Build against the odds
amplify &
advance
We’re a Community Economic Development organization working on the ground to amplify & advance Black entrepreneurs, founders, professionals, and the broader diaspora in Northwest Toronto and beyond
Founding Partners + Funders
BEA started with a simple belief: talent was never the problem. Access was. Founded in 2021 by Black Creek Community Health Centre, YSpace, and the York U-TD Community Engagement Centre, with FedDev Ontario as the founding funder, BEA was built by institutions that showed up for the community. Today, we carry that vision forward: Black entrepreneurs and professionals building, owning, and leading.
In Partnership With
Two-time Economic Development Council of Ontario award winner: Changemaker Award (2024) and Inclusive Community Based Initiative & Programming Award (2025).
What we do
Our Focus
Entrepreneurship
Supporting Black entrepreneurs, founders and companies at all stages of growth—from ideation to funding.
Talent Development
Growing the workforce, leaders, and talent that power innovation.
Applied Research
On-the-ground research and surveys to advance the Black diaspora.
Events
Where community and opportunity meet.
Our impact in numbers
Total companies supported (registered)
Companies supported that are women-led
Total revenue generated by graduates’ companies
Loans secured by our companies
Funds raised by companies
Jobs created by companies
Black professionals have been accredited with post-secondary microcredentials and certificates
total investment value in business microcredentials awarded to empower Black professionals and entrepreneurs
Founded business
programs
ENROL AT
THE BEA
There’s theory, and then there’s lived experience. The BEA offers fully funded, Black-led business programs that cut through the noise so you can build loud.
Program pathway finder
Mapping individual ambitions to BEA's inhouse programming ecosystem across entrepreneurship and corporate leadership.