If you are invested in RICE, you need to read this.
If you haven’t heard, The RICE Report is out. And you should know it’s by far the clearest picture yet of what happens when you invest in overlooked entrepreneurs. It’s the numbers, the milestones, the jobs created, and the businesses built. But it’s also the stories, the voices, and the vision of what comes next.
Inside these pages, you’ll find the data that backs up our mission, the storytelling that brings it to life, and the milestones that are carrying us through 2025 and beyond.
This is the second year we’ve set out to capture and document the heartbeat of this place—the data, the stories, the people, and the progress that make the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs what it is. I want to tell you why, if you care about RICE and the work we do, you need to read it.
The Data That Speaks for Itself
Within its pages are the numbers and metrics that prove what we’ve been building works. Revenue created, jobs generated, businesses expanded, partnerships formed—the data is all there. We’ve crunched it, tracked it, and pulled it together to show the real economic impact of investing in Black entrepreneurs.
The Storytelling That Brings It to Life
Beyond the stats, you will find storytelling. It’s the voice of the regular Stakeholders who show up every day to learn, build, and stretch their dreams into something tangible. It’s the behind-the-scenes look at the programming that shapes them, and the ways they, in turn, shape us.
Innovation on Wheels
This year, we’ve also expanded our storytelling to capture innovation in motion. Our Georgia AIM 53-foot mobile studio is rolling across the state, showcasing VR simulations, robotics demonstrations, and real pathways to the future of work. It’s creating jobs, sparking curiosity, and delivering meaningful engagement everywhere it parks. That’s RICE in action; taking access beyond our four walls.
A Showcase of Milestones
For me, this report feels deeply personal. Within these 72 pages, you’ll see a brilliant showcase of milestones that will carry RICE through 2025 and beyond. Every detail, every story, every number, every image, is a marker of how far we’ve come and how much more there is to do.
So don’t just skim it. Sit with it. Soak it in. And let it remind you why RICE matters and why your investment in this work makes all the difference.
Because this isn’t just our story, it’s yours too.
— Elise
