BlackRocks

Fortalecimento Institucional

Accelerating and fostering the businesses of black entrepreneurs by promoting changes in the innovation ecosystem

Founded in 2016, BlackRocks is an initiative that encourages afro-Brazilians to access ecosystems of innovation, technology and startups. The goal is to diversify a space mainly occupied by white males and to promote economic growth among the afro-Brazilian community. The initiative organizes an acceleration program, workshops for idea development, mentoring and an innovation festival.

BlackRocks currently has difficulty attracting funding and promoting and maintaining its activities as it cannot rely on a steady source of funding. With this project, BlackRocks will formalize itself as an organization with greater fundraising potential so that it can develop an investment fund to support startups with seed capital.

With support from BrazilFoundation, BlackRocks will:

• Formalize BlackRocks and expand its reach;
• Support black entrepreneurs promoting an impact on the innovation ecosystem;
• Accelerate 8 startups with mentoring, workshops, financial management and business development over 4 months;
• Create a seed investment fund;
• Reach over 100 people through events, courses and other actions.

Impact

400 BlackRocks participants already benefited in 1 year
8 startups to be accelerated and receive mentoring
Increasing the number of startups run by afro-Brazilians

“We want to increase BlackRocks’ reach, formalize ourselves and do what we can to create a greater impact”