Shopify are removing the barriers that limit Indigenous entrepreneurs from being able to start a business and have a voice by creating a partnership with Indigenous-led organizations in Turtle Island (Canada) and Aotearoa (New Zealand), including Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, EntrepreNorth, Te Whare Hukahuka, and Rise2025.
Indigenous people have dealt with systemic racism and injustices, institutionally and otherwise and Shopify are working hard to develop a support system for Indigenous entrepreneurs who will also be able to move their businesses online this year.
The plan for Shopify and their new partners it to co-create locally and culturally relevant ecommerce education and provide participants in their communities with free access to their platform for 6-months. Shopify will also provide financial support for the programs and ongoing support to the organizations. These connections will be used to help educate others and create a platform better equipped for these people and their businesses.
“Through our Indigenous entrepreneurship partners, we believe we can support economic independence and well-being of Indigenous communities. We understand the responsibility of our role in helping create a more equitable future for Indigenous people, and that starts by partnering with Indigenous-led organizations to co-create a support system for Indigenous entrepreneurs worldwide.”
– Jace Meyer, Lead for Indigenous Entrepreneurs, Shopify, Métis
Shopify’s Indigenous-led partners
- EntrepreNorth: This Company empowers Indigenous and community-based entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses and livelihoods across Northern Canada.
- Rise2025: A New Zealand based global coaching and leadership movement with a vision to positively impact 100,000 Indigenous women by 2025.
- Te Whare Hukahuka: A group of New Zealand-based social entrepreneurs passionate about using innovation as a way to positively impact the lives of Indigenous people.
- Raven Indigenous Capital Partners: Canada’s first Indigenous-led and -owned social finance intermediary. Raven focuses on facilitating the flow of capital through impact investing to support the ongoing revitalization of the Indigenous economy.
