Black and Multi-Ethnic audiences are more likely than others to want to start their own businesses, but are more likely to face discrimination and less likely to receive attention, funding and ongoing support. Channel 4 and Clear Channel wanted to understand these entrepreneurs, and find and create ways to close the aspiration-experience gap.

Our approach combined interviews and co-creation salons featuring iconic BAME UK entrepreneurs, alongside major quant surveys with business owners and the UK public, to explore barriers to entrepreneurship and co-design BAME business incubators.

Our research and co-creation process informed the design of two new business incubators offering tangible funding and advertising opportunities to kick start the growth of a range of promising BAME-owned businesses.

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This work was awarded the MRS Grand Prix for Social Impact and MRS Best Applications of Research 2023

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