Accompany Capital

Really enjoyed joining our fellow CDFIs at the Meet the Lender:
Community Development forum sponsored by the NYC
SBS in partnership with Queens Chamber of Commerce The event focused on increasing awareness and access to alternative financing options for small business owners as well as how to become loan-ready, key financial considerations, and
common mistakes to avoid when applying for loans!
AC's Tshering Gurung and Thinley Wangchuk were there and enjoyed conversations with colleagues as well as terrific small business owners.

We really appreciate our interns so it was great to see two of them celebrated as they completed their SOAR program. Congratulations to AC interns Shristi Pandit and Nahun Garcia who were honored at the SOAR Closing Ceremony 2026, celebrating students who have completed LaGuardia Community College's SOAR Experiential Learning Program during fall 2025 and spring 2026! AC's Roberto Evans was there as well to say a few words and celebrate his terrific trainees!

Attention Food Business Owners!
Our friends at Santander are holding a Cultivate Small Business Information Session, an innovative program for growing food businesses.

Santander’s award-winning Cultivate Small Business program helps early-stage entrepreneurs build and sustain businesses in the food industry, with a focus on historically under-served founders in low-to-moderate income communities. Cultivate is a FREE 12-week MBA-style program that provides a customized curriculum through live virtual classes. Successful graduates will leave the program with a fully formulated business plan and pitch, a strong grasp on their target market, financials, and growth goals, and up to $20,000 in capital grants.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm on July 21st.

To learn more click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santanders-cultivate-small-business-information-session-tickets-1984830015005

To register click here: https://app.santanderx.com/calls/csb14

If you have any questions about the program, please contact [email protected]

Santander's Cultivate Small Business Information Session Learn about Santander's Cultivate Small Business program for growing food businesses.

What a terrific evening this week at the 2026 Hot Bread Kitchen gala benefit, which also included an inspiring pitch competition from 4 terrific food & restaurant industry entrepreneurs: Tiffany Gordon, founder of Secret Vegan Kitchen; Keesha O’Galdez, founder of Live Loud Foods; Ellie Pena, founder of Pilas Café; and winner Priscilla Terrero, founder of Morito Chocolates!

A particularly exciting moment was when New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin presented an official New York City Council Proclamation honoring Hot Bread Kitchen, praising them for training New Yorkers and opening pathways for career stability.

Congratulations to the evening's honoree Christina Tosi, founder of Milk Bar!
And of course to Leslie Abbey, Chief Executive Officer at Hot Bread Kitchen, for an inspiring evening and an incredibly successful fundraiser!

A very special thanks to event sponsor TD Bank’s Sr. Regional Giving Manager Akash Mahajan for the invitation and to EVP & Regional President Ralph Bumbaca and the TD Team for a great evening and lively table!

Looking forward to this terrific upcoming event in at the New York Urban League Conference Center at 117 West 125th on June 11th, a gathering focused on helping women grow their businesses and strengthen their lives! We'll be there - and a proud co-sponsor - so join us!
Learn more and register here: https://www.womenintheblack.org/

May was and the NYC Department of Small Business Services held its 3rd annual NYC Small Business Month Expo!
Accompany Capital's Tshering Gurung and Richard Portilla were there, along with hundreds of small business entrepreneurs, colleagues, partners, vendors, and reps from City Government agencies. It's always inspiring to see the entrepreneurial spirit of New Yorkers, as well as the NYC government's strong commitment to supporting them!

Accompany Capital's Ivan Momin stopped by this week to congratulate clients Zarak Khan and Imran Khan, owners of a new Astoria location of YAAAS TEA, a specialty beverage and café franchise offering freshly prepared bubble teas, milk teas, fruit teas, coffees, and baked goods. Zarak and Imran used their Accompany Capital financing to renovate and bring their location up to franchise standards, as well as to purchase and install upgraded tea brewers, sealing machines, and refrigeration units. Additional capital was used to purchase teas, toppings, syrups, cups, packaging and other inventory items, along with furniture and illuminated signage. Come check them out!

AC's Tshering Gurung and Rich Reynoso were in attendance for the Asian Americans for Equality Gala last week. Thanks so much to Jessie Lee and Ximena Pena from Renaissance Economic Development Corporation for the invitation and our ongoing partnership! It was a great evening: a delicious dinner buffet, great small business owners showcasing their products, amazing speakers, and great view of Manhattan skyline!
And of course we were happy to see some of our favorite elected officials as well, including Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Council Member Julie Won, Ravi Reddi, from The Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Faiza N. Ali, and Midori Valdivia, Commissioner of the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission!

Meet Onur Safak, entrepreneur, visionary owner of a growing fleet of celebrated NY restaurants - including ZOI Mediterranean Nomad- and recipient of the Accompany Capital 2026 Immigrant Heritage Week Job Creator Award!

Meet Onur Safak - Winner of the Accompany Capital Immigrant Heritage Week Job Creator Award Meet Onur Safak, restaurateur & entrepreneur, and winner of the 202...

Another successful Queens Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at Citi Field - with over 2000 attendees - and Accompany Capital was there! Kudos to QCC for always bringing together great organizations, entrepreneurs, and service providers committed to supporting the growth of small businesses across Queens! It was a great opportunity to connect with new organizations as well as long-standing partners PLUS Mets legend - and philanthropist -Dwight "Doc" Gooden and Mr. Met!