‘Talent clearly exists’: UK Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference CEO challenges barriers facing Black founders
Dr Carlton Brown says the fifth annual conference showed the growing confidence and global outlook of Black entrepreneurs - but warned that deep-rooted barriers continue to restrict potential
Britain remains “both progressive and regressive” in its treatment of Black entrepreneurs, according to the founder of the UK Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference (BBEC), who has called for stronger action to tackle inequalities in finance, procurement and access to influential networks.
Dr Carlton Brown, founder and chief executive of the conference, said its fifth anniversary reflected how far conversations about Black enterprise had advanced, while exposing the work still required to turn individual success into lasting economic power.
“The fifth UK Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference is far more than an anniversary; it reflects five years of creating a space where ambition, evidence and action have reshaped the conversation around enterprise,” he told Black Current News.
“What stood out to me this year was the growing confidence, sophistication and global outlook of Global Majority entrepreneurs.
“We are seeing remarkable innovation, resilience and leadership, but we must also face a difficult truth: we still live in a society that is both progressive and regressive.”
The conference, held at NatWest’s Bishopsgate offices in London last week (8 July), brought together entrepreneurs, investors, academics and business leaders for discussions about wealth creation, innovation and the future of Black enterprise.
Hosted by broadcaster Henru Bonsu, speakers included historian and broadcaster David Olusoga, former Olympic sprinter Abi Oyepitan, financial adviser Emmanuel Asuquo, business leader Sir Sam Jonah, race official Carol Glenn, publisher Valerie Brandes, media executive Brenda Emmanus, Lord Michael Hastings and Black Current News founder Nadine White.
Dr Brown said there was now a stronger commitment to building a more equitable economy, but warned that “structural inequalities around access to capital, networks, procurement and scale remain deeply embedded”.
His assessment is supported by the newly published UK Black Business Entrepreneur Report 2026, produced by Aspire Consultancy, where Dr Brown is managing director.
Drawing on national business data, surveys and interviews with founders, the report estimates that 194,347 Black-led businesses are operating across the UK.
Just over 87% have survived beyond five years, while almost 40% have traded for more than a decade.
Black-led companies are also strongly represented in sectors considered important to Britain’s future growth.
According to the research, 36% operate in professional and business services, 19.3% in digital and technology and almost 18% in the creative industries.
More than 75% of the business owners surveyed said they expected their companies to continue growing.
But the research also found that 27.39% regarded access to finance as a significant obstacle, while 56.05% reported limited access to influential professional networks.
Speaking about the findings, Dr Brown said: “The challenge is no longer whether talent exists, it clearly does.
“The question is whether our financial systems, procurement markets and business ecosystems are enabling that talent to reach its full economic potential.
“Over the past five years, the conversation has moved from representation to economic contribution, influence and systemic change. That is real progress, but progress alone is not enough.”
The report argues that supporting Black businesses should be viewed not only as a question of equality, but as part of Britain’s wider economic growth strategy.
It calls for greater transparency in lending and investment decisions, broader access to procurement, stronger commercial networks and targeted support for businesses seeking to scale.
Dr Brown said the conference’s next phase must involve deeper co-operation between founders and the institutions with the power and resources to change the conditions in which they operate.
“The next chapter for BBEC must deepen collaboration between entrepreneurs, universities, investors, corporations and policymakers so that opportunity becomes structural, not exceptional,” he said.
“My hope is that BBEC continues to turn aspiration into sustainable economic power, helping future generations inherit an entrepreneurial ecosystem defined by equity, innovation and shared prosperity.”
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