DETROIT – A Detroit-based movement that has quickly grown into a national force in the tech industry is preparing to host its biggest event of the year.
Black Tech Saturdays, founded in 2023 by Johnnie and Alexa Turnage, will host the Detroit Digital Empowerment Summit from Sept. 25-27 at various venues across the city.
The three-day event, backed by the Rocket Community Fund, is free to attend and will bring together national tech leaders, startup founders, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Since its launch just over two years ago, Black Tech Saturdays has raised over $3 million for programs and pitch competitions and organized more than 1,000 workshops nationwide.
Tens of thousands have taken part in networking and educational sessions aimed at increasing Black representation in technology and building community wealth.
The upcoming summit will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking sessions and two pitch competitions with a combined $175,000 in prizes. Major tech players such as OpenAI and StockX are expected to take part, along with hundreds of startup founders.
Events will be held across four Detroit locations, including the Michigan Science Center, the College for Creative Studies, Wayne State University’s Industry Innovation Center, and a site on Cass Avenue, adjacent to TechTown.
The Youth Takeover kicks off Sept. 25 at the Michigan Science Center, followed by two full days of programming Sept. 26-27.
The “Big Bet” pitch competition will award $100,000 to three winners, while the Mass Tech Adoption Challenge will provide $75,000 in prizes to entrepreneurs developing solutions for real-world problems.
More details are available at blacktechsaturdays.com