Sahr Saffa is a dynamic entrepreneur known for his significant contributions to the tech and innovation landscape through his organization, C-Tribe. With a background spanning over a decade in the tech industry, Sahr has been instrumental in fostering a community that celebrates diversity, creativity, and innovation.
Sahr’s journey into entrepreneurship began after an unexpected turn in his aspirations to become a professional basketball player. Following an injury, he shifted his focus from sports to the business world, co-founding a digital marketing agency that quickly achieved notable success. This venture eventually ignited his passion for entrepreneurship and set the stage for his future endeavours.
In 2017, while living in New York and inspired by the vibrant, diverse community there, Sahr founded C-Tribe. His aim was to recreate the dynamic energy and opportunities he experienced in larger markets and bring them to Edmonton while showing to the global community that regions like Alberta punched above their weight when it came to the innovative and creative sectors.
“I was inspired by a lot of the relationships and connections that I was making in New York, particularly folks that looked, talked, and walked like me. More so, I was convinced I had peers back home that were equally as talented as those that I met abroad, but they weren’t given the same knowledge, social, and financial capital to be successful,” said Sahr.
Initially conceived as a tech & business conference, C-Tribe organically evolved to include fashion & music showcases and other cultural events, reflecting Sahr’s vision of a multifaceted gathering that merges arts, innovation, and culture.
Supported by big brands and entities like RBC, Ciroc, the Government of Alberta, FACTOR Canada and others, C-Tribe is a gathering that unites leading thinkers, innovators, and creatives from different industries. To Sahr, C-Tribe is about bridging gaps between diverse groups, to help form stronger connections and drive economic, social, and cultural advancement.
Sahr emphasizes the importance of creating platforms that enable individuals to leverage social, financial, and knowledge capital, fostering an environment where new industries and innovative products can emerge.
And that is one of the main pillars of the upcoming and highly anticipated C-Tribe Festival and Conference, set to take place in Edmonton from August 13 to the 18th. This flagship event will unite engineers, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and culture enthusiasts, providing a vibrant hub where groundbreaking ideas are shared, and businesses are built within innovative and creative sectors.
The C-Tribe Festival spans various verticals such as tech, fashion, music, gaming, and culture, offering a wide range of activities including masterclasses, workshops, fashion shows, and music events. This multidisciplinary approach not only attracts a diverse audience but also fosters unexpected opportunities for collaboration and innovation. To Sahr, this is how new industries are imagined and the future is built.
A major highlight of the festival will be the pitch competitions. The C-Elevateher Pitch Competition is dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs, giving them a platform to showcase their innovative business ventures. The C-Black Pitch Competition focuses on empowering Black entrepreneurs, highlighting their groundbreaking ideas and ventures. These competitions provide emerging entrepreneurs with a stage to present their innovations while fostering a supportive environment that champions diversity and innovation.
Sahr’s recent relocation to Calgary and his connection as a member of the Social Innovation Hub has further strengthened C-Tribe’s impact. It was through Jerome Morgan, the director of SIH, that Sahr was first introduced to the SIH. “I started to learn about the programming that the Social Innovation Hub provided,” said Sahr. “And so that was another awesome opportunity for me to get a little more connected into the innovation ecosystem.”
Sahr adds that he sees a natural alignment between the objectives of C-Tribe and the SIH, particularly in supporting underestimated founders, entrepreneurs, and creators. This partnership underscores C-Tribe’s commitment to social innovation and community-building. Sahr will be a featured guest at the Social Innovators Breakfast Club on September 9, at the Social Innovation Hub. Follow the link for more information and to register to attend.
Looking ahead, Sahr envisions C-Tribe growing into Canada’s premier arts, innovation, and cultural gathering, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants and generating significant economic impact. His goal is for C-Tribe to become a platform where attendees can gain financial, social, and knowledge capital, along with unforgettable entertainment experiences.
“We are investing a lot in our technology layer to help identify some of these latent opportunities for different people that come into our ecosystem,” said Sahr. “I think that hopefully that can help to be complementary to the whole ecosystem.”
Sahr Saffa’s journey as an influential entrepreneur highlights his commitment to fostering inclusive innovation. Through C-Tribe, he continues to break new ground, creating spaces where diverse voices can collide, collaborate, and create. With strong partnerships and a clear vision for the future, Sahr and his team are poised to elevate C-Tribe to new heights, making a lasting impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.