In 2017, Black Women Talk Tech, a worldwide collective of Black women tech founders, came together for its inaugural conference. Nearly five years later, the organization on a mission to help Black women build billion-dollar businesses, is broadening their reach. This week it formally announced the acquisition of Black Female Founders (#BFF) for an undisclosed amount.
“This acquisition will help us reach and support more Black women on their entrepreneurial journeys,” Black Women Talk Tech co-founder Regina Gwynn tells EBONY. “We are so excited to connect with those who are new to Black Women Talk Tech and power their companies to billion-dollar growth.”
News of the acquisition of BFF’s assets was shared during the 5th Annual Roadmap to Billions conference last August. The founders of Black Women Talk Tech see the total acquisition of the Black-women led organization as a significant moment for the culture. “We are all about collaboration and this partnership adds to debunking the myth that Black women don’t work well together,” says Gwynn. “By joining forces we can do more—so we are thrilled to be able to reach a wider audience.”
Founded by tech and economic development executive Erin Horne McKinney and co-founders Sibyl Edwards and Melissa Bradley, Black Female Founders (#BFF) has been around since 2015. The business started out in Washington, D.C. before moving its headquarters to Minneapolis in 2019. Since its inception the platform has nurtured a community of Black women with the mission to provide awareness, promotion, support, and resources for Black women-led startups throughout the U.S. and Black diaspora. It has gained prominence for its 10-week pre-accelerator program for aspiring entrepreneurs of Black women-led tech-enabled and tech-adjacent early-stage businesses.
“We have worked with #BFF for a few years and we are excited that this acquisition will expand resources to a larger audience of Black female entrepreneurs,” Esosa Ighodaro-Johnson, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Black Women Talk Tech shared in a statement.
This new collaborative will be instrumental in bringing forth BWTT’s Black Students Talk Tech initiative, which the organization describes as “an immersive education program for HBCU entrepreneurs & technologists.” Current #BFF members will be folded in to Black Women Talk Tech’s membership platform and get a six-month complimentary membership.
“We are looking forward to welcoming current Black Female Founders members to the Black Women Talk Tech community,” adds Gwynn. “There are many upcoming events and activations, including initiatives for Black History Month and our Face of a Founder Summit, which will provide open doors for founders seeking funding.”
