Black Tech Saturdays (BTS), an organization that promotes Detroit’s Black tech entrepreneurs, has received a two-year $1.2 million grant from the Gilbert Family Foundation to strengthen the organization’s operational capacity, expand its reach, and enable Detroit’s tech innovators to access essential growth resources.
Launched in April 2023 by Johnnie and Alexa Turnage, BTS has reached more than 15,000 people and generated an estimated $30 million in economic impact through increased business revenue, new investments, grants, and tech job salaries.
“All Detroiters deserve the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the city’s growing tech sector,” says Laura Grannemann, executive director of 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.”
The grant will bolster BTS offerings, including pitch competitions, matchmaking for entrepreneurs and potential partners, a digitized library of resources, talent development, specialized training, mentorship programs, and more.
“As Detroit’s tech landscape evolves, we have a historic opportunity to ensure this growth uplifts everyone,” says Johnnie Turnage, co-founder of Black Tech Saturdays. “We are grateful to the Gilbert Family Foundation for this significant investment that will help us empower entrepreneurs and career builders alike to achieve economic freedom.
“Our focus is clear: to increase dollars in people’s pockets by driving business creation, career advancement, and wealth-building opportunities, paving the way for a new, inclusive economy in Detroit.”
The grant announcement comes on the heels of BTS’s first Detroit Digital Empowerment Summit powered by the Rocket Community Fund, which took place at various venues across Detroit Oct. 3-5.
The three-day event was planned to help participants navigate Detroit’s rapidly evolving tech landscape while addressing the critical issue of the digital divide. It was designed to inspire and equip the next wave of tech leaders, while also fostering economic mobility within Detroit’s underserved communities.
The event feature keynote addresses from thought leaders including Jay Bailey, CEO of the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship, and John A. Powell, director of the Berkeley Center for Othering and Belonging.
, an organization that promotes Detroit’s Black tech entrepreneurs, has received a two-year $1.2 million grant from the Gilbert Family Foundation to strengthen the organization’s operational capacity, expand its reach, and enable Detroit’s tech innovators to access essential growth resources.){kind=link}