Uber and Enterprise Nation launch £250,000 fund to support Black-owned restaurants

Enterprise Nation and Uber are joining forces for a fourth time to support food businesses through the Black Business Fund.

The fund will award a total of £250,000 to 25 small Black-owned businesses across the UK. At least half of the grants will go to small businesses outside of London that are experiencing struggle with the cost-of-living crises.

From 14 November to 12 December 2024, Black-owned businesses that have fewer than five locations and have been trading for more than 12 months can apply to the fund for a grant.

The initiative is designed to help restaurants improve their leadership and management skills, develop strategies to manage risks from outside the business, and gain the knowledge they need to build and grow.

By entering, you can also benefit from the following:

• Free membership to Enterprise Nation so you can continue to get support for your business.

• Access to an exclusive e-learning course to help you navigate the cost of living crisis, build a more sustainable venture and, ultimately, grow. The course covers everything from making sales and accessing finance to creating a brand and building a motivated team.

According to the Investing In Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs report from the British Business Bank, around 5% to 8% of smaller businesses are led by individuals or teams identifying as ethnic minority, even though ethnic minorities make up about 18% of the population.

Uber Eats and Enterprise Nation first launched the Black Business Fund in 2021, awarding 10 £5,000 grants to restaurants nationwide. In 2022 and 2023, the partners increased their support to a £250,000 grant pot – significantly scaling the support available for Black-owned businesses.

Matthew Price, general manager at Uber Eats UK and Ireland, said:

"We're proud to launch the Black Business Fund for a fourth consecutive year, bringing our total contribution to Black-owned businesses to over three-quarters of a million pounds.

"Past grant recipients have used the funding for essential investments – whether upgrading equipment or expanding their teams through staff training. We're proud to continue empowering the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, helping their businesses thrive."

Emma Jones CBE, founder and CEO of Enterprise Nation, said:

"The Uber Eats Black Business Fund has become a lifeline that delivers much-needed funding and strategic support to underrepresented businesses in the hospitality sector.

"It's an industry that's been hit by a tsunami of extra costs recently, including energy, labour, and tax, which means it's hard to innovate.

"Targeted support like this fund is vital because it helps to boost that innovation, allowing the next generation of new and diverse businesses to be creative.

"By supporting Black-owned hospitality businesses, that are otherwise excluded from more traditional funding sources, Uber is helping to develop a much richer and more inclusive food and drink ecosystem, which is brilliant news."

Apply to the Black Business Fund today

Want £10,000 to give your business a much-needed boost during this difficult time of trading? Find out how to apply