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Entrepreneurship is one of the channels for promoting socio-economic improvement, but for ethnically diverse communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, it remains a terrain of obstacles. A study by the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America at the end of the year showed how stagnant the figures on social and economic mobility are in the region. And how it is even more complex for Afro and Indigenous communities to emerge from the circles of poverty or vulnerability. Also to start. Racism, lack of funding and the digital divide are the reason many doors remain closed until they are touched. Or that it costs more to open them. Black startup founders received less than 1% of all global venture capital in 2020, according to a Google study.
The virtual event, organized by América Futura and CAF, aims to reflect on the challenges of the sector, the ventures of pioneers of African descent and the guides for creating or financing a start-up.
The participants of the session, moderated by Noor Mahtani, a journalist from América Futura, are:
- Helena ValenciaCo-founder and coordinator of the Innovations Girls program at the Chocó School of Robotics, Colombia.
- Daniel ManjarresInstitutional Relations Consultant, PretaHub, Brazil.
- Wendy JordanFounder of the platform Encuentra24, Panama
- Eddie MarcellinEthno-Racial Diversity Coordinator, CAF – Latin American Development Bank
- Paula MalpicaLatin America Head and Seedstars Program Manager
- Niousha RoshaniCo-founder of the Black Entrepreneurs Club
The virtual lecture will take place this Thursday, May 11, at 2:00 p.m. (Colombia, Panama, Peru and Ecuador time), 1:00 p.m. (Mexico, Bolivia and Venezuela time) and 4:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m. (Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela time) instead of Uruguay time). You can follow it on this page, through the EL PAÍS America website and through América Futura.