By james art 
A technology organization aimed at fostering emerging black entrepreneurs will receive a $1.2 million investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation.
Black Tech Saturdays, founded in April 2023 by husband-and-wife team Johnny and Alexa Turnidge, said the two-year grant will expand access to capital, mentorship and resources for Detroit’s tech entrepreneurs, who show up by the hundreds to attend Saturday’s forum of the organization workshops.
“All Detroiters deserve the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the city’s growing technology sector,” said Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Gilbert Family Foundation. “Johnny and Alexa Turnidge have built an incredible community through Black Tech Saturdays, and we’re proud to work with them to remove the systemic barriers that have historically limited opportunities for Black residents.”
The award will help the organization hire at least six staff to help entrepreneurs and professionals, support 300 career development mentoring sessions and sponsor an upcoming pitch competition on December 14 where new business owners will practice pitching their business proposals, with three selected for prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000.
The organization plans to provide more grants and host another digital empowerment summit. This year’s inaugural summit drew 3,200 attendees over three days and awarded six business owners $20,000 in business awards.
Johnny Turnidge, co-founder of the tech organization, said its goal is to “drive economic mobility for a community that is already underserved.
“Technology is a great equalizer … if we can actually start getting people to reach higher and higher thresholds, increase money going into their pockets, a lot of the problems and issues that we’re dealing with in the city of Detroit, and cities like Detroit, can actually be solved,” Turnage said.
According to the release, Black Tech Saturdays reached more than 15,000 people and generated an estimated $30 million in economic impact through increased business revenue, new investment, grants and wages for tech jobs. BTS has hosted over 50 community events, awarded $100,000 in grants to support technology implementation, and created partnerships with three national agencies.
Some of the new programs supported by the Gilbert Family Foundation grant will include specialized workshops on brand storytelling and relationship building, a digital resource library for tech startups, customized training opportunities for entrepreneurs, talent development and local recruitment.
The Gilbert Family Foundation’s support of Black Tech Saturdays is part of the organization’s $500 million, 10-year commitment — shared with the Rocket Community Fund — to build opportunity in Detroit neighborhoods.
The Foundation is a private, non-profit organization founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate treatment for neurofibromatosis type 1 and build economic opportunity in Detroit.
@_myeshajohnson