Black Founders Network

🎯 Announcing our BFN Black Career Conference 2025 Pitch Competition: $20,000 in Funding for Idea-Stage Black Founders!   We're thrilled to announce our annual pitch competition in partnership with Black Rotman Commerce & Black Career Conference, specifically designed to support early-stage Black founders at the crucial ideation and pre-revenue stages.   Why This Matters: Through countless conversations with our community, we've identified a critical gap: idea-stage Black founders often struggle to compete for funding against more established startups. This is why we provide funding as well for this stage, and a platform to drive initial user engagement with your solution   🏆 Prize Pool: 2x $5,000 awards 1x $4,000 award 2x $3,000 awards   Eligibility Criteria: Early-stage businesses or ideas (pre-revenue) Less than $5,000 in previous funding Founder must self-identify as Black and be based in Canada Apply here before Nov 29: https://lnkd.in/dmiR93yd   Beyond The Funding: Platform to showcase your innovation Access to valuable mentor networks Resource connections Community support

BFUTR 2024 came and isn’t done yet! Atleast not yet done with me. And I don’t think it will anytime soon! I came to this year BFUTR full of expectations and it’s my first time attending the event. I’m a newcomer to the community and the Canada’s tech ecosystem in general. I’m glad to say my expectations wasn’t just met but was EXCEEDED!. The event was a big time paradigm shift for me. The words I heard, the workshop I partook in, most importantly the people I met!!! 🤯Professionals and experts in their fields of endeavors some with decades of experiences, new and old business owners… Some of my Ethics, Knowledge, Professional gaps, were identified by meeting with wonderful people, who were kind enough to point it out. BFUTR 2024! I’m still on the reflecting stage of the just concluded event. What an event! What an Ecosystem!!! Kudos to the organizers Obsidi® Black Founders Network, TD Bank and every other sponsors and individuals your investments and collective involvement goes a long waaaayyyyy!!!!!!! #Obsidi #BFUTR2024 #TDbank

I still had an amazing time at the Obsidi® #BFUTR Global Tech Summit, despite the 3+ hour travel from registration to the Marketplace! 😅 As always, I was surrounded by Black excellence at every turn. BFUTR has truly become the "REUNION" for Black tech professionals worldwide. A major highlight was participating in the “Concept to Customer” workshop, hosted by Black Founders Network and DMZ. Huge thanks to Justina K. and Yinka Adesesan for such an insightful session! I also had the pleasure of meeting some LinkedIn connections in person for the first time – it’s always great to finally put faces to the names. Ja Rule definitely lit up the stage. Kudos to Lekan Olawoye and the entire Obsidi® team for pulling off an incredible event.

Attended #BFUTR summit 2024 for the first time!!! ☺️ and I’m all smiles here! I genuinely had an amazing time, made new connections, gained valuable insights and was inspired by stories! Got to hear Kimberly Beckles speak on her first BFUTR panel for Sapphenix Movement most amazing and Demure 😂 but what an insightful panel, alongside Orlando Lopez, CFP, CIM®, CIWM The Black Founders Network panel with Ehi Agbonlahor Justina K. Yvonne Osagie, MBET so many amazing voices and problem solvers!! I am glad I made it, and thankful for all I learnt such as turning ideas into reality, importance of wellness as we work. Everytime I am in such spaces, I learn more about connecting with people. And I take a step further! ~ Don’t just try to extort from people, you’ll never make genuine connections. Be yourself and pour into people, you’ll form relationships that’ll eventually produce what you’re chasing! Thank you to Obsidi® and all partners and sponsors for this opportunity!!!

It was my first time attending the BFUTR Summit and it was nothing short of spectacular. The event sessions covered a wide array of topics including AI in Finance, Upskilling, and Content Creation Work Flow. I especially enjoyed the GenAI & Microsoft Co-Pilot session led by management from PwC. My summit experience concluded with the Early Stage Playbook workshop hosted by Black Founders Network and DMZ. I had a wonderful time working with: Stephen Adindu Kamille Lawson Jacqueline Smith Kelly Boyi, P.Eng., PMP, CSM Ken Green, CPA, CA, MBA, Michael Akpan. We took great pleasure in cheering on Kamille Lawson as she presented our work to the audience with creativity and vigor! #BFUTR2024

What an amazing time this week at BFUTR2024 Obsidi® Had the privilege to be an ambassador for this year’s edition and made a lot of new friends. One of my major highlights was participating in a brain storming session with DMZ and Black Founders Network where we came up with an idea on the spot and pitched it in under a minute. Always remember, it is possible!

