Diverse communities continue to face barriers in accessing lucrative entrepreneurship opportunities in Canada. Black entrepreneurs, in particular, encounter steep challenges when starting And growing a business. Some of these challenges include little to no funding to get a new business started, and a lack of access to publicly recognized role models.

Dream Legacy Foundation takes an ecosystembuilding approach when creating spaces that promote inclusivity in entrepreneurship. Our primary focus is to increase the number of social entrepreneurs in Southern Ontario by partnering with community leaders, lenders and investors.

The B.E.S.T Foundation Program

Preparing The Next Generation of Black Entrepreneurs

The B.E.S.T, aka Black Entrepreneurship and Skilled Trades Foundation program is a series of customized modules and training 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 skilled trades businesses. We have partnered with Ontario Tech University and the Federal Government of Canada to provide construction, automotive, hospitality, service and culinary arts streams.

Your ticket to the DMZ Incubator

The Black Innovation Connections program is a sub-program under the Black Innovation Fellowship. The DMZ Incubator is an extremely competitive program, but what if you could get into a stream to qualify for it? 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 DMV Incubator. The Federal Economic Development Agency for southern Ontario brings this program to you in partnership with Dream Legacy foundation, and Toronto Metropolitan University’s DMZ. It is formally funded through Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund.

CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING APPLICANTS

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.

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.

City of Toronto becomes a leading supporter of DMZ Black Innovation Fellowship

 DMZ Black Innovation Fellowship $1M fundraising goal

Government of Ontario announces $1.2M support towards Ryerson’s DMZ Black Innovation Programs