Black leaders continue to empower their communities to build generational wealth.
Althea Therapy CEO and founder Micheline Khan is reaching new financial milestones for her company after winning the nationwide Black Pitch Contest. According to The Canadian Press, Khan was one of the five Black finalists from Canada seeking the $25,000 funding. After submitting an outline of her ideas, she won Canada’s Black Business Summit.
“Althea Therapy helps people across the country get access to culturally-responsive mental health and wellness professionals, to reduce racial mental health disparities and destigmatize therapy for communities of colour,” according to the company website.
The Black Pitch Contest grand prize was funded by the non-profit Black Entrepreneurs and Businesses of Canada Society.
According to the BEBC Society, the contest was created as an initiative to support Black entrepreneurs who may encounter being excluded from receiving loans, grants, or other business funding as a result of systemic barriers.
Contestants were not required to present a full business plan to support their pitch submissions. Candidates had to self-identify as Black, and submit a brief outline of their ideas via video format.
“I am incredibly grateful to the BEBC, the judges, and my fellow pitchers,” Khan said in a news release. “Opportunities like this don’t come along very often and I’m thankful to have access to the funds to grow and scale Althea Therapy to provide more culturally responsive resources to the community.”
“We are leaving the Black Business Summit inspired and equipped to change the game for Black business in Canada,” BEBC founder Jackee Kasandy said in congratulating Khan.
“We’re taking steps toward our goal: empowering the Black community to build generational wealth, aim higher, and dream bigger,” Kasandy added.
Khan was up against more than 100 other entrants.
