MIAMI, Fla. – Sep. 16, 2025 – Small-business owners in South Florida have another powerful opportunity to grow their companies through a tuition-free business development program that Regions Bank is helping bring to Miami for the second consecutive year.
Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) is a tuition-free, 40-hour ‘mini-MBA’ executive education program designed by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), a national nonprofit founded by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter. ICCC combines executive education, one-on-one coaching, networking, and access to capital to help small businesses in under-resourced communities accelerate sustainable growth.
Small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, and ICCC is helping them tap into new resources and strategies for success. Tammi Calvo-Sanchez, Miami-Dade Market Executive for Regions Bank
A kickoff breakfast hosted at Miami-Dade College’s Padrón Campus had small-business owners and community partners gather to celebrate ICCC’s impact and look ahead to the program’s next chapter in South Florida. The program comes as Miami-Dade is now ranked the number one county in the United States in the number of small businesses planning to open.
“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, and ICCC is helping them tap into new resources and strategies for success,” said Tammi Calvo-Sanchez, Miami-Dade Market Executive for Regions Bank. “That’s why Regions collaborates with ICIC in Miami as part of our commitment to create more opportunity. When small businesses grow, our entire community benefits.”
A new feature of the 2025 program is a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and how entrepreneurs can use it to fuel growth. ICIC recently conducted a nationwide study of more than 3,700 small- and mid-market businesses to explore AI adoption, challenges, and opportunities. Insights from that study will help guide program participants as they learn how AI can support operations, marketing, customer service, and more.
“We are calling this cohort Redesigned for Impact: AI, Capital, & Community to Help Small Business Scale. We are equipping business owners with tools to remain competitive in a fast-changing marketplace,” said Diego Portillo Mazal, Director of ICCC. “ICCC has a proven record of empowering and uplifting entrepreneurs. With community partners, like Regions, we are building a stronger ecosystem for small businesses in Miami.”
Since ICCC’s inception in 2005, more than 7,200 businesses nationwide have participated in the program. Collectively, those businesses have raised over $2.6 billion in capital and created more than 28,000 jobs.
The 2025 Miami cohort kicks off with a full-day in-person Opening Seminar on Tuesday, October 21, and continues through a tuition‑free, 40‑hour ‘mini‑MBA’ delivered via live virtual seminars, self-paced digital learning modules, and individual coaching.
ICCC has a proven record of empowering and uplifting entrepreneurs. With community partners, like Regions, we are building a stronger ecosystem for small businesses in Miami. Diego Portillo Mazal, Director of ICCC
Qualified businesses that apply and are accepted into the program do not need to be Regions Bank customers. The main qualifier is they must be growth-oriented companies with a presence in or near under-resourced communities.
Applications for the Miami ICCC program are currently open, though space is limited. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to secure a spot.
For more on eligibility and to apply, click here.
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $159 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,250 banking offices and nearly 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.
About ICIC
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping under-resourced communities and small businesses thrive through programming and research. Founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, ICIC provides executive education, coaching, technical assistance, and access to capital to more than 3,000 businesses across the U.S. and Canada each year. Through its research and partnerships, ICIC facilitates private-sector investment and economic development, creating opportunities for small businesses and local economies. Know a Miami business that could benefit from this program? Nominate them at icic.org/iccc/nominate.