Surge Angels is an early-stage entrepreneurship accelerator for 10 education leaders of color (“founders”) who bring lived proximity to the systemic challenges facing their communities. Through tailored workshops, executive coaching, and strategic capital, founders sharpen business acumen and operational sustainability, creating a clear framework to validate their ideas, accelerate progress, and explore the long-term potential of their venture.

To us, a founder's growth matters as much as their venture's traction. New and transitioning founders move through the same arc side by side, toward the goal at the center of all Surge Institute's work: increasing high-quality education options and access for our communities. 

Through the Surge Angels experience, founders will:

• Join a community of practice about entrepreneurship

• Learn the skills needed to take your venture to the next level

• Develop robust business acumen transferable to any role or setting

• Work with a coach and mentors around your new venture idea

• Broaden your horizons in community with Surge siblings

• Connect with seasoned founders and experts in entrepreneurship

What's New In 2027

Through the generous support of the Margulf Foundation, the Surge Institute has partnered with 4.0 and Camelback Ventures to refine the Surge Angels experience!  Here's what that means for Surge Alumni.

• Build the Leader, Not Just the Venture: Surge Angels invests in you as much as the idea. Through executive coaching, workshops, and hands-on learning, you’ll develop business acumen, founder mindset, and operational skills that transfer beyond your venture—while putting those skills into practice as you develop your idea.

• Test, Refine, Repeat: With insights from 4.0, you’ll move beyond preparing a compelling pitch for what your idea is today to testing and refining it into what it deserves to be. You’ll develop and iterate an MVP, use what you learn to sharpen your solution, and gain greater clarity about what your venture is uniquely positioned to do.

• Get Investment Ready: With insights from Camelback Ventures, we’re putting greater emphasis on venture readiness and helping you clearly articulate the problem, solution, MVP, and opportunity. By the end of Angels, every participant will have an Investment Packet designed to help them communicate their venture and pursue future funding opportunities.

• From Pitching to Progress: Pitch Night is now a showcase, not a competition. Instead of competing for a limited pool of awards, all ten participants will spend the program strengthening their venture and building toward meaningful next steps, including the ability to pursue investment, funding, or other growth opportunities.

• A Launchpad for What’s Next: Surge Angels is designed to help you leave with more than a polished pitch—you’ll have a stronger venture, stronger entrepreneurial skills, and a clearer sense of your next step. Whether that means launching, growing, pursuing capital, applying to an accelerator or fellowship, or continuing to develop your idea, you’ll be better positioned for what comes next.