Disruption
At Black Innovation Alliance, we realize that Black innovators and entrepreneurs face severe challenges which are steeped in systemic and institutional racism, and therefore, do not yield to easy solutions. For this reason, our work is committed to disrupting the status quo – whether that means boldly speaking truth to power, upending longstanding ideas around what Black people are capable of, or blazing new pathways for economic empowerment.
The Clapback Campaign
BIA’s 90-Day Initiative Against Racial Aggression and Disinformation.
With the steady backsliding on racial justice and equity work, including the Supreme Court Decision, the failure to reenact the Voting Rights Act and the unfulfilled commitments following George Floyd’s murder, we felt there was too much institutional silence, so we decided to grab a digital megaphone and speak truth to power.
The 90-day campaign asserts five principals: (1) We do not live in a color-blind, race-neutral society; (2) The legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and segregation lives on; (3) While we’ve come a long way, we’ve a long way to go; (4) Racial equity is necessary to advance; (5) We won’t stop until equal opportunity is achieved.
As a result of the campaign…
The BLADE Blueprint
Charting the Path of Black Digital Entrepreneurship
The BLADE (Black Liberation and the Digital Economy) Blueprint explores how Black entrepreneurs are creating wealth through digital businesses. To our knowledge, the study is the first-ever to define and map digital entrepreneurship.
Blade Blueprint 2.0 surveyed 893 Black digital entrepreneurs across 8 domains of digital entrepreneurship: Content Creation, Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Developers, E-commerce, Gaming & E-sports, Professional Services, Publishing & Media, plus Education, Community Development & Activism.
The findings suggest that Black digital businesses are more likely to arrive at profitability and live longer, when compared to all small businesses.The study is also one of the largest known studies on venture-backed Black businesses given that 23% of the sample reported receiving VC funding to scale their businesses.
BLADE BLUEPRINT RESULTS
BIA's Partnership with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation
Introducing Black Founders to New Markets
BIA has launched a partnership with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation (BMOTIA) to aid in the creation of an innovator support ecosystem in the Bahamas. The partnership will include the development of initiatives and programs that drive Tech Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, resilience and much-needed investment toward hospitality & climate technology innovation!
Recognizing the critical role of tourism and financial services in the Bahamian economy, this partnership is a strategic step to adapt to global trends and diversify economic opportunities. With a record-breaking tourism year and an eye on digital transformation, the initiative is set to empower local businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovators, ensuring the Bahamas remains a unique and competitive destination in the global market.
Through this historic partnership, BIA is able to extend its brain trust of ecosystem leaders and industry experts to support the future-proofing of the Bahamas, while exposing Black entrepreneurs in the United States to international markets.
