Black Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs make important contributions to the Canadian economy, yet they continue to face systemic barriers in starting and growing their businesses. Through its first-ever Black Entrepreneurship Program, the Government of Canada is working to address these long-standing, systemic barriers.
Canada’s commitment to creating opportunity for Black women-owned businesses was one of the topics featured at a recent reception event held for the tech collective Black Women Talk Tech. Organized by the Consulate’s International Business Development team, the event brought together black female CEOs and founders within the tech industry whose businesses provide innovative solutions for wellness, fitness, education, financial, communications, and agricultural industries, among several others.
The Black Women Talk Tech brought together this wide range of Black women tech CEOs and founders during the 6th annual Black Women Talk Tech National ‘Roadmap to Billions’ Conference. The Roadmap to Billions conference is centered around showcasing successful Black women in tech, creating a platform for women to talk about their experiences, fostering connections with each other, and creating funding opportunities for their businesses.
Saliou Babou, Counsel and Head of Innovation from the Consulate’s International Business Development team initiated the event by highlighting the Canadian government’s efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion within its national agenda. He also discussed Canada’s recent launch of the first-ever Black Entrepreneurship Program. This program provides funding to support business initiatives through mentorship, networking opportunities, financial planning, and business training for Black Canadian entrepreneurs.
Trade Commissioner Matthew Duong also spoke about the Canadian FDI value proposition at the reception. The Black Women Talk Tech was the team’s first-ever foreign direct investment initiative (FDI) aimed explicitly at engagement with underrepresented communities. He also highlighted how the Trade Commissioner Services at the Consulate General of Canada in New York City provides complementary support to companies looking to expand into Canada. This support is especially valuable to companies in their early stages of development, as it allows them to explore international expansion.
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For any questions about the Canadian FDI value proposition or the Trade Commissioner Service please feel free to contact Saliou ([email protected]) or Matthew ([email protected]).
