As minority businesses grow in Central Indiana, one local business leader is looking to a future filled with more access and opportunity for entrepreneurs of color. 

Emil Ekiyor is the CEO of InnoPower, an organization that works to introduce Black entrepreneurs and business leaders into the growing tech sector. As he looks to the future of minority business ownership in the city, Ekiyor is optimistic but says more work needs to be done to help Black business owners access capital and take advantage of opportunities.    

While touting a growing list of resources available recently in Indianapolis over the last five years, Ekiyor wants to see a plan put in place to grow that list even more.  

One of the areas he sees the most potential in is the ability of minority business owners to bid on contracts from local and state agencies. Another area of opportunity is educating entrepreneurs on how to obtain funds to start or grow their businesses and connecting them with lenders to access capital.   

According to Ekiyor, many Black business owners have an idea they would like to take to market but lack the resources to see if they are viable and profitable. “We have so many Hoosiers who want to solve problems,” he says.  

Ekiyor also says it’s not enough to just create more resources; local business leaders and agencies have to put a plan in place to educate entrepreneurs about the available opportunities. “Life is rough as an entrepreneur if you don’t feel there’s opportunity,” Ekiyor says.