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Black Innovation Alliance(BIA) is working to transform the public sector and build the sort of high-performance ecosystem necessary for Black innovators to thrive.
This report outlines nine levers that, with the right public sector interventions, could be game changers for Black innovators.
At BIA, we view public policy as one of the primary levers for not only remediating the historical, racial wealth gap, but also leveling up access for future generations of entrepreneurs and technologists. For us, innovation is more than just technology. It’s also the strength of our community. It’s our national reach. It’s our ecosystem leaders advising each other based on their lived experiences, in addition to hard data. Innovation happens when we test new, entrepreneur-support solutions and programs in multiple U.S. cities simultaneously, creating a different type of A/B testing for Black entrepreneurs.
The goal of the BIPA is to lift up the most potent policy solutions capable of removing the systemic barriers that perpetuate the status quo.
Education, Investment,
IP Ownership, and Business Opportunity.
These are the raw materials that drive innovation. Without access to these resources and more, we will never be able to capitalize on the promise presented by Black innovators.
Understanding the ways that innovation emerges across our landscape and the systemic barriers that keep Black people from fully participating, we have outlined 9 areas of focus which – with the right public sector interventions – will go a long way in providing Black people fair and just access to the innovation economy, thus driving global competitiveness and national economic viability.
Pillars of Black Innovation
with the full report to be released on September 30th during the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference.
Broadband Access
BIA supports the passage and equitable implementation of the Digital Equity ACT, which provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access.
Access to capital
BIA supports passage of H.R. 3842, Microcap Small Business Investing Act of 2021, which ensures that entrepreneurs and small business owners in Black communities have access to venture capital while also creating Small Business Investment Companies that distribute capital to Black-owned businesses.
Data Privacy
BIA encourages Congress to require corporations to streamline communication of their data privacy policies to be translatable to the public and ensure proper buy-in by public users.
Future of Tech
BIA recommends state and federal governments make targeted investments in the expansion of HBCU business innovation centers, such as the PNC Center at Howard University School of Business and the Propel Center at Clark Atlanta University.
Future of Work
BIA calls on the federal government to collaborate with state and local governments to draft and/or enforce laws reclassifying gig workers and employees to guarantee protections and benefits, such as minimum wage, health insurance and other employee-related entitlements.
Patents & IP
BIA recommends USPTO develop its own commitment to racial equity by creating a task force focused on ensuring considerable increase in patents, trademarks, and the IP of Black innovators.
Representation in Tech
BIA recommends that the SEC support efforts to end the use of concealment clauses in employment and post-employment agreements as they pertain to issues of discrimination, harassment, and other unlawful acts (For the Long Term and Ifeoma Ozoma).
Supplier Diversity
BIA recommends that the Small Business Administration partner with local entrepreneur-support organizations (ESOs) to drive Black business participation in the 8(a) program.
State of Black Business
BIA recommends that the White House work with the Department of Treasury, Small Business Administration (SBA), Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and other relevant agencies to implement initiatives and incentives to increase deployment of capital to Black entrepreneurs through investment in backbone organizations, Black-led innovation-focused intermediaries, and tech hubs in Black communities (Kapor Center and NAACP).
The Black Innovation Policy Agenda (BIPA) is a key component of our Decade of Black Innovation, BIA’s initiative to drive Black prosperity and wealth creation.
To learn more about Black Innovation Alliance, visit blackinnovationalliance.com and follow us on social media @buildwithbia. To join our emerging coalition of changemakers, sign up for our newsletter on the site.