ICA started over ten years ago in Oakland, California, as an affiliate of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) – a national, non-profit organization that promotes the competitive advantages and social impact of doing business in the inner city. Building on the research of ICIC, ICA offers an on-the-ground approach by providing business services and strategic direction to emerging entrepreneurs based in lower-income communities. The resulting success and growth of these businesses directly impact the neighborhoods where they operate and the people that they employ. As ICA grows and reaches more companies, so will its impact on these disenfranchised communities.