Mohamed Elmi receives a 2024 Inspired Innovators Award
Mohamed Elmi, executive director of the Diversity Institute, speaks at a recent Diversity Institute event about research to advance equity-deserving groups in the innovation ecosystem.(Photo Credit: Clive Sewell)
On November 29, Mohamed Elmi, executive director of the Diversity Institute (DI), was announced as a winner of the 2024 Inspired Innovators Award. This award from the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism recognizes Black, Indigenous and racialized people for their positive impact on their communities, the world and future generations through their contributions to the innovation ecosystem.
The award recognizes Elmi for his research, teaching, contributions to many innovative projects and leadership of DI at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management. Through all of these avenues, he has had a significant impact in advancing the science, technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem within Canada.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this award from CILAR,” Elmi said. “This recognition highlights the vital contributions of equity-deserving groups in strengthening the innovation ecosystem. I share this honour with my fellow recipients and everyone who has contributed to this important work over the years. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to creating a more inclusive future.”
Elmi has co-authored more than 100 technical research reports and papers, book chapters, and refereed conference papers and other presentations. He teaches Global Management Studies and Information Technology Management at the Ted Rogers School of Management. As a co-investigator he has secured more than $1 million in grants to advance knowledge about the complex barriers faced by under-represented groups and how to apply an action-oriented approach to leading practices and developing programs to produce concrete results.
Elmi’s work at DI over the last 10 years includes the first of its kind (PDF file) Black Experience Project with the Environics Institute (external link) and other partners, which showed the depths of anti-Black racism across Canada’s institutions through the voice of the Black community. More recently, the DiversityLeads project was the first to provide a cross-Canada measurement of Black, racialized and women in senior leadership and on boards and the barriers to their advancement. He has also supported research into the impact of voluntary codes like those led by the Black North Initiative and the 30%+ Club, which showed increased representation in diverse leadership when compared to those not using voluntary code programs.
This recognition highlights the vital contributions of equity-deserving groups in strengthening the innovation ecosystem. I share this honour with my fellow recipients and everyone who has contributed to this important work over the years.
Elmi’s work at DI has seen him work extensively with the Future Skills Centre (external link) (FSC) studying the barriers to inclusive innovation, inclusive learning and the advancement of diverse entrepreneurs. This research has helped to develop evidence-based programs that help diverse youth access tutoring and free technology, and help job-seekers and entrepreneurs get skills training. Elmi has been a leader in ensuring that these programs provide wraparound supports that enable equitable participation for members of equity-deserving groups. Examples of these programs include ADaPT (Advanced Digital and Professional Training) for Black Youth, ADaPT Entrepreneurship Training, Study Buddy, Capital Skills and the Black African and Caribbean Entrepreneurship Leadership (BACEL) training program to name a few.
These programs have directly supported the advancement of more than 1,000 diverse young people, jobseekers, entrepreneurs and newcomers through numerous research and training programs in collaboration with the more than 350 academic, industry, community and government partners of DI.
Elmi has consistently worked to share knowledge and enhance the science, technology and innovation ecosystem at industry, government, community and academic conferences and workshops. He is a sought-after speaker for conferences like Metropolis, Canada’s largest immigration resettlement and policy event; and Cannexus, Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference. Elmi has also presented to numerous boards of trade; school boards, including in Markham and Peel; ecosystem partner events such as the CASA Foundation’s Entrepreneurs Exchange Program; and directly to Canada’s largest employers.
Elmi has also written about inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship in the Globe and Mail (external link) , National Post and Toronto Star, and been featured in broadcast news programming and podcasts including for CBC radio and television, FSC and the Conference Board of Canada, among others.