Kimberly Kendall, workforce education director for Lehman College’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, will be the first to express her fondness over what technology of the future can do for small businesses.

There’s artificial intelligence capable of replicating a customer service rep over the phone (techies call it a “chatbot”), updating one’s supply list in real time, or virtual technology that allows real estate agents to take their clients on a virtual tour of a home without having to step foot in it.

“What we have to do is expose small business owners to emerging technologies, not in a theoretical sense,” said Kendall, whose department includes the Bronx Tech Incubator.

Keeping costs low while achieving a greater bottom line often signifies a mark of success for small business. For Kendall, applying practical technology is key to that.

She hopes business owners—specifically those operated and owned by veterans or designated minority or women-owned business owners—will be convinced, and undaunted, of that at a multi-day workshop funded by tech giant Verizon and slated to begin in the summer. Lehman College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), had applied for the $100,000 grant through Verizon’s Foundation Workforce Development, where monies are being earmarked for curriculum development.

It’s a program, Daniel Lemons, president of Lehman College, called “huge” at the Jan. 8 event announcing the program, and one he wished was available when his parents had a small business. “I know it’s going to yield significant results,” said Lemons of the program.

Lehman College will pick 250 business owners—50 per borough across other CUNY institutions —to make the first cohort. Applicants, if picked, will be asked to commit to a two-year mentoring program, where volunteer members from a variety of Verizon’s tech departments will be matched up with  business owners to help adapt any technologies to their business.

Kendall and her team are fleshing out details on the program. The goal is for them to be pragmatic enough for business owners to consider investing in emerging technologies. “If they’re not aware of the opportunity or aware of what that could mean for their business then they might wake up a year from now and they’re out of business,” said Kendall.

The program piqued Wil Rempersaud’s interest. The owner of the Bronx-based digital marketing startup, Ramp Up Media, Rempersaud quickly saw the program’s benefits. “What Verizon is doing with the curriculum … is exactly what I want,” said Rempersaud.

Kyana Beckles, owner of Leverage Assessments, which develops credentialing exams, was skeptical over whether the program would work for her business. “I would need to see how you gonna break this down for me to see that I can take this and apply it,” said Beckles, adding she hopes business owners from various sectors will help develop the programming.

For her part, Kendall stood aware that businesses may be skittish on assessing the practicality of a web-based app. But she said the reward will matter in the way of dollars and cents. “If this means you’re going to get million-dollar clients versus hundred-thousand-dollar clients it might be worth the investment. But until you do the research, you can’t discount it,” said Kendall.

Applications will be accepted beginning in February.