Racial Equity in Technology Entrepreneurship (RETE) Workshop


The RETE workshop serves as a platform to foster collaboration, share research, and address critical challenges related to racial equity and technology entrepreneurship. Each year, the workshop features leading voices in the field, hosting sessions that encourage dialogue and research on topics such as inclusive innovation and the implications of racial equity in policy and entrepreneurship.

This workshop exists to expand the body of research across academic disciplines at the intersection of race, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. In just two short years our workshop has convened a racially and ethnically diverse group of approximately 143 scholars, practitioners, and leaders from 90 different organizations, including 70 different colleges and universities across 4 continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America), currently engaged in this work. This was made possible by generous funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Details for RETE 2025 Coming Soon

Some of Our Past Speakers

Tyrance Billingsley II

Tyrance Billingsley II is a Tulsa entrepreneur, technologist and community leader. He is the founder and executive director of Black Tech Street, an initiative to rebirth Historic Black Wall Street as a Black Innovation Economy and build mechanisms for black people to embrace technology as a means to build wealth and impact the world. Black Tech Street's industry development focuses are cybersecurity, business intelligence/data analytics and responsible artificial intelligence. Tyrance recently brokered an alliance with Microsoft to establish 21st century Greenwood as an emerging technology hub. He believes that technology, specifically AI, presents the perfect opportunity to rebuild society in a way that is fair and equitable 

About Us

Since 2021, the Racial Equity in Technology Entrepreneurship Workshop has grown to become a leader in the convening of diverse global scholars advancing research on race and technology entrepreneurship. Today we continue to support scholars through our convenings and sub-grant awards.

Our Mission

To build a racially inclusive community of scholars and support them in researching questions on race, entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation.

Our Vision

To establish a high quantity of high-quality published research at the intersection of race, entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation.

GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY

SPONSORED BY

Center for Critical Race + Digital Studies

CONTACT US

Have questions?

Contact our Doctoral Student Organizer for the RETE Workshop: 

Katy Grigg, at katy.grigg@rutgers.edu