Birmingham Black Business Conference 2026

The Birmingham Black Business Conference returns for its fifth annual edition on Saturday 31 October, hosted at the Legacy Centre of Excellence in Aston. It's a full day for anyone running a business or thinking about starting one — entrepreneurs, business leaders, creatives, professionals, investors, innovators and changemakers are all on the list. The Legacy Centre of Excellence is organising it, and they've described the day as one for inspiration, learning, networking and new opportunities.

The headline speaker is Ambassador Arikana Chihombori, and the programme covers a fair bit of ground. There are sessions on preparing a business for investment and on buying and investing in property both in the UK and overseas. It goes further into international business visas and immigration, and banking in Africa and the Caribbean, alongside opportunities within emerging African markets. If you're looking at expanding beyond the UK, those are the bits to keep an eye on.

There are two practical things running alongside the talks. A drop-in business clinic offers free one-to-one guidance from experienced advisers, so you can get a second pair of eyes on whatever you're working on. And if you've got an idea you want to put out there, there's a pitching competition with a £1,000 prize for the winner. Between the two, you can get some direct advice and a chance to pitch for funding in the same day.

It runs from 11:00 to 19:30, with doors opening at 10:00, so you've got plenty of time to get settled before it kicks off. Tickets start from £14.25 and go up to £16.96 via Eventbrite, with early bird tickets available if you book ahead. One thing to keep in mind: you'll need a government-recognised photo ID to get in, so make sure you've got yours on you when you head over to Potters Lane.