NBC Black
When it comes to tech, most people think of Silicon Valley as the mecca of innovation, but Aaron Saunders is hoping to change that.
The Founder and CEO of Clearly Innovative wants to transform the tech landscape while giving Black entrepreneurs a seat at the table with the Inclusive Innovation Incubator, known as “In3,” a Washington D.C. based co-working space for tech entrepreneurs who are in launch phase or wanting to grow their business.
The 8,000 square foot space offers 60 workstations, 11 offices, and five classrooms along with free Wi-Fi upon reservation, including daily and monthly membership plans.
Through programs and workshops, In3 wants to train and educate entrepreneurs in underrepresented communities so they can develop skills without having to be in Silicon Valley. Located on the campus of Howard University, it is easily accessible to students and those living in the LeDroit Park area.
In celebration of its opening, In3 hosted over 25 complimentary sessions on coding, fundraising, and developing business startups with tech industry professionals.
“That’s why having a physical space is so important, you can point to something and say, ‘Here’s where we can help you solve your problem and introduce you to entrepreneurs,'” Saunders said. “Our goal is build the community, prepare the entrepreneurs, and slowly introduce other individuals into the community to address some of the other things we’re lacking in the community and one of the biggest things is capital.”
As a part of a joint initiative between Howard University and D.C . Mayor Muriel Bowser, In3 prides itself as the first incubator space in the country aimed at increasing diversity. In March, Howard University announced its partnership with Google for “Howard West,” a satellite campus in Silicon Valley aimed at getting more HBCU’s involved in tech.
In a field mostly dominated by whites, 49 percent of tech workers in D.C. are white men and 25 percent are white women while nine percent are Black men and eight percent are Black women, according to a report compiled by Mayor Bowser’s office. The report also shows only ten percent of Black people under the age of 30 work in tech in the District.
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