Black Tech Week is coming to Columbus for the first time in 2027, bringing thousands of founders, investors, creatives and technology leaders to the city after several years in Cincinnati.
The national conference will be held in July 2027 and is expected to attract about 7,500 to 10,000 attendees and generate an estimated $5.4 million in direct visitor spending, according to Experience Columbus.
But for Black Tech Week founder Candice Matthews Brackeen, bringing the conference to Columbus is about more than filling hotels and restaurants.
"Black Tech Week is an invitation," Matthews Brackeen said. "This conference is an invitation to come and see and explore. And the bigger opportunity is what happens after people get here."
The move was announced
Sept. 4 during CBUS Soul Fest. Black Tech Week, presented by JobsOhio, will feature more than 100 speakers, panels and workshops focused on technology, entrepreneurship and access to capital.
Why is Black Tech Week coming to Columbus?
Black Tech Week brings together founders, investors, technologists, creatives and corporate leaders while intentionally blending conversations about technology, entrepreneurship and access to capital with Black culture and community.
"There's also culture. There's joy, like there's real Black joy," she said. "But there's also incredibly serious conversations that happen around capital and AI, entrepreneurship, the future of technology in the world."
Matthews Brackeen is CEO of Lightship Foundation, an organization that supports entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, access to capital and other programs designed to help them build and grow their businesses. She said Columbus emerged as the conference's next home because of the city's growth, corporate presence and expanding startup and venture capital communities.
But another factor stood out as Black Tech Week considered potential cities− Columbus organizations weren't simply asking to host the conference.
"They were saying, 'What can we build together?'" Matthews Brackeen said. "And for us, that was a very different conversation than we had had with other places that we'd explored."
Experience Columbus and JobsOhio are among the organizations involved in bringing the conference to Columbus. Matthews Brackeen also credited the city of Columbus and Franklin County commissioners with supporting the move. Additional corporate and community partners are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Matthews Brackeen said Ohio State University and the region's broader corporate and university partners also factored into the decision.
Black Tech Week moves from Cincinnati to Columbus
Black Tech Week began in Miami more than a decade ago and has also held events in New York City and Kansas City. Its flagship conference has been held annually in Cincinnati since 2022.
Matthews Brackeen said the move to Columbus shouldn't be viewed as Black Tech Week abandoning Cincinnati, where the conference grew from its earlier roots into an event that drew nearly 10,000 people this July.
"This isn't a story about Black Tech Week leaving Cincinnati. It's a story about growth," she said. "Cincinnati was an extraordinary home for Black Tech Week. And it's an important part of why our conference is what it is today."
As organizers considered the conference's next five years, Matthews Brackeen said Columbus emerged as the next host because of its capacity, accessibility and corporate and university ecosystems.
The conference has previously featured speakers including Serena Williams, Ava DuVernay and Keke Palmer.
What happens at Black Tech Week?
Despite its name, Matthews Brackeen said Black Tech Week is open to everyone, not only Black attendees or people who work in technology.
Attendees can participate in panels and workshops, meet potential employers and collaborators and connect with investors.
Access to capital is one of the conference's focuses. Black Tech Week has previously offered venture capital matchmaking and office hours that allow founders to submit information and connect directly with investors.
In Columbus, Matthews Brackeen said the conference also plans to offer a "capital lab" designed to help entrepreneurs understand different forms of financing and how to prepare their businesses to pursue them.
A job fair is also typically part of the conference.
How can you attend Black Tech Week in Columbus?
Black Tech Week is scheduled for July 2027, though a venue and ticket information have not yet been announced. Matthews Brackeen said people interested in attending can find updates and registration information on the Black Tech Week website.
The conference has traditionally offered lower-cost tickets for students, and partnerships have allowed some students to attend for free in previous years. Matthews Brackeen said volunteering is another way to participate in the conference.
Organizers are expected to announce additional details, including the Columbus venue and ticket information, in the coming months.
Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Black Tech Week is coming to Columbus in 2027. What to know
