The Black in Gaming Foundation

Name

The Black in Gaming Foundation

Legal name

The Black in Gaming Foundation

Website

https://thebigfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Community Services for Gaming Industry Diversity

NAICS

Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Communications & Voice/Chat Platforms (Discord-like, in-game comms) (MPAFAIAE)

Keywords

• Gaming industry diversity
• Nonprofit community building
• Professional mentorship programs
• Industry advocacy initiatives
• Awards ceremony events

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayward

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual charitable contributions supporting the organization's mission to fund new programs and expand educational resources for Black gaming professionals.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Annual sponsorship opportunities for companies and organizations to support the foundation's initiatives, including curated events, scholarships, and the BIG Awards ceremony.
3. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities for specific events including BIG Fest, BIG Awards, networking events, fireside chats, and panel discussions through in-kind or monetary contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Black in Gaming Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects, educates, and empowers Black talent in the worldwide gaming ecosystem through community building, advocacy, mentorship, and recognition programs. Its offerings center on an always-on Discord community, the annual BIG Awards ceremony, the BIG Fest showcase at GDC, mentorship and education initiatives, industry partnership programs, and a volunteer network supporting Black professionals across the gaming industry.

Product overview

The Black in Gaming Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a single unified mission rather than a commercial product platform. Its offerings consist of interconnected community programs centered on advancing Black leadership, innovation, and opportunity in gaming. The core portfolio includes the annual BIG Awards ceremony (now in its 9th year), the Black Fest showcase held at GDC, a Discord-based online community, mentorship and education programs, industry partnership initiatives, and a volunteer program. These programs work together to connect, educate, and empower Black talent through community building, advocacy, and celebration of excellence in the worldwide gaming ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BIG Awards: The premier annual Black in Gaming Awards celebrating excellence in the gaming industry, honoring professionals whose talent, innovation, and leadership shape the future of games. Now in its 9th year.
• BIG Fest

Products and services

• BIG Awards (Black in Gaming Awards) The premier annual awards ceremony celebrating excellence in the gaming industry by honoring Black professionals whose talent, innovation, and leadership shape the future of games. Now in its 9th year, the awards represent a global beacon of recognition and operate under the Advocacy Pillar of the BIG Foundation.
• BIG Fest A special showcase held during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) featuring panels, game demos, and networking opportunities designed to amplify Black voices in the gaming industry.
• Discord Community Always-on community activation platform enabling Black talent in games to connect, learn, and be celebrated. The online community is dedicated to cultivating, supporting, and promoting the next generation of Black professionals in the game industry.
• Mentorship Programs Educational and mentorship initiatives providing resources and pathways for skill development, leadership growth, and career advancement for Black professionals in the gaming industry.
• Industry Partnership Initiatives Programs building and strengthening alliances with studios, publishers, and organizations to foster equitable pipelines and visibility for Black talent in gaming.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer opportunities enabling community members to support BIG's mission and community activities. Volunteers are described as the foundation of BIG's community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9th Annual Black in Gaming Awards held as premier industry recognition event
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Hispanic Heritage Foundation: National nonprofit advancing Latino leaders through education, workforce, and recognition programs. Comparable in structure (donations + corporate sponsorship, identity-based mission, recognition ceremonies) but broader scope outside gaming.

Direct peers

• Take This: Nonprofit focused on mental health in the game industry and player community, producing programs, conferences presence, and educational resources. Highly comparable in mission-driven nonprofit structure and event-driven engagement model.
• Women in Games International: 501(c)(3)-style nonprofit advancing women and non-binary professionals in the game industry through networking, awards, and mentorship. Highly comparable mission, funding model (sponsorships/donations), and program structure to Black in Gaming Foundation.
• AbleGamers Foundation: Nonprofit advocating for accessibility and inclusion of gamers with disabilities across the games industry and player community. Operates on donations and corporate sponsorship with a comparably focused mission and similar scale of programs.
• GLAAD Gaming / Out in Tech: Advocacy-driven nonprofits focused on LGBTQ+ visibility in games and tech, including presence at major industry events. Comparable to Black in Gaming Foundation in promoting underrepresented talent and operating community + events programming.

Emerging players

• Asian Americans in Gaming: Community organization focused on Asian American representation in the games industry with networking and events. Closely comparable mission and event-driven model, operating at a smaller scale and earlier stage than BIG Foundation.
• Game Devs of Color Expo: Annual showcase celebrating game developers of color with public game demos, talks, and networking. Directly comparable mission of elevating underrepresented creators in games, though more event-concentrated and less broad in programmatic scope than BIG Foundation.

Broad incumbents

• IGDA (International Game Developers Association): Long-established global membership organization serving all game developers with advocacy, networking, and resources. Comparable in mission to support industry professionals but operates as a broad incumbent across the entire developer base, not a niche community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlackinGaming
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-in-gaming
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackingaming

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Black in Gaming Foundation