Black Tech Week returns to Cincinnati this summer

Black Tech Week, the iconic inclusion-focused tech conference acquired in early 2022 by economic influencer Lightship Foundation, will return to Cincinnati July 18-20. The first Lightship BTW event was covered by keynote speaker Serena Williams and attracted nearly 1,500 startup founders, investors, creatives and trendsetters last summer in Cincinnati for three days of interactive programming and network building.

Black Tech Week combines growth-focused content with strategic amplification and advocacy for tech entrepreneurs of color. The event hosts curated social events and startup growth-focused programs that include sessions led by professionals specializing in small business law, marketing, Web3, board selection and more, all while promoting the work and business of highly successful entrepreneurs. and innovators of color who operate largely unrecognized outside of black tech ecosystems.

“Black Tech Week is a celebration of black excellence, which we see every day in our work with startup founders of color, and serves as a meaningful catalyst for their enrichment and growth,” said Candace Matthews Brackin, founder and CEO of the Lightship Foundation. “Our journeys as entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, and creatives within the innovation economy, while very individual and individual, face the same challenges, which is why Lightship is working hard to make Black Tech Week a space and time for our community to communicate, recharge and reload.”

Black Tech Week delivered a $7.8 million economic impact to the Greater Cincinnati region last year and promises to deliver even more content and connectivity in 2023 as the BTW team plans to significantly increase attendance this year.

“Last year’s Black Tech Week was an exceptional moment for Cincinnati as pioneering blacks came together from across the country to create exciting momentum for the future,” said Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Purewal. “This type of programming is exactly what our city needs most to develop a thriving and diverse ecosystem, and I am thrilled to welcome Black Tech Week in 2023.”

Tickets for BTW23 are available from February 16 with a 50% discount if purchased before March 10. Information and registration for this event can be found on the website.