Bow Valley College awarded research grant benefiting Black African immigrant entrepreneurs

Bow Valley College is proud to announce its groundbreaking province-wide research on Black African immigrant entrepreneurship will continue with a $360,000 grant from the College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF).

This applied research investment, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) over three years, expands upon the successful work already done in this space, led by Bow Valley College researcher Bunmi Obateru.

“With the fastest growing immigrant Black population in Canada, it's important to showcase and assess how immigrant Black entrepreneurs are enriching the economy, thereby enriching the overall narrative of economic development in the province,” says Obateru.

The findings are hoped to be useful in tailoring education programs, outreach, and recruitment strategies to become more effective, sustainable, diverse, and inclusive.

“Our partners have found that immigrant Black entrepreneurs are highly educated and motivated. Yet, they often do not complete training, start, or scale up businesses. We want to change that,” says Obateru.

Other financial and in-kind contributions from partners, including the Black Business Ventures Association, BIPOC Foundation, and Alberta Startupcourt Ltd, support the research.

“We are thrilled about receiving this grant. Our research addresses critical and often overlooked barriers that affect immigrant Black entrepreneurs in Alberta, opening up opportunities for more inclusive and equitable participation in the province’s ecosystem,” says Dipo Alli, Black Business Ventures Association.

As part of the project, Startupcourt will also pilot a venture studio model designed to foster Black-led businesses, with potential adaptation for other equity-deserving groups.

“At Startupcourt, we are very excited about the CCSIF grant from SSHRC, which will enable us to conduct this important research project focused on building the capacity of Black African entrepreneurs in Alberta. We look forward to delivering on this project as one of our key contributions to advancing Alberta's innovation ecosystem,” says Emmanuel Oluwatosin, Startupcourt.

The BIPOC Foundation believes this research will empower Black entrepreneurs to builda stronger and inclusive Alberta economy.

“We appreciate SSHRC and Bow Valley College's support, especially in underserved communities. This initiative reflects our commitment to economic inclusivity and impactful collaboration,” Clement Esene, Executive Director, BIPOC Foundation.

The College and Community Innovation (CCI) program funds applied research for Canadian colleges. It is a tri-agency program, managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in collaboration with SSHRC and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

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