BIPOC TV & Film

What BIPOC TV & Film does

BIPOC TV & Film is a Canadian nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Toronto that supports Black, Indigenous, and Racialized creators in the Canadian screen-media industry. Its mission is operationalized through a portfolio of co-branded training and accelerator programs, an industry-facing hiring platform, and a membership community, rather than through a single product. Core offerings include HireBIPOC.ca, a job board and hiring platform reporting approximately 7,500 users; the Unscripted Producers Lab with Bell Media; the Showrunner Catalyst with CBC and the Canadian Film Centre; Rising Voices Canada with Indeed, Hillman Grad, and TIFF; ELEVATE with Paramount+ Canada and the National Screen Institute; an Episodic TV Writers' Lab with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada; a Writing for Kids' TV program; and the Friends membership program. Leadership is anchored by Founder and Chair Emeritus Nathalie Younglai and Executive Director Kadon Douglas.

The organization's business model is that of a grant- and partnership-funded nonprofit rather than a revenue-generating enterprise. Income is derived from corporate sponsorships (Bell Media, CBC, Paramount+ Canada, WBD Access Canada, Indeed), public funders (Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada), and likely philanthropic donations. Programs are delivered jointly with broadcasters, streamers, and production-industry partners, which both funds delivery and provides distribution into industry gatekeepers. There is no disclosed pricing model, subscription, or fee-for-service component; HireBIPOC.ca functions as a free-to-use community asset rather than a monetized marketplace.

The strategic posture is one of ecosystem intermediation: BIPOC TV & Film occupies the role of a credible, mission-driven bridge between under-represented creators and the institutions that hire them, embedding itself in broadcaster diversity pipelines and government funding frameworks. Its principal moat is the institutional lock-in created by these co-branded relationships and the trust capital accumulated with the BIPOC creator community over more than a decade. There is no disclosed AI capability, and the technology footprint is centered on the HireBIPOC.ca platform rather than on AI/ML systems.

Name

BIPOC TV & Film

Legal name

BIPOC TV & Film

Website

https://bipoctvandfilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BIPOC TV & Film is a Toronto-based nonprofit founded in 2012 that supports Black, Indigenous, and Racialized creators in Canadian screen media through training cohorts, the HireBIPOC.ca job platform, and co-branded programs with major broadcasters and streamers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Industry Training and Advocacy

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Unscripted/Reality TV Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAC)

Keywords

• Film industry training
• Talent development programs
• Screenwriting workshops
• Career mentorship programs
• Creative talent database

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BIPOC TV & Film is a Canadian national nonprofit that delivers career development training programs, accelerator labs, mentorship initiatives, and the HireBIPOC.ca talent database for Black, Indigenous, and racialized creators working in screen media. Programs are co-developed and delivered with major Canadian broadcasters (Bell Media, CBC, Paramount+ in Canada) and industry partners to move participants from training into on-production roles, showrunner positions, and sustainable creative careers. The organization also runs industry advocacy and community engagement to address systemic barriers in Canada's film and television industry.

Product overview

BIPOC TV & Film is a national nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of career development and training programs for Black, Indigenous, and racialized media professionals in Canada's screen industry. The core offerings include the Unscripted Producers Lab (in partnership with Bell Media), the CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst (with CBC and CFC), the Episodic Writers' Lab, the Writing for Kids' TV workshop, Rising Voices Canada career accelerator (with Indeed, Hillman Grad, and TIFF), the ELEVATE business development program (with Paramount+ and National Screen Institute), and the HireBIPOC.ca job board platform. These programs provide professional development training, mentorship, wellness support, and community engagement initiatives to ensure BIPOC creative professionals have resources, access, and opportunities to participate in the industry at all levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HireBIPOC: A bilingual online database of above and below-the-line Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour crew and creative professionals in Canada, originally launched in October 2020 with over 7,500 users.
• Unscripted Producers Lab
• CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst

Products and services

• Unscripted Producers Lab A four-day intensive training program for emerging producers and aspiring showrunners working in unscripted reality television and documentary series formats. Developed in partnership with Bell Media, the lab offers workshops on producing unscripted series from start to finish, followed by four months of mentorship with an industry mentor.
• CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst An accelerator program presented by CBC and designed in collaboration with the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) for mid-career and experienced Indigenous, Black, and racialized writers ready to step into creative leadership roles as executive producer, showrunner, or supervising producer. The program provides hands-on experience, mentorship, and career development support.
• Episodic Writers' Lab A program designed to mentor and train BIPOC writers working towards getting their first job in a comedy or drama writing room. Includes workshopping original drama pilot scripts with industry mentors and simulated writers' room experience.
• Writing for Kids' TV

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,500 users on HireBIPOC.ca platform since 2020 launch, including employers.
• +2 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

