A tech organization aimed at boosting fledgling Black entrepreneurs will get a $1.2 million investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation.
Black Tech Saturdays, founded in April 2023 by husband-and-wife team Johnnie and Alexa Turnage, said the two-year grant would expand access to capital, mentorship and resources for Detroit’s tech entrepreneurs who show up by the hundreds to attend the organization’s Saturday workshops.
“All Detroiters deserve the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the city’s growing tech sector,” said Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Gilbert Family Foundation. “Johnnie and Alexa Turnage have built an incredible community through Black Tech Saturdays and we are proud to work with them to dismantle the systemic barriers that have historically limited opportunity for Black residents.”
More:Detroit’s Black entrepreneurs create community, tackle barriers
The award will support the organization in hiring at least six employees who will help entrepreneurs and professionals, support 300 mentor sessions for career development, and sponsor an upcoming pitch competition on Dec. 14 where new business owners will get practice pitching their business proposals, with three to be chosen for awards of $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000.
The organization plans to award more grants and host another Digital Empowerment Summit. An inaugural summit this year drew 3,200 attendees over three days and granted six business owners $20,000 awards.
Johnnie Turnage, co-founder of the the tech organization, said his goal is to “drive economic mobility for a community that is already left behind.
“Tech is a great equalizer … if we can actually start getting people to higher and higher thresholds, to increase the money coming into their pockets, a lot of the problems and the issues that we’re dealing with in the city of Detroit, and cities like Detroit, could actually be solved,” Turnage said.
According to the release, Black Tech Saturdays has reached over 15,000 people and generated an estimated $30 million in economic impact through increased business revenue, new investments, grants, and tech job salaries. BTS has hosted over 50 community events, awarded $100,000 in grants to support tech adoption, and formed partnerships with three national agencies.
Some of the new programs supported by Gilbert Family Foundation’s grant will include specialized workshops on brand storytelling and relationship building, digital library of resources for tech startups, personalized coaching opportunities for entrepreneurs, talent development and local recruiting.
The Gilbert Family Foundation’s support for Black Tech Saturdays is part of the organization’s $500 million, 10-year commitment — shared with the Rocket Community Fund — to build opportunity in Detroit neighborhoods.
The foundation is a private nonprofit founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 and build economic opportunity in Detroit.
mjohnson@detroitnews.com
@_myeshajohnson
