Roadmap to Billions Animation

May 15-16, 2025

Join 800+ tech founders, investors, & Innovators for Roadmap to Billions New York!

Showcase Your Startup at This Year's RTB No Pressure Pitch!

“If you are a Black woman founder or aspiring founder, this conference is a must-go.”

Coding with Robby
Custom Slider

What Makes This Conference Different?

Icon

SNAG A JOB TO FUND YOUR STARTUP

What Makes This Conference Different?

Icon

BLENDED IRL & VIRTUAL CONFERENCE EXPERIENCES

What Makes This Conference Different?

Icon

LIVE INTERACTION WITH TITANS OF INDUSTRY

What Makes This Conference Different?

Icon

DYNAMIC ROADMAP TO YOUR GOALS AND GROWTH

About Roadmap to Billions

It’s year 9 – Whaaaaat?!

Roadmap to Billions is designed for you, by women like you. Full of exciting, engaging, and enlightening experiences, you’ll leave the conference feeling powerful, motivated and ready to take the next steps on your journey.

Roadmap to Billions takes on The Big Apple May 15-16th, 2025.

2025 has been an absolute roller coaster already, but there's a space being created just for you. A space where your brilliance, your resilience, and your entrepreneurial spirit will not only be recognized—but celebrated and elevated. We’ve designed a new experience where your dreams, challenges, and triumphs will find resonance among innovators who understand your journey like no one else can. 

This year’s 9th Annual Roadmap to Billions Conference is Invite-Only with a focus on black women entrepreneurs. Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis. 

We’re bringing 8 years (!) of learnings, networks, connections, insights, failures and opportunities to an exclusive group of high growth companies. Think powerful workshop intensives with actionable takeaways led by the brightest minds in the industry, and masterclasses with real-world operators who know what it takes to scale. 

Apply now to access valuable resources for your business, networks to build clientele, and design your own Roadmap to generational wealth for your family and community. 

Your ticket gives you access to:

CUSTOM

CONTENT TRACKS

MASTER

CLASSES👩🏾‍🏫

EXPERT SPEAKERS

VC OFFICE HOURS💸

TECH

INDUSTRY MEETUPS

LUXURY FOUNDERS

RETREAT🧖🏾‍♀️

AGENDA

Check back often for updates

DAY 1 +

3:00 pm - Welcome Reception, DMZ 10 Dundas Street, 6th Floor
6:00 pm

The Story of Black Women Talk Tech, Founder Panel

All

DAY 2 +

9:00 am - VIP Breakfast
10:00 am

10:00 am - Welcome Address from The Founders
10:10 am

10:10 am - Wellness Moment
10:15 am

10:15 am - Land Acknowledgement
10:20 am

10:20 am - Welcome Remarks, MPP Charmaine Williams
10:40 am

10:40 am - Morning Keynote, Claudette McGowan
11:20 am

11:20 am - The State of the Black Canadian Tech Ecosystem
12:00 pm

12:00 pm - Life's a Pitch: Nail Your Story With Every Audience!
12:40 pm

12:40 pm - Lunch, Networking, Partner Expo
1:50 pm

1:50 pm - Building a Sustainable Funding Path
2:30 pm

2:30 pm - Unleash the Power of AI
3:10 pm

3:10 pm - Next Level Career Moves
3:50 pm

4:00 pm - Pitch Competition!!
5:00 pm

5:40 pm - Afternoon Keynote, Lauren Maillian
5:40 pm

5:40 pm - Closing Remarks
6:00 pm

6:00 pm - Closing Reception
8:00 pm

Thursday May 15th 2025

Friday May 16th 2025

Day 1

Thursday May 15th 2025

Recharge at the Founders Retreat

Founders, it's time to prioritize YOU. Join us for an exclusive wellness retreat to reset and refocus. Enjoy yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, while connecting with fellow visionary leaders.

