Energizing and Advancing Black Entrepreneurship in Canada

Date : 30th November - 1st December 2023 | Location : Carleton University

Agenda

To download agenda Click here

Overview

This 2023, The Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (BEKH)  will be hosting its 2nd annual research symposium. Under the theme, ‘Energizing and Advancing Black Entrepreneurship in Canada’, we invite you to join us for two engaging days of insightful discussions, learning, sharing and networking opportunities.   

Goals

Participants in the conference will benefit in the following ways:

  • Engage in identifying and discussing the challenges and opportunities for energizing and advancing Black entrepreneurship in Canada.

  • Share and learn from the lived experiences of both entrepreneurs and organizations serving them about how to build and sustain successful businesses.

  • Expose academics (including graduate students) to the complexities of developing (or acquiring) and growing successful businesses so that they can effectively problematize and compose effective research questions to guide impactful future research on Black entrepreneurship.

  • Explore and debate policy options and directions that would better support the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem going forward.

  • Provide a safe, collegial, and supportive environment for dialog and debate among practitioners, academics, and policy makers to tackle to extra-ordinary and vexing challenges in advancing Black entrepreneurship in the Canadian economy.

  • Build virtuous and sustainable networks of relationships among participants

  • Engage in active co-production of the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem maps through facilitated, hands-on working sessions. 

Speakers & Remarks

  • Gerald Grant, PhD

    Co-Lead and Principal Investigator, BEKH

    Opening Remarks

  • Isaac Olowolafe Jr.

    Co-Lead, BEKH

    Opening Remarks

  • David Hornsby

    Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic) Carleton University

    Remarks and Introduction of Keynote

  • Bryan May

    MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business and to the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

    Keynote Speaker

  • Tiffany Callender

    CEO & Co-Founder, The Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE) Coalition

    Panelist

  • Obed Boateng

    Regional Manager, Black Community Business Development, TD Bank

    Panelist

  • Olu Ibilola

    Senior Account Manager, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

    Panelist

  • Oluwagbemiga Oyinlola

    McGill University

    Presenter

  • Bassirou Gueye

    Statistics Canada

    Presenter

  • Bunmi Obateru

    Chiu School of Business, Bow Valley College

    Presenter

  • Dr. Liza Arnason

    Ase Community Foundation for Canadians with Disabilities

    Presenter

  • Mohamed Elmi

    Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University and Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH)

    Presenter

  • Graham Wong

    Founder & CEO, Lauft

    Moderator

  • Susan Namulindwa

    Founder, Africa Trade Desk

    Panelist

  • Chamirai Charles Nyabeze

    Executive Director and Founder, Northern Ontario Black Economic Empowerment Program NOBEEP

    Panelist

  • Dominira Saul

    Founder and Principal, DFFRNT

    Panelist

  • Donna Williams

    CFO, Mosaic Group

    Panelist

  • Peter Pulsifer, PhD

    Carleton University

    Facilitator

  • Deborah Allotey

    Carleton University

    Facilitator

  • Dr. Muna Osman

    University of Ottawa

    Facilitator

  • Erick Arwa

    Carleton University

    Moderator

  • Prateeksha Pathak

    York University

    Presenter

  • Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves

    Managing Director & Founder, Historical Research International Inc.

    Presenter

  • Chancie Romain

    Senior Manager, Diversified Segments, National Industry Programs, CIBC

    Panelist

  • Dr. Jared Wesley

    University of Alberta

    Facilitator

  • Shamim Shabani

    Carleton University

    Facilitator

  • Dr. Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika

    University of Alberta

    Presenter

  • Benjamin N’Goran

    Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Black Entrepreneurs Startup Program

    Facilitator

  • Sam Asirifi Jr

    Project Coordinator, Dream Legacy Foundation

    Facilitator

  • Dr. Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba

    Assistant Professor, Institute of African Studies, Carleton University

    Moderator

Agenda

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  • Thursday, November 30

  • Friday, December 1