Lafayette Square Institute Gets $5 Million for AI Capital Navigator

Oct 8, 2026
Lafayette Square Institute received a $5 million grant to launch Access to Capital, an AI enabled tool that will connect small businesses with public and private financing.

Lafayette Square Institute received a $5 million grant to launch Access to Capital, an AI enabled financing navigator, the organization announced in a press release. The grant comes from the $60 million Workplace Innovation Now Challenge, which is led by Aspen Digital and supported by Pivotal.

Access to Capital will help entrepreneurs identify public and private financing based on their needs and communities. Lafayette Square Institute will initially develop the tool with the National Association of Women Business Owners, entrepreneurs and financial institutions.

The challenge selected 18 recipients from nearly 900 applications across the United States and its territories. Aspen Digital will present the selected projects at the Workplace Innovation Now Summit in New York City on October 22.

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