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El-Java is the Director of the South Side Innovation Center (SSIC), a project of the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. SSIC is a business incubator and small business service center in the City of Syracuse, which houses 30 resident clients in its’ 15,000 square foot facility and provides consulting services to another 350 unique small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs per year through its’ award winning programs such as the NYS funded Entrepreneurial Assistance Program, Project Phoenix, the Student Entrepreneurial Experience, and others.
In addition to being responsible for the overall management of SSIC, El-Java he is a professional business coach and entrepreneurial management consultant, working with successful entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and startups in a variety of industries including retail, food production, professional service, and social enterprise.
El-Java is also an adjunct Professor of Practice in the Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises department at Syracuse University. In addition to regularly teaching courses such as Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and Minorities and Women in Business at Syracuse University, El-Java has been a key member of the Entrepreneurial Consulting course, as a guest lecturer and in supplying small businesses for the students to consult.
El-Java has a vast knowledge base and experience with challenges and opportunities related to self-employment in marginalized populations such as minorities and women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, and new Americans. As such, he has co-published articles and has given conference presentations on topics such as entrepreneurship and small business ownership as the key to economic development, Inclusive Entrepreneurship Consulting Strategies, Storytelling in Entrepreneurial Education, and New Venture Financing.
El-Java has been invited as a speaker and guest lecturer for local groups including business consultants, social service providers, nonprofit organizations, as well as educational institutions, and professional organizations throughout the country.
In 2012, El-Java was a recipient of the Minority Small Business Champion of the Year Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration, given for his commitment to and impact on entrepreneurship and his work in the Central New York Region.
El-Java is also the owner and chief operator of Excel Martial Arts Training Center, LLC, a martial arts and fitness center established in Syracuse, NY since 2009.
El-Java was born and raised in the Bronx, NY and currently lives with his wife and 2 children here in the City of Syracuse.
