Government of Canada Invests in Nobellum’s Vision for Black STEM Founders
A $1.2 million federal investment will help advance the next phase of Nobellum’s work to help Black STEM founders access the infrastructure, expertise and support they need to commercialize and scale.
For years, Nobellum has been creating pathways for Black entrepreneurs to build and grow companies in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The organization began with a mandate to support the launch of 100 Black-owned STEM businesses by 2025. After helping launch 121 companies, the work is entering its next phase: helping more founders commercialize their innovations and scale their businesses.
Now, that vision has new support.
The Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), is investing up to $1.2 million to help advance Nobellum’s CanBlack STEM project.
From Starting Companies to Scaling Them
For STEM founders, a great idea is only the beginning. Bringing an innovation to market can require specialized labs and equipment, scientists and technical expertise, raw materials, manufacturing capacity and the capital to make it all possible.
Can Black STEM is designed to help connect those pieces.
Beginning in the Greater Toronto Area and expanding across southern Ontario, the initiative will support Black entrepreneurs with ventures that already have traction through a cohort-based Growth Stream Accelerator, providing business advisory, executive coaching, commercialization support, market access and investment readiness.
Through the STEM Facility Finder, founders will also be able to connect with research, development and commercialization infrastructure across a growing database spanning 100+ partner sites, making it easier to find the specialized spaces, equipment and resources needed to research, test, build and commercialize their products.
And because access to infrastructure is only one part of the challenge, Nobellum’s broader vision includes creating stronger pathways to the grants, investment and other capital vehicles founders need to hire scientists, purchase materials, manufacture products and grow their teams.
The model connects the journey. Together, the program brings business support, specialized facilities, commercialization expertise and access to capital into a more connected pathway for Black STEM founders looking to grow.
Building on a Continued Commitment
The CanBlack STEM project is not the beginning of Nobellum’s work. It is the next stage of it.
Having surpassed its original mandate to help launch 100 Black-owned STEM companies, Nobellum is applying what it has learned to the next challenge: helping more Black-led businesses reach the market and grow.
The Government of Canada’s investment provides important support for that evolution, while recognizing the opportunity to strengthen pathways for Black STEM entrepreneurs and bring more Canadian innovations to market.
CanBlack STEM is part of a broader commercialization strategy with partners including Lanterna and the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN), bringing together talent, entrepreneurship, commercialization and community infrastructure.
“Our commitment has always been to help Black entrepreneurs build successful STEM companies. We started by focusing on their launch. Now, we’re focused on what it takes to commercialize and scale. Having FedDev Ontario invest alongside us is an important recognition of that work and gives us greater capacity to continue building the pathways founders need to grow.” — Melisa Ellis, Founder & CEO, Nobellum
Over the next five years, the broader ambition is to generate $200 million in financial value for the Canadian economy, create or support 500+ jobs, launch or scale 200+ Black-led ventures, and help 10 companies surpass $1 million in revenue or investment.
