Diverse communities continue to face barriers in accessing lucrative entrepreneurship opportunities created by Canada’s growing technology-driven innovation sector. Black entrepreneurs in particular, encounter steep challenges when starting and growing a business, from accessing seed capital to fewer publicly recognized role models.

To fill that void, we have created a partnership with Ryerson DMZ and other partners to create the first Canadian fellowship program for Black startup entrepreneurs.

DLF takes an ecosystem building approach to inclusive impact by partnering with ACB social entrepreneurs, community leaders, lenders and investors to achieve institutional changes and increase the flow of capital and capacity building support to ACB Canadian Social Entrepreneurs.

We support sector networks capacity development to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive of ACB and expand diversity, equity, inclusive (DEI)-related data collection and analysis in the social sector to understand the current state of diversity in the sector and identify opportunities to improve DEI capacity.

Preparing The Next Generation of Black Entrepreneurs

The B.E.S.T. Foundation Program in partnership with Ontario Tech University is series of customized modules and training specifically designed to guide aspiring entrepreneurs through the steps of creating a business in the Skilled Trades industry. The B.E.S.T. program aims to prepare the next generation of Black identified entrepreneurs and young business leaders to launch successful businesses in the Skilled Trades. The program streams include automotive, culinary, hospitality, construction, and service.

Your ticket to the DMZ Incubator

The Black Innovation Connections Program is meant to be your ticket to the DMZ Incubator. The DMZ Incubator is an extremely competitive program, but what if you could get into a stream to qualify for it?

The Black Innovation Connections program is a 3-month, track-based coaching program that puts high-potential Black founders on the fast track to success and prepares them for the DMZ Incubator.

Much like the DMZ Incubator, this program is customized to meet each founder’s unique needs. Connections also provides founders with an added layer of support to address the additional business barriers that Black-owned companies often face.

This program is brought to you by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario in partnership with Dream Legacy Foundation and Ryerson’s DMZ, and is formally funded through Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund.

Accelerate your dreams

Ryerson DMZ has joined forces with a community of Founding Partners to develop the Black Innovation Fellowship. The first in Canada fellowship program will provide startups led by Black entrepreneurs with the strengthening support of a top university-based incubator network, as well as additional programming, mentorship, events, and connections to industry, capital and an alumni network, to support their success and growth.

Ready to accelerate your dreams?

The DMZ Black Innovation Fellowship (view on Facebook)

Shopify’s Harley Finkelstein on supporting the DMZ Black Innovation Fellowship (view on Facebook)

Mayor Tory on the City of Toronto supporting the DMZ Black Innovation Fellowship (view on Facebook)

Government of Ontario announces $1.2M support towards Ryerson’s DMZ Black Innovation Programs (view on YouTube)

Developing underrepresented entrepreneurs

This Dream Legacy Foundation entrepreneurship initiative, in collaboration with Microsoft for Startups Canada and RBC Future Launch, is to guide, support and develop underrepresented entrepreneurs that will create 50 new businesses and 500 jobs by 2025.

To learn more, fill out the form on our Initiatives page.