• Reclaim clarity through restorative practices

• Build resilience to thrive under pressure

• Network with like-minded founders

• Leave re-energized with new strategies

• Connect with other leaders in industry meetups

• Enjoy Happy Hour cocktails

Take a break, recharge, and return with purpose. Ready to reset? Your journey starts here.

Day 2

Friday May 16th 2025

Workshop Sessions

The Future is Female (and Funded): Black Women Raising Capital

The funding gap will continue to plague us, but what else is new? We have to rewrite the rules, so hear from the ladies who are changing the game. The funding gap is real, but Black women founders are rewriting the rules. Hear from those who’ve cracked the code on raising millions.

Agentic AI: Your Business on Autopilot

AI isn’t the future—it’s now. Discover how to create an AI agent tailored to your business, automate workflows, and enhance decision-making. From selecting the right model to training and deployment, this session will demystify AI so you can integrate it seamlessly into your operations.

How to Close Big Money Clients (Even If You're a Startup)

Startup Enterprise clients are sitting on billion-dollar budgets—let’s get you a piece of that. Learn how to sell into Fortune 500s and secure high-value deals.

The Art of the Pivot: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Master the strategic pivot - a critical skill for business survival and innovation. This workshop examines successful pivot case studies, teaches methodologies for identifying pivot triggers, and provides frameworks for executing change while maintaining team alignment and customer trust. Learn when to persist and when to pivot for maximum business impact.

The Ultimate Fundraising Playbook: Crack the Code on Pre-Seed & Seed Rounds

Investors are changing the game—are you playing it right? Get inside tips on structuring your round, securing early checks, and avoiding rookie mistakes.

The Modern Tech Stack: Architecture Decisions for Early-Stage Startups

Make informed technical decisions that won't limit your growth. This workshop guides non-technical and technical founders through critical early architecture choices, covering scalability considerations, build vs. buy decisions, and technical debt management. Learn how to balance speed-to-market with building for future scale without overengineering your initial product.

AI is the new co-founder: How Startups Can Win with Custom GPTs

AI powered hustle. Learn how to build custom GPTs that work for you, from automating customer service to supercharging product innovation.

The Operations Arsenal: Accounting, Legal & Consulting for Growth

Hiring the right accountants and consultants can make or break your business. This session covers how to think about hiring for key financial roles, what to manage in your first accounting team, and how to choose the right consultant for your needs. Whether you’re bringing in outside expertise or stepping into a consulting role yourself, learn how to build a strong foundation for success.

Founder Firsts: The First Investor Check, First Investor Call, First Bad Hire

Learn proven strategies to make the most of your first big investment. This workshop covers risk assessment, diversification techniques, market timing considerations, and how to align investment choices with your long-term goals. Perfect for new investors looking to build a strong foundation for financial growth.

Platform Economics: Building Multi-Sided Marketplaces in Tech

Unlock the power of network effects with platform business models. This strategic workshop explores marketplace dynamics, solving the cold start problem, balancing supply and demand, and monetization strategies for different platform types. Learn from successful and failed tech marketplaces to design your own platform for sustainable growth.

Execution Excellence: Best Practices for Operators

Elevate your operational leadership to drive exceptional results. This advanced masterclass workshop covers operational frameworks, decision-making models, resource optimization, and performance management systems used by elite operators. Designed for experienced leaders ready to refine their execution capabilities and build high-performing organizations.

Sessions Group 1

The Future is Female (and Funded): Black Women Raising Capital

The funding gap will continue to plague us, but what else is new? We have to rewrite the rules, so hear from the ladies who are changing the game. The funding gap is real, but Black women founders are rewriting the rules. Hear from those who’ve cracked the code on raising millions.

Agentic AI: Your Business on Autopilot

AI isn’t the future—it’s now. Discover how to create an AI agent tailored to your business, automate workflows, and enhance decision-making. From selecting the right model to training and deployment, this session will demystify AI so you can integrate it seamlessly into your operations.

