We're so proud to be among the 2024 Tech Equity Collective Impact Fund Grantees for our LevelUP program. LevelUP launched in 2023, with support from Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women, and helps Black women build wealth and advance their careers in key industries, including cybersecurity. If you're interested in learning more about this program, visit https://lnkd.in/gkJSNa2Y
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In a captivating interview, Arian Simone, CEO of Fearless Fund, addressed the glaring disparities in venture capital investment for Black women. As the co-founder of the nation's first venture-capital firm run by women of color, Simone sheds light on the challenges faced by underrepresented entrepreneurs. Simone's commitment to rectifying the racial and gender imbalances in the tech and consumer-goods sectors is evident through the Fearless Strivers Grant. However, a legal storm erupted when the American Alliance for Equal Rights filed a federal civil rights suit, alleging racial discrimination. Simone now finds herself at the center of a major civil rights battle, with the case expected to reach the Supreme Court. The case, while involving a relatively small amount of money, has far-reaching implications, prompting other organizations to reconsider their diversity initiatives. Simone's Fearless Fund, designed as "civil rights 3.0," faces hurdles in securing investments for Fund II after JPMorgan Chase's surprising decision not to participate. The uncertainty extends to Fearless Fund's relationship with Mastercard, a key partner in the Fearless Strivers Grant. Simone expresses concern over the conditional commitment to the cause and calls for unwavering support, emphasizing that commitment cannot be contingent on legal battles. As Simone navigates this turbulent terrain, the broader conversation around racial and gender diversity in venture capital takes center stage. The Fearless Fund's legal battle becomes emblematic of the broader struggle for equity, prompting reflections on the true intentions behind legal challenges and the impact on organizations dedicated to fostering inclusion. Dozens of lawyers and organizations, including Attorney Ben Crump and the Black Economic Alliance, rally behind Fearless Fund in the legal battle. The case prompts a nuanced exploration of the balance between well-organized challenges and the genuine desires for change in the pursuit of a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape.
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Female founders are lighting the way for more women-led innovations. 💡 Fenwick partnered with The Female Founder Collective and Amplifyher Ventures during New York TECH WEEK by a16z to talk about smart fundraising, ownership preservation, and which key metrics to watch for growing your business. Get their tips here: https://bit.ly/4eBaj8d Which tip resonates with you the most? #NYTechWeek #FemaleFounders #WomeninTech
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Today as we observe #Juneteenth, we celebrate the victories of the past, recognize the challenges of the present, and commit to working to build a better, more equitable future for all, especially Black Americans. At LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator, we believe that innovation thrives in an environment where diversity is not just accepted but celebrated. Join us as we continue to embrace diversity in all its forms, challenge norms, and drive innovation forward. #EdTechInnovation #EdTech #Education #Innovation #TransformingEducation #BreakthroughToScale #EdTechAccelerator #EdTechInvesting #Impact #ImpactInvesting #EdTechFounders #EdTechStartups
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📣I'm so excited about ENG(INE), a philanthropic program working with America’s leading nonprofits on their most mission-critical tech priorities to 10X their impact. Founded and funded by AlleyCorp, ENG(INE) will deliver $1M in awards to eligible nonprofits to build cutting-edge technology that advances social & economic opportunity. Full details here: nonprofitengine.org. Leveraging AlleyCorp’s 70+ person engineering team, ENG(INE) pairs nonprofits with a team of engineers over 6 months to deliver major, strategic technological builds. At a time when corporations and startups are rapidly deploying advanced data, AI, and design tools, we believe that the greatest technologies must also be available to the best social innovators. US-based nonprofits focusing on workforce, financial security, or women & girls are encouraged to apply by Friday 7/26/2024! Interested? Start an application today: apply.nonprofitengine.org.
