Financial giant Wells Fargo recently announced that it would be investing $355,000 in a new diversity program, The Inclusivity Project. The Inclusivity Project The Inclusivity Project was first launched in 2021 and has since been run by the Northern California Small Business Development Centers (NorCal SBDC). Initially designed to support Black and African American businesses seriously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project has since become a community open to all business types and stages. The project offers free advice, mentoring, workshops, and networking, as well as access to exclusive
A former orphanage for Black children in Nova Scotia, known for its historic institutional abuse, has reopened as Kinney Place, a community hub for Black businesses. The Orphanage With A Dark Past The Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children, established in the 1920s to ‘meet the needs of disadvantaged Black youth,’ became a symbol of prominent struggle amongst the Black community. After closing in the 1980s, hundreds of former residents began to disclose the neglect and abuse they had faced during their time in the orphanage. A public inquiry also revealed
Two Black business trading groups have teamed up to unveil a new tool to help measure corporations’ support for Black-owned businesses. The National Business League and the National Black Chamber of Commerce, founded in the 1900s, have launched the Black Business Equity and Inclusion Score Card to hold both public and private sectors to account. The score cards aim to hold companies accountable for any past pledges to support Black businesses and underrepresented founders. Black Lives Matter Promises Since the killing of George Floyd in 2020, all eyes have been on the
As Africa’s tech ecosystem grows, the demand for talent is soaring. For young Africans, digital skills have become ever-more important and attractive. In 2021, according to the Africa Developer Ecosystem Report (pdf), Africa’s developer community grew by 3.8%, bringing the total number of developers on the continent to 716,000. The average local developer in Africa is seven years younger than their global counterpart and has up to three years of experience. The pandemic drove increased adoption of remote work around the world, leading to international companies recruiting African developers at
Non-profit organisation, National Business League (NBL), is ramping up their efforts to empower Black entrepreneurs by unveiling new plans to digitize 1 million Black-owned businesses by 2028. The National Business League, founded by Booker. T Washington in 1900, is one of the largest non-profit organizations in the US that directly empowers the Black community. After over ten decades, the organization is still committed to championing invest and advancement of Black-owned businesses for centuries. Their motto which is: ‘The revolution won’t be televised; it shall be digitized’ is a symbol of
Businesses in the US and Canada can now self-identify as Black-owned on Tripadvisor. The world’s largest travel guidance company decided to launch the new feature after research showed that 77% of Black-owned businesses and 63% of Hispanic/Latinx-owned businesses actively use their platform. Tripadvisor aims to use the data gathered on its users to help make accommodation providers and restaurants-owners feel safe and welcomed on the platform. Now more than ever, it is crucial that POC-led businesses get the recognition they deserve to help amplify their voice and make their businesses
Black-owned professional network, Black British City Group (BBCG), has launched its flagship City Booster program, designed to help support the growth of Black founders. Through BBCG’s City Booster program, Black entrepreneurs not only be eligible for grants of up to £3,000 but will also have access to coaching opportunities and skill-based workshops to help them elevate and grow. The City Booster program run by BBCG aims to provide mentorship, skills-based workshops, and financial support to Black founders. In addition, the program, which spans nine months, will give Black entrepreneurs exclusive
Natalie Madeira Cofield, the assistant administrator for the Office of Women Business Ownership at the US Small Business Administration (SBA), has stepped down from her role to pursue a new venture. Cofield, recognized as one of the high-ranking Black women in the president’s administration, was also the first Black woman to hold that position and head a female business ownership office. According to Bloomberg, the Executive Director of the National Women’s Business Council Tene Dolphin praised Cofield for her hard work in a recent statement. “Her tireless efforts during her tenure
Black-owned blockchain platform, Lumachain, has raised $28.3 million in a Series A funding round. The funding round, which VC Bessemer Venture Partners led, will help the organization revolutionize how beef, chicken, and pork products are produced globally. Perseverance, hard work, and ambition Lumachain is a testament to the perseverance, hard work, and ambition of its founder, Jamila Gordon. Gordan, who was selected as one of the world’s most inspiring and influential women in 2021, has won significant accolades for her work in the industry. Not only was Gordons selected as
American clothing company, Old Navy, will donate $500,000 to the Fifteen Percent Pledge to support the growth of Black creative entrepreneurs. The collaboration, an expansion of the Old Navy’s Project WE series, marks the first product collaboration for the Pledge to support diverse artists as they enter the retail industry on a national level. Project WE, launched in 2021, has helped create a space for diverse and talented artists to gain visibility and equitable access. “Old Navy is proud to amplify and celebrate diverse voices through our Project WE initiative
