Carleton’s Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub Recognized By AACSB’s Innovations That Inspire Initiative

Today, AACSB International (AACSB)—the world’s largest business education alliance—announces Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business among 26 business schools highlighted in its Innovations That Inspire member spotlight program.

AACSB Innovations That Inspire 2024 Honoree: Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, Canada

The Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (BEKH), co-led by the Sprott School of Business and Dream Legacy Foundation, was recognized for creating forward-thinking solutions to business and societal challenges.

BEKH is a collaborative, co-generated, high quality data and knowledge platform that reflects the state of Black entrepreneurship across Canada. It is connecting Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses with the data, insights and support to succeed.

Last week, the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister for Small Business, announced BEKH’s ecosystem mapping project and the additional supports it will provide to Black entrepreneurs. In addition, BEKH recently launched a nationwide qualitative survey designed to identity the challenges and opportunities for Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurs.

“In a world facing social, economic, and technological challenges, business schools are innovating to develop powerful solutions. The Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub exemplifies the unique ways that business schools create value and impact for their stakeholders,” said Lily Bi, AACSB president and CEO. “Through bold leadership and innovation, The Sprott School of Business is contributing to a better world, demonstrating the important role business schools play in our society.”

AACSB’s Innovations that Inspire is an annual program recognizes institutions from around the world that serve as champions of change in business education. In 2024, the highlights feature unique ways that business schools are leveraging innovation to drive new value for the communities they serve. These schools are leading boldly to enable equitable access, empower problem-solvers, design timely curricula and credentials, deploy adaptive learning methods, create new knowledge, and develop societal impact leaders.

Now in its ninth year, the Innovations That Inspire initiative has highlighted 240 business school efforts that exemplify forward-looking approaches to education, research, community engagement, entrepreneurship, leadership, and diversity and inclusion.

More insights and examples are available at aacsb.edu/innovations-that-inspire.