BLKtech Founders
Join Cohort 7 of our 10-week program and mentoring initiative devoted to equipping Black tech founders with unique resources.
Applications close 6/23/2025
Sponsored By
Program benefits
- Gain safe space with other Black startup founders
- Build confidence as a startup founder and learn action steps fit for your unique set of challenges
- Immerse in tailored leadership development education specific to Black startup founders
- Engage in peer-to-peer discussions and camaraderie with founders with similar experiences
Meet Our EIR
Get to know Jeff
Jeff Osuji is the CEO of Eventnoire, the premier marketplace for events celebrating the culture. He earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he started an event production company with his cofounder. After years of producing events nationwide, Osuji co-founded Eventnoire to connect culture enthusiasts to spaces and places that embrace Black culture, diversity, and authenticity. Eventnoire’s recognitions include winning the Mountain Dew Real Change Opportunity Fund Competition, 1871’s BLK Tech Pitch Competition, and the People’s Choice Awards at Techrise Chicago’s pitch competition. Osuji has been featured in Forbes, Essence, Afrotech, ABC7, and BizBash and has built a following as a successful “eventrepreneur”.
Osuji served as President of the Illinois Black Alumni Network and as Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at 1871. He is also an angel investor, a proud father and husband, and a believer in the motto, “To become truly great, one must stand with people, not above them.”
Session details
Our BLKtech Founders affinity program unlocks a new world of opportunities for founders through peer-learning, dedicated one-on-one mentoring, and exclusive programming.
- Every Tuesday, 3-5 PM CST for 10 weeks
- 100% virtual
Program breakdown
Open to all Black tech founders at any stage of their business development, BLKtech Founders is comprised of four main parts:
Share-outs
Private, not-to-be-recorded sessions where we walk through different frameworks of discussions to share, relate, uplife, and more.
Roundtables
Panels of experts lead by a moderator with Q&A from cohort.
Leadership
development
workshops
Part lecture part peer-to-peer discussions of important topics such as: Confronting Representation Syndrome, Owning the Room and Playing to Your Strengths, and Tackling Tough Conversations.
EIR office hours
Dedicated Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) to discuss anything related to a member’s business, reserved through our member portal.