BFUTR 2024 was the real definition of "work hard, play harder" for me! I attended sessions and networked from 11 AM - 5 PM, got some work done from 5 - 7 PM, and then headed to the after-party, where I got to see Ja Rule perform and party hard!!! 🤭 😎 Of everything I learned, the key takeaway for me was this: when developing a product, instead of going from that light-bulb moment to creating it and then looking for an audience with the problem to sell to, follow these steps: -Have an idea -Describe it -Discover the problem -Design a solution -Set an offer -Build an MVP We also had a hands-on, interactive session where we got to follow these steps to build a product! A special thank you Lekan Olawoye, Obsidi® for the amazing event! I'm extending the thank you to Black Founders Network , DMZ, Yinka Adesesan, Justina K., Jonathon Bloomfield, OCT for the insightful session! And to everyone who connected with me yesterday. 😊 P.S: Don’t forget to follow up with your new connections if you attended BFUTR too! Happy Friday! 😊

Repost: Inspired by #BFUTR2024! Loved Olufemi Olusina's insights on staying curious, being visible, and building valuable connections. As I grow professionally, I'm reminded of the importance of community and networking. Thanks Obsidi® & Black Founders Network! #BFUTR2024 #FutureReady #TechForAll #Linkedin

After 2 full days of learning, connecting and networking with different folks from all walks of life at #BFUTR2024 by Obsidi®, I am full. It was truly an incredible experience attending this year’s largest summit for Black Professionals in Tech in Canada, where 20,000 Black #tech professionals and emerging talents meet to learn and connect. I had so many takeaways across diverse areas from Cybersecurity to Entrepreneurship but these have been my key points;   Stay curious You can never be too old or too young, too experienced or too inept for curiosity, especially in a world that is constantly changing. I was reminded of how crucial it is to not shy away from problems, question what you think you know and not be afraid to re-invent yourself. Be visible This reminded me of the bible verse that says “No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp-stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.” I learnt how important it is to understand what my superpowers are and put myself out there. It’s easy to just want to fly under the radar but it doesn’t help when seeking growth opportunities or sharing what could help with other people’s growth. Smarter way to launch a startup This is actually a fave of mine learning from experts in the game; Black Founders Network & DMZ, how NOT to launch a startup. It is a common thought to go through the process of: having an idea > building the product > launching the product and end up with no one caring about it. Instead, follow a smarter approach of :- Have an idea, Describe the idea > Discover the problem > Design the solution > Sell an offer (you don’t even have to have the actual product at this point) > Build an MVP. Afterwards we had the opportunity of getting hands on in groups and working through an idea with a mentor (s/o to Yinka Adesesan & Yvonne Osagie, MBET). Your network is your net worth After connecting with different people at different stages on their career and entrepreneurial journey, I was reminded that sometimes it is not about what you know, but who you know. One of those conversations was with my bro - Tobi Oladimeji that sparked a lot of thoughts and ideas around leveraging community and support of those who are further along the journey which will be very instrumental for my next steps. Finally, Andrew McCaskill made a statement that really hit me to the core. He said, “Be prepared because your feeling about money in career will change.”. Hearing this from someone experienced was really a wake up call to start thinking beyond “working for the money” and shifting the focus to growing to make a positive impact. Thanks to Xero for the sponsorship! 🙏 #BFUTR2024 #FutureReady #Linkedin

I cannot believe it has been eight months since I first walked into the Black Founders Network office! That whiteboard from March, filled with a roadmap of the summer ahead, feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once! Coming into this role was both exciting and daunting - but the support I've received has been nothing short of incredible. From day one, the Black Founders Network and University of Toronto Entrepreneurship team embraced me with open arms, and working alongside visionary leaders like Efosa KC Obano and Jon French have transformed how I think about impact and community building. Some highlights that still make me smile: Leading the NACO Canada Black Women in Entrepreneurship and Investor Video Series, amplifying incredible voices in our ecosystem - featuring Zoey McKenzie, Melissa Allen, Lise Birikundavyi, CFA, Amoye Henry, MBA, Tanika McLeod, Chenai Kadungure MA, MPhil, and more!! Launching our BFN Smart Start and Accelerate programs (still pinching myself that I went from being a participant to running these!) Engaging in meaningful partnerships with organizations like KPMG KPMG Canada and Black Opportunity Fund Coordinating our Summer Showcase and contributing to the design of the Black Innovation Zone at Collision Conf and Elevate That unforgettable trip with 20+ founders at Startupfest (including an Airbnb adventure that's now legendary!) But beyond the events and programs, what truly makes this journey special is the people. The mentorship I've received, the brilliant founders I get to work with, and our incredible team who shows up every day ready to make a difference - it's humbling and inspiring. Our recent Demo Day was a powerful reminder of why we do this work. Watching our founders pitch their innovations with confidence and seeing the community come together to support them... those are the moments that make every challenge worthwhile. I am so thankful to God, and my family (Luqman Balogun, Yetunde Balogun(PMP) , Lolade 'Lola' Adeyemi, Ade Adeyemi, Ibra Balogun, and Rizwan) for their ongoing support and encouragement to me especially in moments that felt difficult. So many stories and experiences to share, but that'll wait for now... As I look ahead to 2025, I'm filled with excitement for what's to come. We have bold plans for expanding our impact, and I can't wait to continue growing alongside this amazing community. Here's to the next chapter! 🚀 #BFN #BlackFounders #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #CommunityBuilding #PersonalGrowth #UofT Jonathon Bloomfield, OCT Josh Lokko Shakeerah A. Cecil Chikezie Yvonne Osagie, MBET Ore Ogunlude Andre S. Malik Pottinger Mthabisi Mhlanga, CPA, CSPO Kareem A. Tosin Adeniyi Derrick Raphael Esq. Kimberly Beckles Merveille Mukoko Amina Dan-Sule, CPA Ose Momoh Maryam Musa CHE Candidate, MBBS, MBAe, FRSPH