Sometimes coffee is the easiest part of owning a coffee shop. For all the complexities of the beverage that draw folks in, once it comes time to hang your own shingle, the game becomes less about chasing the perfect cup and more about keeping the doors open so that the perfect up can be chased. This is where Coffee Futures Fund comes in. Along with providing the opportunity for additional funding, Coffee Futures Fund provides a free online course aimed at helping independent coffee shop owners get the most out of their business. And applications for the 2027 cohort are live.
There are two main components to the Coffee Futures Fund. The first is a 10-week learning opportunity. Taking place online, participants will take part in discussions with industry leaders who can share their struggles and successes building their own coffee businesses. Many of these individuals will also act as one-on-one mentors for the cohorts. Previous and current mentors include 2014 US Barista Champion and owner of Guilder Coffee Laila Ghambari, 2017 World Barista Champion and Ithaka Coffee founder Dale Harris, Blue Bottle’s Selina Viguera, Madcap’s Trevor Corlett, and Julie Housh.
Participants will also attend weekly workshops with their peers that double as opportunities to network with like-minded individuals and create new professional relationships.
The second component of Coffee Futures Fund involves the potential for additional capital. Near the end of the session, participants will present a business plan to a group of mentors and investors, and the top two will receive up to $50,000 each. The money comes via a revenue share model, meaning the cafe owners “keep 100% ownership, give up no equity, and repay an agreed percentage of revenue over time, with a fixed cap,” with “repayments [that] scale with your revenue: slow month, smaller payment.”
The revenue component is completely optional and does not affect one’s ability to participate in the 10-week program.
There are a total of 10 spots in the 2027 cohort, and applications are now open through October 15th. Decisions on the 10 spots will be made by November 15th.
For more information, a full list of participation requires, or to apply, visit Coffee Future Fund’s official website.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
