DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair
Plan, launch & grow your business at our annual fair
Held annually in Surrey, BC, during Small Business Month, the free DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair supports diverse entrepreneurs to get the knowledge and tools they need to plan, launch and grow their own business in Canada. Launched in 2016 by DIVERSEcity’s self-employment programs, the fair has helped hundreds of diverse entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Join us for the FREE 2023 DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair!
Date: October 18, 2023
Time: 3–7 pm
Location: Surrey City Hall
13450 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC (Steps from Surrey Central SkyTrain Station)
Event highlights include:
- Small business tradeshow with services and resources (3–5 pm)
- Diverse marketplace (3–5 pm)
- DIVERSEtalks panel discussion on “Success in Business: From Launch to Expansion” (5 pm)
- DIVERSEcity Business Pitch Competition, onstage, Dragons’ Den style (6 pm)
Register to attend the free event via Eventbrite here.
Want to exhibit your business at the fair? Contact selfemployment@dcrs.ca.
DIVERSEcity Business Pitch Competition
Are you an emerging immigrant or BIPOC entrepreneur? Want to be part of the live, onstage business pitch competition and awards? Apply here …
Be a sponsor or exhibitor!
Want to be a sponsor, exhibitor or partner? Download our sponsorship package here.
Newcomers face countless barriers to employment, so it’s no surprise then that many newcomers turn to self-employment and entrepreneurship after arrival, with higher rates than Canadian-born people. Statistics show that 10.8 per cent of self-employment Canadians are immigrants, versus 7.5 per cent who are born in Canada.
It’s, in fact, a global trend. A study by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor found that immigrants were more likely to start businesses than native-born populations in most of the 69 countries surveyed. Why is this the case? Immigrants have the education, skills and risk tolerance to succeed as entrepreneurs. However, they lack information on the local context of doing business. That’s why new immigrant entrepreneurs need additional support.
BIPOC and women entrepreneurs also face added barriers in starting their own businesses, including access to funding. Yet they are both growing demographics in self-employment. The DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair is a great starting point for newcomers, BIPOC, women and other diverse community members.
Want to connect with these growing demographics of entrepreneurs? Join the DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur and Small Business Fair as a sponsor.
Download our Sponsorship Package 2023
The 2022 Fair
On October 19, 2022, the fair was a great success with 300+ attendees, featuring:
- A tradeshow with information and resources about starting a business and settling in Canada
- Immigrant business marketplace
- Sponsor presentations, including from presenting sponsor CWB
- Our new DIVERSEcity Business Pitch Competition for immigrant and BIPOC entrepreneurs — Dragons’ Den style with prizes of up to $2,000.
- Presentation of the CWB Women Makers and Creators Award 2022 (prize of $1,000)
- Keynote Speaker: Avi Arya, founder, Internet Moguls on “How to be a Fearless Entrepreneur”
- Emcee: Paola Murillo, Founder, Latincouver
Read our story about about the 2022 event and the Business Pitch Competition winners here.
2023
Silver Sponsors
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2021 DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair
Our 2021 hybrid event was a great success with 150+ attendees, a dozen exhibitors, two inspirational speakers including celebrity chef Vikram Vij and Freshworks CEO Samarth Mod, and the presentation of our Immigrant Entrepreneur Grants. Watch our video below!