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• IndeedflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Indeed is a founding partner of Rising Voices Canada, a career accelerator for emerging BIPOC Canadian filmmakers developed alongside BIPOC TV & Film, Hillman Grad, and TIFF. Indeed's mission alignment centers on removing barriers to employment and creating equitable job opportunities for underrepresented talent.
• Hillman GradflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Founded by Lena Waithe and CEO Rishi Rajani, Hillman Grad co-develops and leads the Rising Voices Canada mentorship curriculum alongside BIPOC TV & Film and TIFF, contributing program design, industry mentorship, and filmmaker development expertise.
• TIFFflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023TIFF partners on Rising Voices Canada by providing facilities, memberships, and industry access to mentee filmmakers, leveraging its position as Canada's premier film festival and cultural organization.
• National Screen InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The National Screen Institute partnered with Paramount+ in Canada and BIPOC TV & Film to deliver the ELEVATE program, a business development initiative supporting the growth and stability of BIPOC-owned production companies in Canada.
• Paramount+ in CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Paramount+ in Canada co-presents the ELEVATE program alongside the National Screen Institute and BIPOC TV & Film, supporting the business development of BIPOC-owned production companies through a 13-month program running from January 2024 to March 2025.
• Cinespace Studios TorontominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BIPOC TV & Film is a community partner in Cinespace Studios Toronto's CineCares Workforce Training Program, which recruits and trains diverse talent for paid work placements on productions filming at Cinespace Studios Toronto.
• Reel Asian Film FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BIPOC TV & Film co-hosted a mixer with the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival at Hot Docs 2023 to celebrate diverse filmmakers and facilitate networking between BIPOC creatives and industry leaders.
• Canada Media FundcoreOthers · 1 January 2023The Canada Media Fund is a funding partner for the ELEVATE program and has featured HireBIPOC.ca on its Now & Next blog. BIPOC TV & Film has also responded publicly to the CMF's 2024-2027 EDIA Strategy.
• Canadian Academy (Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BIPOC TV & Film is a community partner for the Canadian Academy's Executive Residency Program, an 8-month national program matching mid-career BIPOC professionals with industry Advocates for mentorship and career advancement.
• Bell MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Bell Media is a primary program partner for the Unscripted Producers Lab, providing industry executives, studio facilities in Toronto, production insights, and mentorship connections. The partnership involves content executives from Bell Media's Original Programming and Crave teams contributing to program delivery and participant support.
• CBCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022CBC is a co-presenter of the Showrunner Catalyst program alongside BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre. CBC provides broadcaster perspective, participant placement on Canadian-produced series, and executive mentorship, contributing to the advancement of BIPOC writers to showrunner status.
• Canadian Film Centre (CFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The CFC collaborates as a co-designer of the Showrunner Catalyst program, bringing its charitable cultural organization mission to drive future Canadian storytelling and providing hands-on program delivery and industry access for BIPOC writers.
• WBD Access CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022WBD Access Canada partnered with BIPOC TV & Film to deliver the 2022-2023 Episodic TV Writers' Lab, a 4-month intensive program designed to mentor and train BIPOC writers seeking their first job in a comedy or drama writing room.
• Regent Park Film FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegent Park Film Festival partnered with BIPOC TV & Film to co-present SEEDS for Canadian Film Day / REEL CANADA's National Canadian Film Day.
• Muslim International Film FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIPOC TV & Film partnered with the Muslim International Film Festival to host a community Iftar dinner during Ramadan 2023.
• Indigenous Screen OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Indigenous Screen Office and BIPOC TV & Film collaborate on advocacy for Indigenous creators and workforce initiatives, including the CineCares Workforce Training Program and joint advocacy for Indigenous sovereignty in the screen sector.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): Nonprofit advancing Asian American film and media through funding, training, and advocacy. Comparable mission structure focused on representation in screen media for an underrepresented community.
• Color of Change: Racial justice advocacy organization with a strong media and entertainment portfolio. Comparable as a nonprofit driving systemic change in entertainment industry representation, though with a broader advocacy scope.
• Latino Public Broadcasting: US nonprofit funding and amplifying Latino stories in public media. Comparable as a diversity-focused nonprofit leveraging partnerships with public broadcasters to develop talent and content.
• Black Public Media (BPM): US-based nonprofit supporting Black filmmakers and content creators through funding, training, and industry access. Highly comparable as a diversity-focused screen media nonprofit with similar funding/partnership models.
• Indigenous Screen Office: Canadian nonprofit advocating for Indigenous creators in the screen industry. Direct peer in mission, geography, and stakeholder base; the two organizations actively co-collaborate on advocacy and workforce initiatives.
• National Screen Institute: Canadian nonprofit delivering training and mentorship programs for screen-based creators. Directly comparable as a Canadian screen industry training nonprofit; notably BIPOC TV & Film has partnered with NSI on the ELEVATE program.
• Free The Work: Nonprofit platform promoting diverse talent in the global creative industries. Comparable as a mission-aligned nonprofit using a curated database/registry model similar to HireBIPOC.ca.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Film Centre: Larger, established Canadian screen industry training organization. BIPOC TV & Film co-designs the Showrunner Catalyst with the CFC, and the CFC is a comparable screen training body with broader programming.
• TV Writers' Room (NAACP/Color of Change adjacent): Aggregated reference to large broadcaster-led diversity programs (e.g., WBD Access Canada, NBCU Launch, Disney Launchpad). Comparable as incumbent-funded diversity training pipelines; BIPOC TV & Film has partnered with WBD Access Canada on its Episodic Writers' Lab.

Emerging players

• Hillman Grad: Production and talent development company founded by Lena Waithe that co-develops Rising Voices Canada with BIPOC TV & Film. Comparable focus on developing historically underrepresented screen talent, primarily operating in the US market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bipoctvandfilm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 BIPOC TV & Film