Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster reported on its website that only 2.6% of Canada’s tech sector consists of Black Canadians and new immigrants, particularly Black women. World Innovation League (WIL) aims to enhance the representation of Black Canadians and new immigrants in critical tech roles by 50% over the next five years.
The funding will enable WIL to establish a program designed to provide tech skills and mentorship to 500 Africans and Black immigrants in Canada, offering opportunities for hackathons and work experience within four months.
While WIL spearheads the initiative, it collaborates with other project partners such as the product management training platform Co.Lab and Canada’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program.
From NaijaHacks to World Innovation League
Uchibeke initiated NaijaHacks, a Nigeria-focused hackathon competition in 2018 while working at Shopify in Canada. His objective was to create a platform for Nigerian talent to showcase their skills, equivalent to their foreign counterparts.
The hackathon rapidly gained traction, becoming the largest hackathon in Africa with over 1,300 participants and sponsorship from 50 companies including Microsoft, AWS Activate, and Twilio.
As the hackathon expanded, it underwent rebranding to AfricHacks, attracting over 2,800 participants and ₦100 million in prizes ($72,000).
However, in 2023, AfricHacks transformed once more into a non-profit tech talent accelerator named World Innovation League.
Securing Funding from Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster
“We approached the Canadian Digital Supercluster and applied for $1.2 million to run a tech talent accelerator for minorities, immigrants, and Black individuals worldwide.” The approval process from application to funding took six months.
The groundwork laid by the non-profit — WIL — since its inception as NaijaHacks in 2018 played a pivotal role in securing the funding.
NaijaHacks evolved from a hackathon for Nigerians to a global talent accelerator for Black individuals.
Reflecting on the journey, Uchibeke highlighted how the hackathon attracted sponsorship from companies like Microsoft and Twilio.
In subsequent years, it partnered with organizations such as Access Bank and Financial Center for Sustainability Lagos to host the Nigeria SDGs Hackathon.
The hackathons have nurtured talents like Emmanuel Njoku, one of Nigeria’s youngest startup founders. “We’ve built trust from both a partnership and impact perspective.”
WIL is poised to make an even greater impact. Uchibeke revealed that the non-profit will receive an additional $10 million in the coming months to train 4,000 people over four years.
Source: Techpoint