How to Close Big Money Clients (Even If You're a Startup)

Startup Enterprise clients are sitting on billion-dollar budgets—let’s get you a piece of that. Learn how to sell into Fortune 500s and secure high-value deals.

Sessions Group 2

The Art of the Pivot: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Master the strategic pivot - a critical skill for business survival and innovation. This workshop examines successful pivot case studies, teaches methodologies for identifying pivot triggers, and provides frameworks for executing change while maintaining team alignment and customer trust. Learn when to persist and when to pivot for maximum business impact.

The Ultimate Fundraising Playbook: Crack the Code on Pre-Seed & Seed Rounds

Investors are changing the game—are you playing it right? Get inside tips on structuring your round, securing early checks, and avoiding rookie mistakes.

The Modern Tech Stack: Architecture Decisions for Early-Stage Startups

Make informed technical decisions that won't limit your growth. This workshop guides non-technical and technical founders through critical early architecture choices, covering scalability considerations, build vs. buy decisions, and technical debt management. Learn how to balance speed-to-market with building for future scale without overengineering your initial product.

AI is the new co-founder: How Startups Can Win with Custom GPTs

AI powered hustle. Learn how to build custom GPTs that work for you, from automating customer service to supercharging product innovation.

Sessions Group 3

The Operations Arsenal: Accounting, Legal & Consulting for Growth

Hiring the right accountants and consultants can make or break your business. This session covers how to think about hiring for key financial roles, what to manage in your first accounting team, and how to choose the right consultant for your needs. Whether you’re bringing in outside expertise or stepping into a consulting role yourself, learn how to build a strong foundation for success.

Founder Firsts: The First Investor Check, First Investor Call, First Bad Hire

Learn proven strategies to make the most of your first big investment. This workshop covers risk assessment, diversification techniques, market timing considerations, and how to align investment choices with your long-term goals. Perfect for new investors looking to build a strong foundation for financial growth.

Platform Economics: Building Multi-Sided Marketplaces in Tech

Unlock the power of network effects with platform business models. This strategic workshop explores marketplace dynamics, solving the cold start problem, balancing supply and demand, and monetization strategies for different platform types. Learn from successful and failed tech marketplaces to design your own platform for sustainable growth.

Execution Excellence: Best Practices for Operators

Elevate your operational leadership to drive exceptional results. This advanced masterclass workshop covers operational frameworks, decision-making models, resource optimization, and performance management systems used by elite operators. Designed for experienced leaders ready to refine their execution capabilities and build high-performing organizations.

Experiences

Ask a Venture Capitalist

Looking for funding advice? Join the Ask a Venture Capitalist session to get expert tips on market validation, team building, and fundraising strategies.

Headshot Studio 📸

Refresh your profile pic with a professional headshot! Quick sessions, high-quality results will be available on-site.

Got an idea, challenge, or burning question? Share it a the Brain Date.

Post a topic you'd love to explore or need help with and others who share your curiosity or experience can book time to connect and dive in with you at the Brain Date marketplace. Whether you're looking to explore a new idea, swap strategies, or dive into a shared challenge, others will discover your topic and book a 1-on-1 or group chat to connect. It's not just networking—it’s intentional, purpose-driven dialogue with people who get it.

No Pressure Pitch Competition

More to come!

