Lightship Foundation prides itself on supporting minority-founded start-ups, innovators, and entrepreneurs to connect with the right people and find the right investors. Behind this sentiment is the announcement that Lightship recently acquired renowned Black Tech Week.
What is Black Tech Week?
Black Tech Week started in Miami, Florida, in 2015 and has served as a way to bridge the funding gap for Founders of Color (FOCs), professionals in tech, investors, and allies who come together to support one another. Bringing together influencers, innovators, and big-thinkers all in one place, FOC is introduced to those seeking opportunities for collaboration, investment, and resource support channels. In short, Black Tech Week is the place to be for any POC entrepreneurs or techies to converge, and it is now coming to Cincinnati.
Aftab Pureval, Mayor of Cincinnati. “We are thrilled to be offering such a wonderful celebration of innovation to Ohio, and we are not alone in our excitement.” Mayor Pureval also stated his excitement and fully supports the mission to help minority-centered ecosystems. When discussing the acquisition of Black Tech Week, he said, The Cincinnati Innovation District’s partnership with Lightship Foundation creates opportunities for local tech founders of color to thrive and draw in talent from across the nation to leverage their program resources. We are excited to be hosting Black Tech Week and look forward to continuing our work with the team at Lightship in diversifying the city of Cincinnati’s tech ecosystem.”
Black Tech Week is alongside the Cincinnati Music Festival from the 18th to the 23rd of July, providing Cincinnati with a tourism and economic bolster in the thick of the summer months.
Benefiting The Entire State of Ohio
Lightship Foundation is on a mission to support minorities as they embark upon the need for increased financial access as a part of their growth and innovation. This fits with the Lt. Governor of Ohio, Jon Husted, and his goal for Ohio to become the center for innovation in the Midwest. Black Tech Week demonstrates the State’s continued commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. Still, it will attract many talent and investments, providing many with the skill or the money they need to get their tech ideas off the ground.
The Cincinnati Innovation District hopes to start 20,000 new jobs and create a boom of $3 million for Ohio’s tech industry over the next ten years – acquiring Black Tech Week is an excellent step in that journey.
Lightship Foundation Founder and CEO Candice Matthews Brackeen is also incredibly excited to have Black Tech Week in Cincinnati. She spoke on the matter and said:
“There are amazing things that happen when you get like-minded folks all in one room sharing life experiences, and I’m excited for my community to see that in real-time.”
Click here to find out more about Black Tech Week and register. To keep updated with any future news from Lightship Foundation, you can follow them on LinkedIn.
