Cultivating Leadership, Opportunity and Voice.
A Black-led nonprofit institution dedicated to advancing economic empowerment, community leadership, and systemic change.
Why We Exist
Black Buildup exists to confront and close long-standing gaps in funding access, leadership pathways, organizational capacity, and decision-making spaces that continue to limit Black and racialized communities.
Born from grassroots advocacy, Black Buildup has evolved into a trusted nonprofit institution working at the intersection of policy, partnership, and community-led development.
Our Approach to Impact
Impact happens when people, institutions, and systems move together. Our work brings these elements together to create lasting change.
Community Leadership
Capacity Building
Strategic Partnerships
Systems Change
Entrepreneur
Workshop Series
Built for founders. Delivered by experts. Designed for impact.
Our workshops equip founders with strategies, tools, and insights to strengthen their businesses, unlock funding, and create lasting community impact.
Six learning pathways. Delivered in English and French. We meet entrepreneurs where they are on their journey, but we don’t leave them there.
Our Expert Facilitators
Every Black Buildup program is designed and delivered by recognized leaders, practitioners, and innovators, people who have built institutions, shaped policy, and created opportunity at the highest levels.
Rev. Dr. Sam Owusu (EN)
Senior Pastor, Calvary Worship Centre | Adjunct Prof., Trinity Western & Ambrose Universities
PhD-holder, international speaker, and founder of one of Canada’s most diverse congregations representing over 110 nations. Dr. Owusu brings decades of experience developing leaders across communities, institutions, and cultures.
Workshop – Transformational Leadership
Dr. Rustum Southwell (EN)
Founding CEO, Black Business Initiative | Chancellor, Dalhousie University
Order of Nova Scotia recipient and pioneer of Black business development in Canada. Dr. Southwell draws on 25+ years of institutional leadership to ground participants in the civic foundations of lasting community impact.
Workshop – Civic Identity & Leadership Foundation
Liban Abokor, LL.D. (EN)
CEO, Reimagine LABS| Co-founder, Foundation for Black Communities
Co-architect of Canada’s $250M Black-led philanthropic endowment and co-author of the landmark UNFUNDED Report. Liban equips participants to translate community priorities into policy influence and institutional change.
Workshop – Advocacy & Policy
Tiffany Callender (EN)
CEO & Co-founder, FACE Coalition | Forbes Business Council Member
Co-developer of Canada’s $291M Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund. Tiffany delivers a candid, high-energy conversation on what it really takes to access capital, build a business, and create generational wealth as a Black entrepreneur in Canada.
Workshop – Entrepreneurship & Funding-Fire Chat 🔥🎙️
Pasima Sule (EN)
Founder & ED | Black Women Business Network
Recognized Black women’s leader in Canada and builder of AI-powered career tools. Pasima bridges the gap between emerging technology and practical business application, showing entrepreneurs how to leverage AI as a strategic advantage.
Workshop – AI & Product Management
Indira Moudi (FR)
PDG, Viandes Lafrance | Certified Global Leader, Harvard Business School
Ancienne vice-présidente chez Schlumberger et Baker Hughes sur cinq continents, Indira accompagne les entrepreneurs francophones à travers les étapes concrètes du démarrage d’entreprise au Canada de l’idée à l’exécution.
Workshop – Lancement d’entreprise au Canada
Louis-Edgar Jean-Francois, CPA (FR)
Fondateur de la Fondation Hue-Manity | Président du CA du Groupe 3737 | Président du CA sortant de FACE
Leader national bilingue ayant contribué à sécuriser plus de 272 M$ en financement fédéral pour les entrepreneurs noirs. Louis-Edgar guide les participants à travers les mécanismes de financement, de subventions et d’accès au capital disponibles au Canada.
Workshop – Acces au financement & subventions
Franklin Bouguep (FR)
Executive Director & Founder, Black Buildup
Stratège international avec plus de 25 ans d’expérience à travers le Canada, l’Afrique et au-delà. Franklin explore comment les entrepreneurs francophones peuvent intégrer l’intelligence artificielle dans leurs opérations, leur communication et leur croissance, sans jargon, avec des applications concrètes.
