Everyone deserves the chance to achieve independence
Our mission is to help people across all dimensions of diversity worldwide achieve their own economic independence and well-being. The impact of a single successful business helps drive communities forward.

Growing partnerships with Indigenous peoples
We’re working to create opportunities that the Indigenous community can use to build sustainable, thriving businesses.

Supporting entrepreneurship hubs
Shopify has collaborated with organizations in Turtle Island (Canada) and Aotearoa (New Zealand) to co-create culturally relevant resources, while offering capacity building funds and ongoing support to program participants.
Pow Wow Pitch
We’ve continued to grow our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch, Canada’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs. This program has been both a showcase and supportive environment for business-minded Indigenous peoples.
Indigenomics Institute
We support the Indigenomics Institute, which focuses on economics from an Indigenous worldview. Their annual conference brings together Indigenous leaders, businesses and organizations to advance their vision of a $100 Billion Dollar Indigenous economy in Canada.


Empowering Black entrepreneurs
We’re working with numerous partners to ensure that adding more Black voices to business is not a hope but a must.
Operation HOPE
Together with Shopify, Operation HOPE aims to level the business field and encourage aspiring Black entrepreneurs to start their own ventures by providing them with the tools and resources needed to succeed. Over the course of the initiative, we intend to provide up to $130 million of resources, with an aim to create one million Black-owned businesses in the U.S. by 2030.
Supporting progress
In 2020, we saw unprecedented Black Lives Matter protests in the United States and around the world. Before anyone can become an entrepreneur, we recognize the importance of community safety and wellbeing. In direct response to these protests, we made three contributions to support the Black community. In the US, we donated $500,000 to NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and $250,000 to Campaign Zero, and in Canada, we donated $250,000 to Black Health Alliance Canada.
Founder Gym
We’re happy to team with Founder Gym, the virtual training center for underrepresented entrepreneurs. We’ve provided scholarships for the Money Magnet Program to ten Black entrepreneurs, giving them a masterclass on monetizing their passions and building lasting businesses.
Black Innovation Fellowship
As a founding partner of the Black Innovation Fellowship (BIF), we’re excited to empower aspiring Black entrepreneurs. Developed by a partnership including Ryerson University’s award-winning DMZ incubator, the BIF provides Black-led startups with mentorship, seed funding and support.
Shop Black
Supporting and buying from Black-owned businesses is made easier with resources from Shopify. The Black Business Directory was developed by the Black@Shopify Employee Resource Group and gives shoppers around the world a way to shop. Supporting Black-owned businesses is only a tap away, with a dedicated directory in the shopping assistant app, Shop.
Build Black
It’s important to highlight more voices and connect them with projects and programs that empower them. Build Black is a conversation series that details the business journeys of leading Black entrepreneurs. The Build Black Community continues the conversation on Slack, where business owners support and learn from one another while growing their business.


Championing businesses to make social change
Many businesses focus on giving back to society. From employing people with significant barriers to employment, creating impact through products and services, and contributing proceeds to nonprofits, social enterprises build businesses with a purpose.
SheEO
Shopify partners with SheEO to focus on an incredible group of women working on “the world’s to-do list” - the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Using a unique model of “radical generosity”, SheEO has over 5000 Activators funding ventures around the world and contributing to a Perpetual Fund that supports women-run ventures.
Social Impact Business Community
Social enterprises have unique needs, so we created a dedicated Social Impact Business Community to connect business owners, provide them with resources in ongoing meetups, and learn from their needs. Within the first year, we had more than 200 discussion topics.