Apply for the first ever CFF summer batch

Apply to Coffee Futures Fund Summer 2025 Batch

* IMPORTANT *

Coffee Futures Fund is accepting applications for the Summer 2025 batch funding cycle. The 10-week program will take place online from August to October.

The deadline to apply is May 15 at 8 pm PT. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to hop on a screening call (mid-May) and share additional business details before progressing to a final interview (early June). Final cohort members will be announced by June 15.

Applications will be accepted after the deadline, but may not be included in the Summer 2025 cohort.


The CFF Program

The Coffee Futures Fund (CFF) exists to help coffee entrepreneurs build thriving, community-driven businesses. provide hands-on mentorship, funding, and a network of peers to help independent coffee shop owners succeed.

Most coffee shops fail—not because they lack great coffee, but because they lack the right business fundamentals. We’re changing that.

The Goal

CFF’s mission is simple: Help coffee entrepreneurs grow financially successful, and community-focused businesses.

CFF aims to flip the script, increasing the survival rate of independent coffee shops from 4 out of 10 to 8 out of 10 by providing:
✔ Expert mentorship from industry leaders
✔ A clear, proven framework for long-term success
✔ Flexible, founder-friendly funding
✔ A supportive community of coffee entrepreneurs

We invest in a small, select group of coffee shop owners each year to provide tailored, hands-on support that makes a real difference.

About Applying to CFF

CFF is for coffee entrepreneurs already in the game—owners who have launched their shop and are ready to scale. If you’re serious about scaling your business, optimizing your operations, and building a long-term success story, this program is for you.

What We Look For:

✅ You own and operate a coffee shop that’s 1–3 years old
✅ You’re passionate about both great coffee and great business
✅ You’re facing real challenges but are ready to learn and grow
✅ You’re committed to building a coffee shop with purpose

If selected, you’ll receive:

💰 Up to $50,000 investment (revenue-share model: 5% of revenue for 4 years)
📚 A 10-week intensive program with mentorship, workshops, and hands-on support
🧑‍🏫 1-year mentorship from seasoned coffee entrepreneurs
🌍 A powerful community of coffee founders and industry experts

🚀 If this sounds like you, apply today.

About the Cohort

CFF selects 10 coffee shop owners per cohort. Over 10 weeks, you’ll refine your business model, sharpen your financial acumen, and implement strategies that drive profitability.

What to Expect:

📅 Weekly mentorship sessions with coffee industry veterans
📖 Workshops on purpose, branding, leadership, staffing, financials, and growth
📊 Business Model Canvas framework to fine-tune your shop’s strategy
🏆 Final pitch competition—top two businesses qualify for investment

But CFF is more than just 10 weeks. As a CFF alum, you’ll continue to receive year-long tailored mentorship, access to our network, and support from a thriving community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

Year-long Mentorship

CFF participants are paired with mentors from the specialty coffee industry - folks who have faced similar challenges - and will have regular 1-on-1 meetings with their mentor over the course of the year to have an additional sounding board and support system. 

Investment Capital

Coffee Futures Fund (CFF) exists to support the next generation of specialty coffee entrepreneurs. 

Unlike traditional venture capital or bank loans, we offer owner-friendly funding through a revenue-share model—meaning our success is tied to yours.

We invest up to $50,000 in promising coffee shops in exchange for 5% of annual revenue for four years. This structure ensures that payments remain proportional to business performance, giving owners the flexibility they need to grow without undue financial pressure.

✔ No fixed repayments or interest
✔ Payments scale with your business performance
✔ Designed to give owners flexibility to grow without financial strain

🚀 Are you ready to build the coffee shop of your dreams?

We share hard-earned lessons in CFF, a program designed to help emerging specialty coffee shop owners build businesses that endure.

Coffee shops headquartered in the U.S. that have been in operation for more than 1 year but less than 3 years are eligible to apply for the CFF Summer 2025 batch.



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