Coffee Futures Fund, a free mentorship program built for independent coffee shop owners, has opened applications for its second cohort, following a first year in which 10 participating shops reportedly grew combined annual revenue by 52%.
Applications for the Winter 2027 cohort are open through Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. PT, with decisions expected by Nov. 15. The 10-week virtual program is scheduled to run from January through March 2027.
Launched publicly in 2025 and adapting some strategies used by business accelerators in other industries, CFF combines practical education, mentorship and a potential funding path for early-stage independent cafe owners.
The program does not charge accepted owners tuition, take equity or charge a program fee, according to CFF founder Akshat Khandelwal.
Toward the end of each cohort, up to two businesses may receive as much as $50,000 each through a revenue-share investment, in which the business keeps full ownership while paying an agreed percentage of revenue.
Khandelwal described the model as “founder-friendly capital” designed for small, seasonal businesses that may need money for equipment, staffing, marketing, space improvements or other next steps, but cannot comfortably take on rigid debt.
“The idea is that the capital should serve the needs of the business first, rather than creating a fixed financial burden that doesn’t care whether the shop is having a great month or a slow one,” Khandelwal said.
The capital investment component remains separate from the organization’s core educational focus. The first CFF cohort included 10 shop owners, after the group accepted roughly one in seven applicants. The program included approximately 162 hours of real-world learning, according to organizers.
The 10-week program covers one theme per week — including pricing, hiring, leases, capital and leadership — taught by working operators. Each owner leaves with a 12-month plan built around three priorities. CFF said mentorship continues after the 10-week course ends.
The current CFF “board of mentors” includes coffee professionals Trevor Corlett, Dale Harris, Victoria Kidd and Nicole Mozeliak.
Khandelwal said the first cohort proved that many cafe owners do not simply need more information. They need help turning information into operating systems and everyday decisions.
“These are people who are already very good at coffee,” Khandelwal told DCN. “They know their product, their customers, their communities and their craft. The gap is often everything underneath that: understanding the economics of the business, building a repeatable operating model, forecasting cash, managing labor, pricing appropriately and creating a business that doesn’t require the owner to personally hold everything together.”
CFF’s application page says the program is designed for U.S.-based, independent, owner-led coffee shops that have been open one to four years and are willing to share real numbers with peers and mentors. Accepted owners should expect to spend 5-8 hours per week on the program, CFF says.
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