TikTok is calling all Black entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business owners to apply for third round of its Support Black Businesses accelerator program.
As explained by TikTok, “The Support Black Businesses accelerator program aims to shine a light on the creativity, innovation, and real impact that Black-owned businesses have on the TikTok community and their local community.”
“We are committed to elevating Black-owned businesses by providing a level playing field to scale and succeed on our platform.”
The program started in 2020 to amplify Black voices on the platform through exclusive access to resources, benefits, and networking opportunities via TikTok.
It includes free ad credits for participating business’ campaigns, coaching from TikTok advisors and small business creators, and opportunities for winners’ businesses to be featured across the platform.
“The TikTok Support Black Businesses Program has had a significant impact on our businesses,” Love You Cookie CEO and 2021 participant Sahr Brima said. “Not only did the program give us national exposure, it also gave us the tools and the resources to succeed on TikTok.”
Like many platforms, there’s been a continuous effort to boost the Black community since global protests in the summer of 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
In July 2020, TikTok also donated $500,000 to the Accion Opportunity Fund to aid Black small business owners impacted by Covid-19.
Beyond TikTok, the market for Black creators is still harrowing. Recent report revealed that Black content creators who had signed contracts with competitor Triller in the past year were paid “in frequently or not at all.” The total amount of missed payments was in the millions.
The platform will also spotlight Black-owned businesses throughout the month of August through its hashtag #BlackOwnedBusinesses, which has more than 17 million views.
This year’s partners include Shopify, accelerator program Talent x Opportunity (TxO) and Black Girl Ventures, an organisation dedicated to helping Black and brown female-identifying entrepreneurs.
Black-owned businesses who are looking to apply for this year’s cohort must meet the following criteria:
- Be based in the U.S.
- Offer a product or service online.
- Have a social media presence (TikTok account not required).
- Commit to attending each of the four weekly webinars between Sept. 12 and Oct. 7.
Finalists will be notified in early September, and the program will start Sept. 12. Click here to apply today!
