After a long career as a leader at financial institutions (such as community-driven Sunrise Banks), Dorothy Bridges brought her expertise to MEDA in 2022 to help BIPOC entrepreneurs succeed and grow. With an emphasis on connections, consultation, and capital, Minneapolis-based MEDA plans to deploy $220 million over the next five years while scaling its services and partnerships to continue helping BIPOC businesses grow. The time for incrementalism is over, says Bridges. “If you want BIPOC businesses to scale up—to grow and to thrive—you need to scale up what you provide to them.”

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