70
%
of Black-owned businesses across Canada were not eligible for the federal Canadian Emergency Business Account
Black Founders Network
Supporting Black founders, creating more Black-led businesses and celebrating Black Excellence.
About
The Black Founders Network (BFN) is an inclusive community for Black entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey, created to provide access to the networks, resources and inspiration to build, fund and scale impactful startups. By recognizing systemic barriers, celebrating Black excellence and providing allyship, mentorship and sponsorship for Black founders, we are building a thriving community of Black entrepreneurs from every industry and at every stage.
Why BFN?
2 out of
300
grants in Canada went to Black-owned businesses
2
%
of venture funding raised in North America went to Black-led companies
76
%
of Black entrepreneurs surveyed in Canada said their race makes it harder to succeed as an entrepreneur
The BFN was built and continues to be shaped by the community it serves. Over 100 Black founders and over 50 Black organizations participated in the BFN consulting process. Their lived experiences have informed the design of this initiative, which has grown to support thousands of Black founders across Canada.
Join the Network
BFN is composed of three pillars: Core, Accelerate and Scale. With the support of U of T Entrepreneurship, the BFN provides industry and stage-agnostic support, resources, and community to increase the number of successful, Black-led startups.
Core
For those with an interest in entrepreneurship beginning their journey.
Accelerate
Cohort-based accelerator for startups led by Black founders
Scale
For growth-stage startups ready to reach the next level.
Meet the 2023 BFN Smart Start Award recipients!
What is BFN Accelerate?
BFN Accelerate helps early-stage startups develop solutions to meet the customer’s needs, launch their MVP/beta, start or grow their team, generate revenue, secure funding and explore value chain/distribution partnerships.
BFN Career Advancement Program
This program aims to leverage BFN’s structure, programming, and platform to provide tailored employment readiness support to equip Black youth with the necessary skills and knowledge for various career pathways and fill hiring gaps facing the Black-led startups in the ecosystem.
BFN Team
Want to get some facetime with the BFN Team?
Join our weekly office hours where one of our team members will be on hand to answer any questions. Whether you want to learn more about what we do, get advice on your specific entrepreneurship situation, or simply listen in, BFN Community office hours is the perfect place to connect with the BFN team and community! As the deadlines approach, this is also the perfect place to get all your answers about our Smart Start Awards, our 2023 application for the BFN Accelerate program, and any other programs we have running.
register for each week’s session by Friday, receive an invite with the meeting link on Monday, and chat with us on Wednesday!
Mentors, Advisors and Allies
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Featured News
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Resources for Black Entrepreneurs
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BFN Community Events
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Connect with BFN
Sign up for Office Hours
Questions? Reach out to the BFN Team
Looking to engage as a partner, speaker, mentor or supporter?
