Sponsor
Invest in Black excellence in tech
A Letter from the Executive Director
Thank you for considering a partnership with the Juneteenth Conference. Your support makes it possible to produce a meaningful event and advances our mission of addressing the Digital Divide through mentorship, scholarship, and professional readiness programs.
We launched the Juneteenth Conference in 2020 during the first summer of the pandemic and in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. The goal was simple and urgent: change the narrative around Black professionals in technology. That inaugural event was built from conception to delivery in just two weeks, and the response was extraordinary. Business Insider covered the conference, more than twenty thousand people watched the live event, and six thousand additional viewers tuned in over the following month.
Since then, the conference has grown from a virtual event into an in-person experience. Our sessions have featured deep technical content across software engineering, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, data science, and leadership, showcasing the depth and range of Black talent in tech.
In 2026, we're returning to Chicago for a focused, two-day event. This year's theme is Building Our Own Table—a celebration of the builders, creators, and leaders who are shaping the future of technology on their own terms. Our keynote speaker is Madison Butler, founder of Blue Haired Unicorn and the Black Speakers Collection, whose work embodies the spirit of this year's conference. The conference coincides with a historic moment for Chicago: the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on June 19, making Juneteenth 2026 in Chicago a once-in-a-generation event.
But we want to be clear about what this event is, and what it isn't. The Juneteenth Conference is not a diversity initiative—it is a curated, invite-only room of senior Black builders, creators, and technical leaders.
Who should NOT sponsor?
If you are looking for a cheap DEI logo placement to check a compliance box, this event is not for you.
The Thesis: Why This Room Matters NOW
The timeline for our 2026 event is short. We know corporate sponsors don't usually move in 72 hours. But this is not a standard corporate event. This is a rare, time-sensitive opportunity to access this highly-curated room of senior Black technical leaders gathering in Chicago.
- The Room: 200-300 senior engineers, data scientists, and founders. These are your buyers, your engineering managers, and your senior hires.
- The Pipeline: Our Tech Accelerator and Mentorship programs. This is where you reach the next generation of early-career talent, making them day-one ready on your technology.
Sincerely,
Michael Brown
Executive Director, JuneteenthConf, Unl.
michael@juneteenthconf.com
Audience Snapshot
- • The Room: 200-300 highly-curated in-person attendees.
- • The Mix: Senior Engineers, Data Scientists, Security Pros, Engineering Managers, and Founders.
- • The Reach: 150k+ extended audience network, 2,500+ mailing list (40% open rate).
Sponsor ROI
- • Hiring & Talent: A single senior engineering hire can cost upwards of $20,000 in recruiting fees. Sponsoring gives your talent team direct access to a high-signal room where organic connections lead to direct hires. We also work with sponsors year-round to provide direct access to our talent pipeline.
- • DevRel & Adoption: The Juneteenth Hackathon isn't just a weekend event—it is a direct pipeline into our Tech Accelerator program. Sponsor a prize, get your platform into the hands of active builders, gather direct feedback, and watch them build full businesses on top of your technology.
- • Brand Presence: Position your company as a premier destination for top-tier Black technical talent.
The Proof
Katrina Tucker was a tax attorney with the IRS looking to transition to a tech career. She joined our first mentorship cohort, where she received hands-on experience developing a product as part of a team—learning scrum, source control, and systems design to make her ready for her first tech job.
In her weekly mentor sessions, we strategized about leveraging her existing experience to get not just any role, but one where she could excel. Using this strategy, she was hired as a Senior Engineer at KPMG on their tax consulting team.
"Michael provided deep insight to help me achieve my dream job. His personal attention made me feel valued and ready to succeed from day one." — Katrina Tucker
"Last year was a great conference, filled with a lot of great speakers. Everyone's talks are so different. That's what I feel makes Juneteenth Conference so great." — Past Speaker
Developer Pipeline & Product Adoption
The Juneteenth Conference Hackathon is not just a community program—it is a direct developer pipeline. This is where attendees build innovative solutions and get hands-on with new technologies. Sponsoring a prize is the highest-ROI way for DevRel teams to get developers actively using your product, providing raw feedback, and ultimately building full businesses on your platform.
