Breaking Barriers,

growing Businesses

Driving Social Impact and Business Innovation

Build Innovation Capacity
Get Business Support

San Antonio nonprofit

Venture Development Organization

Emerge and Rise helps established San Antonio businesses scale. We work with small and medium-sized enterprises and high-equity businesses that are past the startup phase and ready for what's next: growth, modernization, or expansion into new markets.

We provide hands-on, personalized support to help you adopt digital tools, strengthen your operations, access procurement and capital opportunities, and build long-term sustainability. Think of us as a growth partner that walks with you, not a one-time workshop.

Ready to take the next step?

Emerge and Rise 2025 Award - SME Expansion Facilitator of the Year
Lina Rugova and Christine Colburn receiving Emerge and Rise Award

SME Expansion Facilitator of the Year - 2025 Go Global Awards, International Trade Council

Who do we support

At Emerge and Rise™, we work with business owners who are already operating but didn't start with the usual access, connections, or funding. We meet them where they are and help them move forward with clarity.

  • Business owners preparing to hire, scale, or raise capital

  • Women-led companies driving innovation across industries

  • First-generation business owners and international companies building in San Antonio

  • Veterans and transitioning service members ready to lead in business

  • Entrepreneurs navigating digital tools, funding, or new markets

Young man working in a kitchen or bakery, wearing a black T-shirt with the words 'COPS & ROBBERS SMASH COWBOYS & INDIANS', surrounded by baking ingredients and tools on the countertop.
Inside a modern salon or spa, a young woman with long brown hair wearing a red sweater is smiling while interacting with a customer. The customer, with curly red hair, is holding a tablet showing images, possibly making a selection. The background features a brightly lit space with large windows, wooden beams, and various salon stations with chairs and mirrors.
Female soldier in camouflage uniform sitting on porch in front of purple door with green window shutters.

How we work with businesses

Hands-on support for businesses past the startup phase

We work with small and mid-sized businesses ready for what comes next: growth, modernization, or new markets. Our work is shaped around the operations of each business we serve, not packaged programs delivered to a broad audience. These are the ways to engage with us.

Services Initiatives Community Connections Areas of Work Member Site

Holistic Entrepreneurship

  • Financial Literacy Pillar Emerge and Rise

    Financial Literacy

    We build financial skills into everything we do. Business owners and their teams learn budgeting, investing, and financial planning through hands-on workshops designed for real-world decision-making.

  • Digital Literacy Pillar Emerge and Rise

    Digital Literacy

    We help businesses and their teams get comfortable with digital tools, from social media marketing and AI to e-commerce, so they can operate and grow in an increasingly digital world.

  • Mental Health Wellness Pillar Emerge and Rise

    Founder Wellness

    We prioritize mental wellness through workshops on resilience, stress management, and work-life balance. We help entrepreneurs move past the self-reliance trap and learn to build strong teams and lead sustainably.

  • Sustainability Pillar Emerge and Rise

    Sustainability

    We help small businesses integrate environmental practices into their operations with practices that balance profitability, climate impact, and social good for long-term success.

Shared Resources

Our Focus Areas

  • Providing necessary tools and knowledge for innovation and financial management, digital skills, and overall business acumen. Promoting new ideas and business models through our programs.

  • Facilitating connections between entrepreneurs, mentors, and community leaders to strengthen the business ecosystem. Ensuring that a wide range of perspectives and ideas are heard and integrated.

  • Offering targeted education and resources in financial and digital literacy, essential for building sustainable businesses and achieving economic independence and generational wealth.

  • Encouraging innovative thinking and adaptation through our tailored Corporate Small Business Programs, aimed at fostering a culture of innovation within larger organizational structures and the broader community.

Women Forward Art Gallery Emerge and Rise Showcase
DeAnna Brown Emerge and Rise Cohort Member

“I found something truly special, beyond just my art business, I found a like-minded community.”

— DeAnna Brown

Volunteer
Mentor

AFFILIATIONS

  • San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

    San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC)

  • World Affairs Council of San Antonio

    World Affairs Council of San Antonio

  • San Antonio Council for International Visitors

    San Antonio Council for International Visitors

  • National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB)

    National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB)

  • Grow with Google

    Grow with Google Impact Partner

  • National Digital Inclusion Alliance

    NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE

  • Global Cyber Alliance

    GLOBAL CYBER ALLIANCE

  • ProLiteracy

    PRO LITERACY

  • Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network

    NTEN (Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network)

  • National Coalition for Community Capital

    National Coalition for Community Capital

Partner With Us

Blog posts, News, and Media Press

News
Five Years of Emerge and Rise: What Building From the Ground Up Actually Looks Like
Five Years of Emerge and Rise: What Building From the Ground Up Actually Looks Like

Half of all small businesses in San Antonio do not make it to year five. Emerge and Rise did, and we were built to make sure more of them do too. This is an honest look at what five years of running a nonprofit venture development organization in this city actually cost, produced, and taught us.

Read more →
The Mental Load Is a Business Problem
The Mental Load Is a Business Problem

The mental load is not a household issue. It is a business one. Research shows that the cognitive labor of planning, scheduling, and managing falls on women regardless of income or employment status, and the burnout data confirms what that costs. This post looks at what happens when that load follows women into their businesses.

Read more →
The Myth of the Bootstrap
The Myth of the Bootstrap

Women, immigrants, and veterans start businesses at rates that outpace their share of the population. But the data on who actually gets the capital, networks, and institutional support to grow tells a different story. This post looks at the structural gap between who starts and who scales.

Read more →
A man giving a presentation to a seated audience in a conference room with large windows and a slide projected on the wall.
Close-up of green leafy plant in a white pot, with a blurred laptop screen showing a virtual meeting in the background.
A diverse group of seven young women sitting on graffiti-covered outdoor staircase, smiling and laughing together.

Empower Dreams: Join Us in Building Business Futures

Every donation fuels the journey of aspiring entrepreneurs in our community. Your support enables Emerge and Rise to provide essential resources, mentorship, and training to those who need it most. Together, we can transform potential into success. Invest in a brighter future today—every contribution makes a difference!

Make a Donation Today

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