Tribe Network, the Halifax-based professional organization for racialized startup founders, now counts more than 1,000 people and organizations among its members and has worked directly with 700 program participants in its three-year history.

Those figures are according to Tribe’s first Impact Report, covering the years 2020 to 2023. The report goes on to say that Tribe has also distributed more than $200,000 of funding directly to entrepreneurs, part of the $400,000 of total funding it has administered.

“Racialized entrepreneurs deserve equal access to networks, opportunities, and markets,” said Tribe in a statement. “We are on a mission to advance inclusive entrepreneurship and innovation by providing our members access to relevant resources to connect, work and learn.

“Tribe Network saw its membership grow beyond the borders of Canada in 2023. Some other countries recognized in its platform were the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Ghana, and Nigeria.”

Tribe offers a range of services for its members, including pitch competitions, networking opportunities, referrals to ecosystem partners and access to content on an online educational platform.

Most of the organization’s members are either entrepreneurs or students, in about equal measure, the organization estimates. Industry professionals also represent a smaller, but still meaningful cohort.

“I think for Tribe right now, we are in this place where we have traction,” said CEO Alfred Burgesson at an event late last year.

“In order for us to break through, what we’re focused on is the systems — ensuring that our internal systems are strong, and ensuring that the systems we put in place for our founders, our members externally, are also strong efficient, reliable and relevant.”