large-scale government contracts — and position them as competitive, ready-to-perform partners.

We don’t just make introductions and walk away. We work side by side with entrepreneurs to:

• Understand bid requirements and RFP processes
• Develop capability statements and procurement readiness strategies
• Secure critical certifications and financing needed to deliver at scale

By leveraging our relationships with developers, anchor institutions, and government agencies, we create pathways to ensure that entrepreneurs can access and win contracts that transform their businesses and the communities they serve.

Force #3: Capacity Building That Sustains Growth

Securing new contracts is just one part of the equation. Without the capacity to deliver, success can be short-lived. That’s why Othello invests deeply in capacity-building strategies that prepare under-resourced entrepreneurs to compete and perform at the highest levels. Our approach goes beyond training — it’s about building scalable, sustainable business models.

We help clients:

• Strengthen operational systems
• Improve financial management and readiness
• Develop project management infrastructure
• Build, hire, and train workforce teams
• Access working capital to handle larger projects

By embedding entrepreneurs into a network of mentors, technical experts, and institutional partners, we give them the infrastructure needed to deliver excellence at every stage. And when capacity building is integrated with capital and procurement, it stops being performative and becomes a strategy for scalable, sustainable growth.

Transforming Potential Into Performance

At Othello, we’re not just connecting entrepreneurs to opportunities — we’re building ecosystems where talent, resources, and relationships come together to create thriving local economies.

When under-resourced entrepreneurs succeed, jobs are created, community wealth is built and local economies become more inclusive and sustainable. This is the blueprint for scalable economic growth — and we’re proud to be at the center of it.

We invite partners, investors, developers, and institutions to collaborate with us in this critical work. Together, we can reimagine what is possible when under-resourced entrepreneurs have access to the tools, networks, and resources they need to succeed. Let’s work together to create inclusive economic growth in underserved communities.