Power of Community 2026: The Next Era
Join the Black Founders Network for our flagship Black History Month event as we define the next five years of Black innovation in Canada.
Following the momentum of We are Stronger Together, Power of Community returns to bring together top Black founders, investors, and ecosystem partners. Our 2026 theme - The Next Era: Sustaining the Momentum - moves beyond conversation and into intentional collaboration.
As we navigate a changing global landscape, we are gathering the ecosystem to ensure the long-term sustainability of what we have built. Attendees can expect direct access to tangible opportunities (funding, hiring, and grants) alongside practical guidance through interactive discussions on these core pillars:
🔍 The Next Era Pillars
🏛️ Ecosystem Shaping – Architecting the Future: How do we ensure the next five years of Black entrepreneurship are more impactful than the last? A high-level look at policy, infrastructure, and collective action.
🚀 The Journey – Bridging Talent & Innovation: Supporting those at the start of their journey. From first-time founders to early-stage talent, how do we create seamless pathways into the innovation economy?
📈 Scaling Success: A deep dive into the "behind-the-scenes" of growth. How are our most successful founders scaling globally, and what does it take to move from Seed to Series A?
The "Next Era" Town Hall
New for 2026, we are introducing an Ecosystem Town Hall. This is an open-floor, call-and-response session designed to keep partners and community members accountable. This is your space to share feedback, call out gaps, and help shape the roadmap for the next cycle of Black innovation.
The Hiring & Founder Zone
Whether you are a founder looking to grow your team or a professional looking for your next role in tech, our dedicated Hiring Zone is the place to be. Connect directly with hiring managers and founders who are actively recruiting for open roles.
Interactive Engagement Wall
Don't just network - collaborate. Participate in our "Needs & Offers" wall to find your next mentor, co-founder, or service provider in real-time.
This is more than an event; it’s a commitment to the next era of our excellence. You will leave energized, connected, and equipped to lead.
Notice of Collection
The University of Toronto respects your privacy. Personal information that you provide to the University is collected pursuant to section 2(14) of the University of Toronto Act, 1971.
The University has entered an agreement with Luma Inc., a third party service provider, to provide event registration services through the lu.ma platform. If you have questions about this platform, please contact Luma Inc. by email at [email protected]. To find out more information about Luma Inc., including their privacy policy, please visit: https://lu.ma/privacy-policy.
As part of providing these services, Luma Inc. and the University will collect your name, email address, information about your role at the institution with which you are affiliated, and details about your accessibility or dietary needs. This information is collected for the purposes ofevent registration and planning, and for improving the quality of our events and services.
Your information will be kept confidential and before using your information for quality improvement, it will be fully de-identified in a manner which ensures that you will remain anonymous.
All information which has been collected will be retained for a period of 1 year and then will be securely destroyed.
Luma Inc. may share your information with its directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, affiliates, volunteers or subcontractors from time-to-time who have a need to know it for the purpose of providing its services.
At all times your information will be protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If you have questions, please refer to www.utoronto.ca/privacy or contact the University Privacy Office at [email protected].