Fifteen Percent Pledge’s Post

In 2023, companies founded solely by women accounted for 2% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups and black founders received less than 0.5%. The TruStage Ventures Discovery Fund challenges industry standards, allocating 34% of its investment dollars to women founders and 66% to BIPOC founders to date.   “For the past three years, we’ve supported and invested in companies offering solutions to improve the financial health of communities underserved by the traditional financial system. It is making a real difference, and we are proud to commit to continuing these investments and improving industry standards.” - Elizabeth Coston McCluskey, Director of the Discovery Fund.   Check out the second annual report detailing the impact of the Discovery Fund since created in 2021 here: https://bit.ly/3Oz0IUc

Black founders in the U.S. raised 0.48% of all venture dollars allocated last year. That’s around $661 million out of $136 billion, according to the latest Crunchbase data. By fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and mentorship, we aim to increase representation and drive meaningful change within the tech industry, ensuring that Black founders have the support they need to thrive and contribute to a more diverse and vibrant ecosystem.

Venture capital is often seen as just a financial tool—a means to scale businesses by injecting capital into high-risk ventures. But if you’re aiming to build a massively successful company, you know it takes more than just money. It takes a support system, a team that’s in your corner, ready to call BS when needed, help you build the right team, and keep you inspired when times get tough. But with over 48,000 #VCs worldwide, it’s tough to know which ones will truly have your back. That’s why we launched the Founder-First Investor Award—to spotlight those investors who are more than just capital on your cap table. These are the ones who are truly invested in your success, who understand that you can’t do it alone, and who are there to see you and your business thrive long after the check clears. In #NYC, founders named and celebrated Nick Adams as the most supportive investor, with Richard Odior, Lisa Burton O'Toole, PhD, and Lauren Reeves as finalists. Now, we’re taking this award to #Chicago, where we’re on the hunt for the most founder-first investors in the Windy City. #Founders, if you know an investor who has gone above and beyond, this is your chance to help them get the recognition they deserve! #ChicagoTech #VC #Entrepreneurship

This. We need to do better. Faster. Now. But how? (Open thread) I can’t stand by - it’s time for allyship in action. Who is leading the way on this and how can the #ForbesImpactLab help? #venturefunding #venturecapital Nzinga “Zing” Shaw #ForbesBLK #blackentrepreneurship #equitablefuture #equitablefunding

One of the harsh lessons I learned with HomeRoom is there is only so far I can go with US based investors. The bias is just too severe to comfortably build a VC-backed business. If I were to build another VC-backed business in the future, I plan to focus on Africa, LATAM, and AUS based investors moving forward. I’ve found those ecosystems to be much more welcoming for black founders.

🏆 Huge shout out to folks like Milton Speid at VC Include who work tirelessly every day to accelerate more equitable access to capital for underrepresented founders. Black founders will only receive more venture dollars when there are advocates who expand investment opportunities. If you know of any other change makers like this, I’d love to meet them. #startup #venturecapital #dei #founders

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

Yes funding for Black founders ( especially women ) and women of color remains dismal. I'm advisor to female Latina CEO/founder AI startup and we have cultivated a kick ass VC target list mostly women and accelerating next gen of Latinx + diverse founders where one of them breaks it down by the numbers 29 Companies 41% Female-led, 83% Immigrant or First-Gen-led, 86% Latinx-led , 100% Diverse-led Cheers....Steve AI startup advisor 'force multiplier' https://lnkd.in/g38mWcs

My controversial advice (based on 20 years of building businesses) to both black entrepreneurs and black fund managers - stop relying on money from VCs and institutions based in or biased to the US. Focus on building and iterating your unfair advantage, attract and develop a team that’s hard to replicate, and build processes so revenue is predictable and you’re not reliant on immediate funding. Build relationships in countries where you’re treated with respect and are a welcome addition to their strategy. Ignoring the harsh reality around these statistics or having a bit of hubris and attempting to be the exception will likely be a big waste of your time. Don’t give up! If you’re an entrepreneur building products or services for the hospitality sector, reach out to our team!

I have alsways maintained that founders bootstrap in the early years of their business to understand the ins and outs of their business. Funding should only come in when you know your business and know exactly where to put the funds for maximum returns. Build systems and processes so revenue can be predictable.