Blak Angels to host free business seminar

With an expert panel hosted by Jahna Cedar, Co-Chair First Nations X, businesses can learn practical strategies for securing investment, navigating funding landscapes, and building relationships with investors who value Indigenous innovation.

“Our speakers will share real-world experiences from successful First Nations founders who have secured investment for their ventures.

Who are the Blak Angels?

The Blak Angels are a powerful collective of First Nations investors, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who are rewriting the rules of investment by putting culture, community, and culture at the centre.

“We are unapologetically Blak, proudly Indigenous led, and united by a shared commitment to backing our own, through capital, mentorship, and cultural strength. We believe in self-determination and walking together to create intergenerational wealth for our people,” says Kent Matla, Chair of the Blak Angels Network.

Purpose of the Blak Angels Investment Network (BAIN) is to:

Grow First Nations Wealth: Enable intergenerational wealth creation by increasing First Nations participation in angel investing.

Empower and Equip Investors: Provide accessible opportunities and targeted capability-building support for aspiring and active First Nations angel investors.

Champion First Nations Leadership: Establish a strong, collective voice that advocates for and supports First Nations angel investors.

How long in business

The Blak Angels initiative officially launched in 2023, born from a deep need to shift the narrative around who gets funded, who gets heard, and who gets to lead. Since then, we’ve been laying strong foundations: listening, learning, and building relationships through powerful international exchanges with Native American, Latino, and African American investors in the U.S.

While the formal business arm is still in its infancy, refining our investment thesis and preparing for a full-scale launch, the groundwork is solid. We’ve done our due diligence, explored global models, and are developing a First Nations led investment network that is culturally strong, strategically sound, and ready to move with integrity and purpose.

Blak Angels Director and Co-Chair of First Nations X, Jahna Cedar says, “We’re young in structure, but ancient in wisdom. Our collective experience runs deep across governance, entrepreneurship, community development, and cultural wealth.

“We’re not just building a network, we’re shaping a legacy, grounded in kinship, reciprocity, and Blak excellence,” she said.

What is the relationship between FNX and BAIN?

First Nations X (FNX) played a key strategic and logistical partner role, supporting BAIN to establish foundational governance frameworks and deliver international exchange missions and educational webinars to foster global connections. This collaboration helped lay the groundwork for a culturally strong, values led investment movement that centres First Nations voices in the startup and investment ecosystem.

What do BAIN do?

Our aspiration is to invest in bold ideas that drive meaningful impact for First Nations people. While we’re still early in our journey, our intent is to back early-stage ventures that demonstrate a strong commitment to empowering our communities, creating opportunities, and walking with integrity.

Our primary focus is angel investment. We want to support early-stage and growth ready businesses that align with our values: cultural respect, long-term impact, and community benefit.

Over time, we hope to evolve into more than just angel investors, to become trusted partners who bring cultural insight and strategic support to the table. But first, we’re focused on getting the investment right, led by mob, guided by values, and driven by legacy.

BAIN is investing in what?

We want to invest in purpose, ventures that drive meaningful outcomes for First Nations people, businesses, and communities.

“Our vision is to back opportunities that are culturally respectful, socially impactful, and economically empowering. While our primary focus is early stage and growth ready businesses, we are open to investing in ventures that may not be Indigenous led, but are deeply committed to delivering measurable benefits to mob, through employment, procurement, innovation, or community development,” says Kent.

We’re not here to chase short term gains, we’re here to shift power and unlock long term impact. That might look like backing Indigenous entrepreneurs with big visions, or supporting allies who are walking respectfully and creating space for self-determination.

In the future, we hope to evolve our model to offer broader support, but right now, our focus is on making intentional, values aligned investments that honour culture, create opportunity, and help build a more just economy for our people.

How can BAIN help indigenous business?

We want to be the kind of investors who show up early, when the vision is still raw, when others say it’s too risky, and when belief matters most.

We know the barriers:

Too many of our mob are shut out of capital systems that weren’t built for us. Limited collateral, low credit scores, racism and unconscious bias in the financial system, and a lack of culturally safe pathways to investment mean that even the most promising Indigenous businesses are often overlooked or undervalued.

That’s where Blak Angels step in…

We want to help close the gap, not just in funding, but in trust, knowledge, and opportunity.

We want to help Indigenous business leaders stand in their power, not just as recipients of investment, but as builders of wealth, employers of community, and drivers of generational change.

Who have BAIN helped?

Our vision is to back businesses that deliver real outcomes for First Nations people, whether they’re Indigenous led or driven by a strong commitment to community impact. While we haven’t made our first investments yet, we’re laying the foundations for a culturally strong,

Blak led investment network, one that’s built on trust, values, and respect

We aspire to support ventures across diverse sectors, from tech and tourism to health, natural resources, creative industries, and social enterprise. What matters most is that the business is aligned with our purpose: to create positive, lasting change for mob.

• When the time comes, we want to invest in ventures that:
• Honour our stories, strengths, and ways of doing business
• Have clear potential to scale sustainably
• Create jobs, leadership pathways, and opportunities for our people
• Build pride, prosperity, and generational wealth

“We’re taking the time to design this with care, so when we do launch, we’re not only ready to invest, but ready to walk in step with community, lead with integrity, and hold ourselves accountable to the vision we set.”

Start-up or established businesses to work with?

We’re especially passionate about working with early-stage ventures, because that’s when belief, support, and culturally safe guidance make the biggest difference. Too often, our people are told they’re not “ready” but readiness doesn’t come without access, encouragement, and the right kind of backing. We want to be that backing.

How does the network work?

We want to build a network that feels more like community than capital, a collective of First Nations investors who bring not just funds, but cultural insight, lived experience, and a deep commitment to creating change for our people.

Our aspiration is to create a space where Blak investors come together to yarn, share knowledge, and back businesses that align with our values. While we’re still designing how investment decisions will be made, our intent is to operate as a group, guided by reciprocity, trust, and relationships, not just commercial transactions.

We envision a future where Indigenous founders and impactful ventures can access clear, culturally safe pathways to pitch, whether through business missions like SXSW, community showcases, or referrals from trusted networks. We also aim to collaborate with non Indigenous allies who want to invest differently, with humility, heart, and cultural respect.

This isn’t about ticking boxes or replicating old models. It’s about designing something bold and culturally grounded, a Blak led investment network that puts community at the centre and builds wealth with purpose.