Black Entrepreneurship

For the past three years, the DEI Accelerator has invested and supported 17 local businesses with grants and mentorship.

Black business ownership is about 30% higher than it was before the pandemic, with that growth driven by women starting businesses. Some Black St. Louis women owners say it's not easy, but they want to inspire more women to become entrepreneurs.

Ohun Ashe founded For the Culture STL as a directory for Black businesses. This summer, the group expands its offerings by hosting several events.

With a revolutionary deck of cards and new designs, the Kansas City-raised designer focuses on bringing culture into her passion projects.

Akeem Shannon credits the St. Louis community for much of his success. A recent fundraising round has increased Flipstik's valuation from $400,000 to $5 million.

Valerie Liddell hopes to build Grind + Growth into the state’s first Black-owned business incubator. The two-year-old south St. Louis nonprofit features co-working space and resources to promote minority entrepreneurship.

Habitat for Neighborhood Business, a St. Louis nonprofit has helped entrepreneurs of color stay in business during the coronavirus pandemic. The nonprofit matches entrepreneurs with professional mentors and students from the Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University who do an assessment of their business.

A St. Louis nonprofit is helping people who can't afford to launch their business ideas, especially in underserved areas.

St. Louis entrepreneur Akeem Shannon made a deal for his Flipstik invention on ABC's hit show "Shark Tank." He joined "St. Louis on the Air" to talk about the deal and the nerve-wracking experience.

In August, Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z released their music video “Entrepreneur,” which features Black entrepreneurs from across the country. The video inspired St. Louis’ Jason Wilson, owner and CEO of Northwest Coffee Roasting Co., who collaborated with local director David Kirkman to create an edition of “Entrepreneur” that highlights Black-owned businesses in St. Louis.