Claris International, an Apple subsidiary, has announced an initiative with Venture Fund and Startup Studio, EonXI. In a press release, the company says it offers “the power of low-code software development, business training, mentorship, and community networking with one unified goal: expand diversity in technology and business ownership.”
The lack of diversity in technology and Black-owned startups is well-documented and long-standing. According to Pew Research, Black workers comprise 11% of all employed adults, but just 5% of engineers and architects, and 7% of workers in computer occupations. Entrepreneurship within the Black community also struggled this past year – 40% of businesses that closed due to the pandemic were Black-owned, compared to just 20% of all active U.S. businesses. Finally, data released by McKinsey also shows that 42% of Black workers currently hold jobs that could be subject to automation by 2030.
“The need to invest and increase diversity in tech broadly, and in Black entrepreneurs specifically, has never been greater,” Claris CEO Brad Freitag said in the press release. “At the same time, the massive growth and tremendous power of low-code technologies represent some of the most significant opportunities to close this gap that we’ve seen in generations. This partnership with EonXI affirms a deep commitment on the part of both companies to not just talk about or study these problems, but to give Black entrepreneurs what they need to be successful, both as business owners and software developers.”
He says the Low Code Accelerator program from EonXI and Claris will provide graduates with the operational expertise and mentorship to form and scale a business as well as technical training on the Claris low-code development platform. Mentorship, both business and technical, will be provided by a large network of program partners, including Cris Ippolite, a 25-year Claris developer and president of iSolutions, as well as Cathy House, 15-year entrepreneurship Adjunct Professor in the Executive MBA program at Howard University.
With today’s launch, The Low Code Accelerator program is accepting applications for the program’s first class. Applications are due by October 15, 2021, and individuals interested in learning more about the program can visit the Claris website.
