Amazon Launches Black Business Accelerator

Amazon is launching a new initiative to help build sustainable equity and growth for Black-owned businesses, as well as help them be more successful sellers on its platform.  

The company’s Black Business Accelerator (BBA) was created in partnership with the company’s Black Employee Network, the Minority Business Development Agency and the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC).

As part of this, Amazon is committing $150 million over the next four years to help Black entrepreneurs, including the third-party sellers on its site. It will provide them with financial support, business education and mentorship, as well as marketing and promotion of their brands and products. This includes access to a range of grants and services at Amazon and AWS, and free strategic advisory services from a network of business mentors.

The company also recently launched discoverability enhancements that highlight products from minority-owned businesses in related search results, said to let consumers more easily find and buy from certified businesses.

The BBA partners will also help Amazon create similar programs for other underrepresented populations of business owners, and the company expects to welcome other partners and advisors going forward.