Nonprofit Eng(ine)
nonprofitengine.org
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As #WomensHistoryMonth comes to a close, let's reaffirm our commitment to supporting Black female investors. Their critical role in startups and small businesses drives economic growth and innovation, shaping a future where equity, diversity, and inclusion are not just goals, but realities. 💡🌱 Explore how you can contribute to this transformative journey. Learn more about the importance of diversity in venture capital in my blog post- https://buff.ly/3xajThg #SupportBlackFemaleInvestors #EconomicEmpowerment
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Noblis Ventures, Early Stage Dual-Use Technologies, Adjunct Professor at The George Washington University
Did you know that on average, only 3% of #venture funding is received by female founders? The Agora Initiative DC is looking to change that. VC in DC is a proud partner of Agora. I’m looking forward to reviewing applicant companies as an Agora investor committee member. Please help us spread the word to female founders in your networks! #femalefounders #venturecapital ##venturechallenge
Calling all DMV female founders! The Agora Initiative is launching today with our first venture competition: Pitch your business for a chance to win $10K in non-dilutive grant capital, as well as access to our great community of investors, experienced founders, and pro bono services. Can’t wait to learn more about your business. And a huge thank you so much to our founding partners Tarsus, Brown Advisory, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP for making this all possible! https://lnkd.in/eSMhXVfv
Competition — The Agora Initiative
theagorainitiative.com
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In angel investing – a space where women are traditionally underrepresented, but actively rising in numbers – the Angel Sessions provides a forum to develop strategic relationships, build skills, and increase your deal flow. Join our next cohort of women angel investors this October to learn from leading investors, network and get access to deal flow👇
Angel Investing Course
https://switchthefuture.com
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Climate Tech Founder (Food Waste) | Food & Agribusiness Executive | Startup & Growth Advisor | Board Member | Sustainable Food Systems Consultant
Meeting Julia Collins and Kayalin Akens-Irby from Planet FWD was one of the highlights of my time leading a sustainability organization. As a proud The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellow, I've been lucky to have great advocates and role models like Sergio Waldeck, M.B.A. & Kristine Perez-Foley (She/Her/Ella) MSEd., PCC. Since co-founding Terra Nexus, Laura Klein and I have gotten a lot of questionable advice on how to fund a climate tech company in this environment. 1️⃣ Pitch infinite profits, hard and often -Buy the .ai version of your current domain. Sadly this does seem to work and many climate analytics / ML companies go this route even though they don't actually have any ai. That's a lot of artificial and almost no intelligence. -Expand your team by adding a young, white, male cofounder from a prestigious university (the less actual work experience in the space the better) and brand them as an inspirational visionary. The data seems to prove this to be a realistic option for climate tech startups - it's easier to find companies that were started by undergrads, or grad students doing a class project than to find a climate tech company started by founders with 20+ years of experience. -Pay a well known founder/connector for introductions to investors and give them equity for raising capital. This seems to be another popular route for climate companies, although it's a pricey option that makes VC funding feel like the only way to get it is to know "a guy" that has some funds "that fell off of a truck." -If things get tough…be prepared to dip into your own personal trust fund and generational wealth to bridge any lapses in funding to support another company pivot. 2️⃣ Actually build something that creates real impact and repeat until you have a profitable company with a path to infinite impact (or revert back to Path 1 with an additional web3 angle). 🌐I'll echo Julia's sentiment of blue ocean opportunity for underrepresented founders. The current climate tech landscape has its share of 0 integrity imposters, wannabe influencers, and NTACs. It’s time that we close the gap between progress and profits.
In 2023, only 45% of women (vs 68% of men) felt optimistic about raising capital. 49% of Black & Latinx founders paused their raise or faced funding issues. I see inequity - and smell opportunity. At first glance, the data on underrepresented founders - from January Ventures’ 2023 Founder Sentiment Report - is upsetting. But if you are a capital allocator, you have the opportunity to see this data in a different light. If you assume that a) talent is distributed equally amongst all human beings b) some groups of people are underfunded because of access, not ability …then logic would tell you there’s a blue ocean opportunity. This thesis is why I am an advisor and LP for January Ventures. Jennifer Keiser Neundorfer and Maren Bannon champion underrepresented entrepreneurs because they see a blue ocean, too. Underrepresented founders have less access to early-stage fundraising networks. But they have no shortage of talent, ambition, expertise, and game-changing ideas. My message to funders - Investing in underrepresented founders will be a worthwhile investment for you.
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The Board at Female Founders and Funders of Berkeley (BFFF) is disheartened by the recent tech conference incident involving listing a fake women AI-generated speakers on the agenda and running a popular female coding influencer’s social media by men. We believe that authenticity is the key to progress. The recent incidents only strengthen our resolve to foster real connections and experiences that uplift women in entrepreneurial and investment spheres. At BFFF, we stand united against practices that merely create the illusion of inclusion and equity. It’s time for real, impactful steps that elevate the share of investments for female-founded startups and authentic representation of women in the VC landscape. Join our community on Slack (#berkeley-female-founders-and-funders at University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business) and LinkedIn to network, collaborate, share experiences, and access valuable resources to thrive as a female founder or funder.
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I help you to understand Finance in a Fun way I Finance Consultant l Chegus Infotech l Al Trainer l Outlier l Ex-EY GDS l Educator l Business & Leadership Coach
🍔 Crunchbase expands its diversity-tracking feature to Europe 👍 Crunchbase is expanding the scope of its tagging options in Europe to start tracking how much venture capital funding goes to minority founders on the continent. Diversity Spotlight is a feature on Crunchbase that lets companies add tags to their profiles to label themselves. For example, a company can opt-in to label itself as Black-owned or women-led. Crunchbase is now making this feature available in Europe. 👍 I³ Investing, a firm that focuses on queer and migrant founders, served as the exclusive launch partner for the feature in the U.K. and Europe. Other partners include Female Founders, Tech Nation, Black Tech Fest and Colorintech. More than 70,000 U.S. companies have already added a diversity tag to their Crunchbase profiles.
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