Built By Founders, For Founders
We are practitioners first. Every workshop and touchpoint is led by someone who has lived your journey.
About Black Founders Studio
Black Founders Studio (BFS) was created with one clear intention: to make building a business less confusing, less isolating, and more structured for Black founders in the UK.
We saw too many talented people with strong ideas but no roadmap, no networks and no practical guidance on how to move from idea to execution properly.
So we built what we couldn’t find.
Black Founders Studio is a registered Community Interest Company supporting early-stage founders with structured training, practical mentorship and accountability and real-world network exposure.
We don’t just talk about entrepreneurship. We help people build.
The Problem We Exist To Solve
Why We Exist
Black founders in the UK are starting businesses at high rates. But many are doing it alone, facing structural barriers to capital, networks and industry access.
The problem isn’t lack of talent, lack of ambition or lack of creativity
What’s missing is access: access to structured information, access to networks, access to funding and access to community.
Black Founders Studio was created to close that gap by combining structured training with intentional community and real-world exposure.
Our Mission
To strengthen pathways for Black founders in the UK by providing structured education, practical mentorship and access to real-world opportunities.
We exist to move founders from idea to execution and beyond.
Our Vision
To become a leading ecosystem in the UK that strengthens economic mobility and within Black communities through entrepreneurship.
Our Approach
How We Work
At Black Founders Studio, we combine:
• Cohort-based structured training
• Practical business development frameworks
• Community Accountability
• Industry networking and trade exposure
• Post-launch support
We believe in learning by doing. We believe in accountability.
And we believe nobody should have to guess their way through building a business.
As a Community Interest Company, impact drives our decisions. Growth allows us to serve more founders, but purpose always leads.
The Gap We're Closing
Black-led startups receive less than 1% of UK venture capital funding. Many founders struggle to access established business networks, find suppliers, or connect with mentors who understand their lived experience.
The result? Talented, driven founders with brilliant ideas often give up—not because they lack ability, but because they lack access.
What Makes BFS Different
Highlight the values, commitments, or pillars that make your organisation stand apart.
Product-Based Business Focus
We specialize in helping founders build tangible, scalable product businesses—not service-based or freelance work.
Community Over Competition.
Our founders collaborate, support each other, and celebrate wins together. This isn't a transactional programme—it's a lifelong network.
Real-World Access
We don't just teach theory. We bring founders into trade shows, connect them with suppliers, and create pathways to actual business opportunities.
CIC Structure = Mission First
As a Community Interest Company, we reinvest profits back into supporting more founders. Your success funds the next generation.
Long-Term Support
Our commitment doesn't end at week 12. Graduates remain part of the BFS community with ongoing access to resources, events, and mentorship.
Our Core Values
These principles guide everything we do—from how we design programmes to how we support our community.
- Community
We believe founders grow stronger together through shared support, collaboration, and connection. - Impact
We build businesses that create lasting economic and generational change. - Access
We work to remove barriers by opening doors to knowledge, resources, and opportunity. - Sustainability
We focus on long-term, realistic growth over short-term wins or hype.
What Founders Say
Joining BFS has equipped me with the essential strategies for identifying market gaps and developing innovative products designed to solve real customer problems. The program focuses heavily on establishing strong, recognizable branding and mastering the art of storytelling on TikTok to effectively communicate your product’s unique value proposition. Ultimately, this comprehensive training has transformed me into a successful e-commerce entrepreneur by building a product-centric brand.
Lawrence K
Founder
Joining the Black Founders Squad CIC was the best investment I made for myself and my business this year! The lessons and insights from our weekly sessions have given me a clear understanding of the direction to go with my branding and my business and saved me a lot of trial and error. The network and community built is incredible, and I now have access to over 40 other founders who can share their insights with me to help me on my journey.
Anita
Founder
BFS has been so supportive throughout my brand journey. The program has helped me bring my brand to life and made everything feel simple and achievable. I’m truly grateful for the help. Will definitely recommend to anyone wanting to build a brand.
Alex J
CEO
The founder: Jemima Antawi
Jemima Antwi | Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Jemima founded Black Founders Studio CIC after experiencing firsthand the challenges Black entrepreneurs face in the UK. What began as a personal mission to create the support she needed has grown into a thriving community helping dozens
of founders build sustainable businesses.
With a passion for closing the opportunity gap and creating generational impact, Jemima leads BFS with a clear vision: no Black founder should have to build alone.
Our Journey
September 2025
Launched as Million Dollar TikTok Seller (MDTS)—an online community focused on helping founders build product-based businesses through social commerce.
First 50 founders enrolled.
November 2025
Rebranded to Black Founders Studio and formally registered as a UK Community Interest Company (CIC).
Expanded focus from social commerce to a broader business-building ecosystem.
January 2026
The second cohort launched under the Black Founders Studio name, introducing structured cohort-based training and real-world networking elements.
April 2026
The third cohort is launching, with expanded industry exposure and post-launch support.
You don’t need to do this alone.
If you’re ready to build something real, and grow as a founder along the way, we’re ready to support you.