Sky & Black Equity Organisation Pact for New Initiative

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Sky has entered into a new £1 million ($1.2 million) partnership with the Black Equity Organisation (BEO), a newly launched civil rights group, to back Black British entrepreneurs to launch and grow their businesses.

As BEO’s first official program partner, Sky will provide funding and support over three years to help overcome the significant barriers faced by young Black entrepreneurs in Britain when setting up businesses through the Future 100 Growth Fund.

Driving economic empowerment and equity of opportunity for Black people and businesses is one of six key areas BEO will focus on. The Future 100 Growth Fund will provide direct support—funding, strategic business advice, supply chain access, coaching, mentoring—for Black entrepreneurs and founders with innovative ideas.

The Future 100 Growth Fund will offer funding of up to £15,000 ($18,000) for innovative new business ideas and existing companies and create a network of mentors and community organizations to advise and assist new enterprises through direct financial support and products nurturing talent and innovation. It will support Black founders and entrepreneurs with relevant knowledge and skills and social capital; provide access for Black entrepreneurs to supply chain, connections and insight; and conduct new research into what works in overcoming barriers faced by Black British entrepreneurs, to encourage investment in future programs and create models for supporting Black founders in British business. Further, the fund will work to diversify Sky’s supply chains and create greater opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The program is open to applicants between 18 and 30 years old of Black African, Black Caribbean, Black British and/or mixed-race descent who are U.K. residents. The fund will support Black entrepreneurs who are looking to bring a business concept to life, have a fledgling business that they want to scale or have the beginnings of a thriving business.

Dana Strong, Sky’s Group CEO, said: “At Sky, we want to share our platform and capability to create lasting change for Black British entrepreneurs. We are pleased to be working with BEO to provide direct assistance and advice from Sky to help make the U.K. a great place for Black businesses.”

Dame Vivian Hunt, chair of trustees of BEO, added: “Together with Sky, BEO is super excited to announce a multiyear partnership that will support Black entrepreneurs and positively impact their businesses. The Future 100 Growth Fund will back the next generation of Black founders to thrive and succeed. We can’t wait to see what the applicants achieve through this program as they drive growth across their businesses and for the U.K. economy.”