For returning citizens
RIDE Entrepreneurship Center
Returning Citizens Inspired to Develop Entrepreneurial Ventures. Business planning, coaching, and community for people coming home from incarceration.
What it is
The Center connects formerly incarcerated people with what it takes to start and grow a sustainable business: business planning, financial management, marketing, leadership development, legal and regulatory guidance, mentorship, coaching, and the relationships that make the rest possible.
RIDE has never been the work of one organization or one person. It has grown through Morgan State University, EDAC staff, its advisory board, instructors, subject-matter experts, community organizations, volunteers, and the entrepreneurs themselves.
How it got here
RIDE began with people who believed entrepreneurship could open another pathway for people returning to their communities. In 2020, support through the Minority Business Development Agency helped advance entrepreneurship programming for returning citizens and showed the need for dedicated resources. In 2024, RIDE expanded into the RIDE Entrepreneurship Center, supported through a congressional earmark and a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
By the numbers
- 225+ returning citizens served
- 400+ hours of instruction delivered
- 40+ ventures supported or business ideas formalized
- 27 full cohorts
- 8 industry-led cohorts launched
- 45+ one-on-one coaching sessions with subject-matter experts
- 10+ skills labs and events
- 47+ podcast episodes
Impact Summit VI
The sixth RIDE Impact Summit, on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at The Cube Cowork in Baltimore, drew more than 100 participants. Ron Hantz, founder of the Network for Developing Conscious Communities, led a workshop on collaborative ownership. Five RIDE entrepreneurs told their own stories, and a pitch competition moved the day from learning to action.
Colin Fraser received the Howard Wicker Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, and Antoin Quarles the Howard Wicker Advocate Award. The awards carry the name of the entrepreneur and advocate who helped bring RIDE to Morgan State.
What's next
What RIDE has planned after the summit:
- August. A post-summit impact session, online, for connection, resources, and group support.
- September. The Venture Lab cohort launches, with hands-on support and guidance.
- October. Community impact sessions and the Growth Beyond Me Pitch Competition.
- November. Friendsgiving at The Cube.
- Ongoing. Community impact pop-ups and group coaching in partner spaces.
- Monthly. Unlock Your Potential, a resource event for returning citizens, on the third Thursday from six to eight in the evening at The Cube Cowork, 4709 Harford Road. Register.
Dates are posted on the calendar as they are set.