Cash Prize Sponsor
- Provide a cash prize for the winning teams (e.g., $1,000, $5,000)
- Opportunity to judge the hackathon and present the award
- Logo placement on hackathon materials
Platform Credits Sponsor
- Provide platform credits for participants (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure, or your own API credits)
- Your technology featured as an option for participants to use
- Direct developer adoption of your platform
Hardware / Gear Sponsor
- Sponsor high-end gear for winners (laptops, monitors, premium keyboards)
- High visibility during the prize announcement
- Great brand association with top-tier developer tools
Custom Challenge Sponsor
- Create a specific challenge for participants using your API/tools
- Dedicated prize category just for your challenge
- Direct interaction and feedback from developers using your product
Approximately 60% of your sponsorship is a tax-deductible charitable donation through our fiscal sponsor, YPOC Harrisburg (501(c)(3)). The remaining 40% covers direct sponsor benefits.
The Thesis: Why Partner Now?
A single senior engineering hire costs upwards of $20,000 in recruiting fees. So why are our sponsorships capped at $10,000? Because we intentionally price for accessibility to actual decision-makers and engineering leaders, not just massive marketing budgets.
Furthermore, we know the runway to our 2026 event is short. To make this an easy decision, our top tier includes guaranteed booth presence at the 2027 Juneteenth Conference, giving you immediate access to this year's highly curated room and a guaranteed footprint for next year. To maintain the high-signal nature of this event, we are strictly limiting our partnerships to 10 total sponsors across all tiers.
Sponsorship Packages
To maintain the high-signal nature of this event, we are strictly limiting our partnerships to 10 total sponsors across all tiers. As a sponsor, you will showcase your organization to an exclusive audience of senior tech professionals while gaining unparalleled access to a highly curated room.
- Opportunity to host a dedicated 30-minute technical workshop
- Premium double-sized booth in the central hall
- Guaranteed booth presence at the 2027 Juneteenth Conference
- Top-tier logo placement on speaker slide deck, website, and all materials
- Dedicated direct email blast to our 2,500+ mailing list
- Direct mention during opening and closing remarks
- Links in all YouTube video descriptions
- Access to all networking events
- 8 full-access tickets
- Logo placement on speaker slide deck and all conference materials
- Direct mention during opening talk
- Links in all YouTube video descriptions
- Logo displayed during session transitions
- Booth in central hall
- Access to all networking events
- 4 full-access tickets
- Social media mention
- Logo placement on speaker slide deck and all conference materials
- Direct mention during opening talk
- Links in all YouTube video descriptions
- Booth in central hall
- Access to networking events
- 2 full-access tickets
- Logo placement on speaker slide deck and conference website
- Direct mention during opening talk
- Links in all YouTube video descriptions
- Access to networking events
- 1 full-access ticket
- Logo placement on speaker deck and website supporters page
- Direct mention during opening talk
- Links in all YouTube video descriptions
- Recognition in post-event communications
- 1 full-access ticket
Full Comparison
| Benefit | Ecosystem $10k | Community $5k | Stage $2.5k | Contributing $1.25k | Friend $500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo on materials | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Web only |
| Dedicated Workshop / Session | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Direct Email Blast | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Booth in central hall | Double | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Booth presence at 2027 conference | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Video during transitions | ✓ | Logo | — | — | — |
| Networking events | All | All | All | All | — |
| Full-access tickets | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Social media spotlight | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Speaker deck logo & opening mention | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| YouTube video links | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Programs Your Sponsorship Supports
Sponsorships do more than just fund the conference—they actively support our ongoing community programs. By partnering with us, you are directly investing in the future of Black professionals and students in technology.
Tech Accelerator
A comprehensive program designed to help early-career Black professionals rapidly build skills, develop their portfolios, and find mentorship. The accelerator provides access to premium resources, hands-on project experience, and direct coaching from industry leaders to accelerate their career trajectories.
Mentorship Program
Our year-round mentorship program pairs experienced technology professionals with career-changers and students. This direct, one-on-one guidance helps mentees navigate the tech industry, prepare for interviews, and build lasting professional networks.
Student Tech Outreach
Our initiative dedicated to bridging the digital divide for high school students. This program provides access to technology, coding workshops, and career exploration sessions to spark interest in STEM fields and create early pathways to technology careers.
Ready to partner with us?
We'd love to discuss how your organization can be part of Juneteenth Conference 2026.
Get in Touch