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Black-owned business leaders will share the secrets to their success at a special event in London next month.

The Barclays Black Founder Accelerator Showcase will celebrate 25 º£½ÇÊÓƵ entrepreneurs who have taken part in an intensive programme aimed at preparing them for investment and growth.

The event, which takes place on October 23 at Barclays Moorgate, will involve sessions including pitching for funding, how black creatives are turning culture into business, and how technology is being used to scale food ventures.

“Showcase Day marks the culmination of their journey, celebrating resilience, innovation, and impact while connecting with partners, alumni, and industry leaders,” a spokesperson for the event said.

“Join us for an inspiring evening of stories, celebration, and networking as we honour this year’s brilliant cohort.”

Barclays launched its Black Founder Accelerator in partnership with social enterprise Foundervine in 2020 in a bid to support more entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds.

This year the lender received more than 400 applications for the scheme and of the businesses involved in the initiative 36% were women and 42.5% were based outside London.

Companies involved in the 2025 programme included an AI-powered app for parents, a º£½ÇÊÓƵ food delivery platform and a business that has developed diagnostic tests for bacterial infections.

The programme included a series of 12 expert-led business strategy masterclasses, focusing on topics such as defining value proposition, hiring talent, sales strategy, marketing and intellectual property. It also offered one-to-one mentoring and coaching from scale-up experts and access to networking events.

The Barclays Black Founder Accelerator is taking place between 4pm and 8pm on October 23 at Barclays Bank, 120 Moorgate, London, EC2M 6UR.