Workshop – L’IA pour entrepreneurs francophones
Kan Mongwa (EN/FR)
AVP, Cloud Engineering | Bayview Asset Management
Cloud technology leader and AI enthusiast with 25+ years of experience spanning Microsoft, DeCurtis Corporation, and Bayview Asset Management. Kan brings deep expertise in cloud architecture, AI, and cybersecurity, drawing on a career building enterprise-grade technology solutions across Fortune 500 environments. He holds a Masters in Information Systems Management from Seattle Pacific University and a patent in automated OS deployment.
Workshop – IT Security & New Technology
Hector Besong (EN/FR)
Risk & Portfolio Manager | Common Fund for Commodities (United Nations)
Impact investment professional with a proven record supporting innovative entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable financial returns and tangible social impact. With over 20 years in project finance, trade finance, and risk management, including a decade at Siemens Bank, Hector specializes in structuring financing solutions that drive inclusive commodity value chains. He holds an MBA in Finance from Drexel University.
Workshop – Investment & Lending
Nadia Djadjo (FR/EN)
Head of AML/CFT Division | ABA Bank
Strong leader in the banking industry with international experience spanning Canada and Southeast Asia. Nadia has held senior roles at National Bank of Canada and TD, managing compliance and credit teams at the national level. She now leads anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing operations at ABA Bank in Cambodia. She holds a Masters in Business Law and an ACAMS certification.
Workshop –Credit and Lending
Nneka Otogbolu (EN)
Chief Operating Officer | Foundation for Black Communities
Experienced leader with a demonstrated history across the financial sector and nonprofits in Canada. Nneka has held leadership roles at the Edmonton Community Foundation and FirstBank Nigeria, bringing expertise in strategic planning, racial equity advocacy, and business development. She holds an MBA from Vancouver Island University and an MSc in International Management from the University of Hertfordshire.
Workshop –Non-Profit Strategic Planning
Samuel Juru (EN)
Executive Director | Africa Centre & Edmonton Newcomer Centre
Experienced strategic planner and transformational communicator with a demonstrated history in government administration, nonprofit leadership, and international development. Sam served nearly a decade as a Strategic Planner with the City of Edmonton before leading the Africa Centre and Edmonton Newcomer Centre. He holds a Masters in Development Economics and International Development from St Mary’s University.
Workshop – Governance
Marthe K. Moukanda (EN/FR)
President & Co-Founder | African Canadian Business Chamber (ACBC)
Visionary leader with degrees in Law and Political Sciences from Belgian universities. Marthe is the Founder and Interim CEO of the Association Femmes Africaines Francophones (AFAF), empowering francophone women across Canada. She also served 14 years in the Federal Government of Canada, including at IRCC and the Immigration and Refugee Board. Her work bridges francophone community development, gender equity, and entrepreneurship.
Workshop – Building Your Business Network Strategically
Thierry Lindor (EN/FR)
CEO & Co-Founder | Happly.Ai
Recognized by the United Nations as one of the Global Top 100 under 40 Most Influential People of African Descent. Thierry co-founded the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE), which secured $330M from the Canadian Government to support Black entrepreneurs. His AI-powered platform Happly democratizes funding access for marginalized entrepreneurs. He is a Valedictorian of the Next AI & HEC Montréal Accelerator.
Bukkie Adewuyi (EN)
VP, Internal Audit and Risk Advisory | Aritzia
Award-winning audit, risk, and governance professional with over 23 years of experience across strategy, finance, and consulting. Bukkie has held executive roles at Aritzia and Prospera Credit Union, and spent 14 years with PwC, Deloitte, and Grant Thornton in South Africa. A 2023 YWCA Woman of Distinction and Top 50 Women Leaders of Vancouver honouree, she serves on the boards of ICBC and the Black Opportunity Fund. She holds an MBA and CPA-CGA, CIA, CISA, and CRMA designations.
Workshop –Financial Management for SMEs
Our facilitators bring lived experience, institutional knowledge, and sector expertise directly into every workshop, training, and program we deliver.
Hear from the Community
“This program transformed how I approach leadership. The skills I gained have helped me build stronger partnerships and create real change in my neighborhood.”
Marcus Johnson
Youth Program Director
“Through this program, I learned to see my business as a community asset. We’ve since created jobs and partnerships that strengthen our entire district.”
Christyn Efosi
Small Business Owner
Katie Mwangi
Community Organiser
Get Involved
Book a Strategic Conversation
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Bring your skills and time to support programs, events, and community initiatives.
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