Ticket TYpes

Speakers

Antonia Dean

Principal of Black Ops VC

Tricia Taitt

CEO of FinCore

Dreena Whitfield

CEO and Founder of WhitPR

Regina Gwynn

Co-founder of Black Women Talk Tech

Estelle Inack

Research Scientist at Perimeter Institute

Kanishia Mensah

Program & Event Coordinator at Black Entrepreneurship Alliance

Melisa Ellis

Founder & C.E.O of Nobellum

Nunu Francisco

Tech Program Officer at
Black Entrepreneurship Alliance

Tashua Case

Director, Business Intelligence at Bluum

MPP Charmaine Williams

MPP for Brampton Centre, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity

Claudette McGowan

Founder & CEO, Protexxa & Co-founder, The Firehood

Kishawna Peck

Founder & CEO at Women in Data Science

Stacey Ann Berry

Chapter President, BIT Toronto

Amoye Henry

Co-Founder & Lead Investment Manager at Pitch Better

Ashley Wright

Founder at Blacks On Blockchain

Giselle Melo

Managing Partner at MATR (matter) Ventures

Lauren Maillian

Founder and CEO, LMB GROUP

Faizah Balogun

Program Coordinator at Black Founder Network

Treasa Brown

Founder, Professionelle House, Inc

Chi-Chi Egbo

Founder and Principal Consultant, Workthrough

Vania Abdul-Badee

CMO, 360, Advertising and Communications

Gayle Jennings

CEO, Wocstar Capital LLC

Modupe Olufemi

Advisor, Business Development, MITAC Inc

Jael Joseph

Founder & Creator of Black Island Girl Multimedia

Alexia Beckford

Program Manager at Jamaica Technology & Digital Alliance

Yinka Adesesan

Black Innovation Programs Manager DMZ

Dwania Peele

Founder of Canadian Small Business Women

Estelle Inack

Research Scientist at Perimeter Institute

Kanishia Mensah

Program & Event Coordinator at Black Entrepreneurship Alliance

Melisa Ellis

Founder & C.E.O of Nobellum

Nunu Francisco

Tech Program Officer at Black Entrepreneurship Alliance

Tashua Case

Director, Business Intelligence at Bluum

MPP Charmaine Williams

MPP for Brampton Centre, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity

Claudette McGowan

Founder & CEO, Protexxa & Co-founder, The Firehood

Kishawna Peck

Founder & CEO at Women in Data Science

Stacey Ann Berry

Chapter President, BIT Toronto

Amoye Henry

Co-Founder & Lead Investment Manager at Pitch Better

Ashley Wright

Founder at Blacks On Blockchain

Giselle Melo

Managing Partner at MATR (matter) Ventures

Lauren Maillian

Founder and CEO, LMB GROUP

Faizah Balogun

Program Coordinator at Black Founder Network

Treasa Brown

Founder, Professionelle House, Inc

Chi-Chi Egbo

Founder and Principal Consultant, Workthrough

Vania Abdul-Badee

CMO, 360, Advertising and Communications

Gayle Jennings

CEO, Wocstar Capital LLC

Modupe Olufemi

Advisor, Business Development, MITAC Inc

Sponsors

Coding with Robby

Meet the Founders

Esosa Ighodaro, Co-founder

Regina Gwynn, Co-founder

We are a collective of passionate Black women tech founders.

We have a unique understanding of the challenges Black women founders face and the advantages we bring in the industry. We’re here to identify, support and encourage Black women to build the next billion dollar business.

We’re unapologetic in our support because we believe Black is worth the investment. It’s time we are heard and seen because we know different perspectives bring new opportunities. We’re building community and profitable, scalable businesses for self-identified Black women in tech, together.

From Our

Community

Image Slider

"Black Women Talk Tech has helped our organization find two portfolio companies for venture capital investment and we look forward to many more."

Candice Matthews Brackeen

Lightship Capital

"Black Women Talk Tech made me re-imagine the possibilities of Black women coming together to celebrate one another. I’m so grateful to be a part of the BWTT network."

Roshawnna Novellus

EnrichHER

"The event brings together a vibrant collection of entrepreneurs and investors, which offers invaluable networking opportunities. Can't wait for the next event!"

Louise Broni Mensah

Shoobs

"We won 'Best in Cohort' at Founder Gym, were admitted into the New York Fashion Tech Lab and we joined Backstage Capital’s portfolio in 2020 all because of Black Women Talk Tech."

Tope Mitchell

ReflektMe

Empower Yourself

#RTBNYC

May 15-16, 2025

#RTBCONSUMER

August 21-22, 2025

join our mailing list for exclusive updates

© 2025 Roadmap to Billions | Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy