Raven Indigenous Capital Partners

Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous cultures in Canada have always embodied the entrepreneurial spirit. From the thriving trade networks among Indigenous Nations in the pre-contact era to the robust trade relationships with fur traders and settler communities to the re-emergence of the modern Indigenous social economy in Canada, Indigenous entrepreneurship has always been alive and well. Rooted in Indigenous epistemologies that place the greatest value on the well-being of the collective and of mother earth, Indigenous entrepreneurs have often sought to build businesses that have blended social, environmental, and financial returns.

Notwithstanding this strength-based approach, Indigenous entrepreneurs have often faced disproportional systemic and societal barriers that have prevented them from realizing their full potential and from participating fully in the modern Canadian economy.

Raven Indigenous Capital Partners was established in 2017 to help revive a strong Indigenous economy by directly addressing the barriers Indigenous entrepreneurs face. We focus on providing Indigenous entrepreneurs with access to capital and culturally grounded skills training and capacity building through our three main initiatives:

1. The Raven Indigenous Impact Fund, an equity fund for Indigenous social entrepreneurs;
2. The community-driven outcomes contract, an innovative social finance tool to fund real impact in (and with) Indigenous communities; and
3. Capacity building for Indigenous entrepreneurs through culturally appropriate workshops and an accelerator program, the Fireweed Fellowship.