Sean “Diddy” Combs and Salesforce are launching a “curated digital marketplace” for Black business owners called Shop Circulate this fall.
The hip-hop mogul and the marketing, sales, service, commerce, and IT service are trying to empower Black businesses in a “collective pursuit of economic justice,” as Diddy puts it, Celebretainment reported.
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The project has a mailing list for those interested in when the curation officially comes out.
“[Shop Circulate] is curated digital marketplace that allows consumers to discover and buy products exclusively created and sold by Black entrepreneurs, [which] provides Black businesses with a platform to reach global audiences and empowers consumers to shop the world’s best Black-owned brands,” according to a press release.
“Building Black wealth starts with investing in Black-owned businesses and giving entrepreneurs access to the consumers needed to build sustainable companies that can thrive. I’m excited to partner with Salesforce to create a platform that will advance our collective pursuit of economic justice,” Diddy said.
Chair and CEO of Salesforce, Marc Benioff said their efforts will “help close the unjust wealth gap” and make Black businesses more competitive to their white counterparts.
“Salesforce is honored to collaborate with Sean Combs and Combs Enterprises to help close the unjust wealth gap that prevents too many Black Americans from achieving economic equality,” Benioff said. “Shop Circulate will empower us all—as individuals, communities and companies—to support Black-owned businesses, amplify the talent of Black entrepreneurs, and move us closer to true equality.”
According to San Francisco Business Times, the venture will be owned by Combs Enterprises, with Salesforce providing technology and advisory services. It is now seeking a seed financing round.
Additionally, Shop Circulate has acquired The Nile List, a digital community that connects consumers with Black-owned brands, on undisclosed terms. The Nile List’s founder Khadijah Robinson has been named head of product and will oversee Shop Circulate’s development. Shop Circulate has also formed a partnership with Official Black Wall Street, a directory of Black-owned businesses, with its founder Mandy Bowman joining as an advisor.
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