CLF is often asked by founders how exactly athletes, entertainers, or executives can be a game-changing asset for their companies. On the flip side, cultural leaders also ask what they should expect when investing in tech startups and working with founders. We've seen firsthand that these partnerships can produce new ideas, new opportunities, and new shifts in culture faster than operating in silos. Dig into some of the most important must-knows and to-dos for building together! ✍: Megan Holston-Alexander, Derek Dolin, Deborah Embaie, MPA https://lnkd.in/gjQbMyCE
a16z Cultural Leadership Fund
Financial Services
Connecting the greatest cultural leaders with innovative tech companies and advancing Black talent into technology.
About us
The Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF) is Silicon Valley’s first venture capital fund consisting exclusively of Black cultural leaders and organizations committed to Black wealth generation. CLF coinvests in a16z portfolio companies across industries including consumer, crypto, enterprise, fintech, games, and bio + health. All of CLF’s management fees and carry generated are donated to nonprofit organizations and initiatives working to actively engage and advance more Black talent into technology roles. CLF is working to facilitate two major shifts: more Black dollars on the cap tables of the world’s best companies and Black talent embedded into technology companies at the earliest stages. We believe these shifts will have a meaningful impact on building generational wealth for Black communities.
- Website
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a16z.com/clf
External link for a16z Cultural Leadership Fund
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Company size
- 501-1,000 employees
Updates
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Step #1 for founders looking to collaborate with athletes, entertainers & C-level execs: Make it make sense! Finding alignment is not only about shared professional interests or expertise but can also be about shared personal passions. Check out all the must-know's from a recent piece by CLF's Megan Holston-Alexander, Derek Dolin, and Deborah Embaie, MPA. https://lnkd.in/gjQbMyCE
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a16z Cultural Leadership Fund reposted this
In the onslaught of AI product launches and hyped-up features, it’s worth asking: Which of these gen AI apps are people actually using? And which of them are people returning to, versus dabbling and dropping? Welcome to the third installment of the Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps. Every six months, we take a deeper dive into the data to rank the top 50 AI-first web products (by unique monthly visits, according to Similarweb) and top 50 AI-first mobile apps (by monthly active users, according to Sensor Tower.) This time, nearly 30 percent of the companies were new. Here are some of our top takeaways: 1️⃣ Video and music-related tools are on the rise 2️⃣ Competing assistants are challenging ChatGPT 3️⃣ ByteDance is getting in the game, making a push into web-based AI products 4️⃣ There’s a new category in the space: Aesthetics and dating 5️⃣ Discord helps drive growth See the full report by Olivia Moore: https://lnkd.in/exUqJXRn
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Great piece by Doug Melville highlighting the significance of Martha’s Vineyard as a hub of history, art, and culture for the Black community. Thanks for including CLF! https://lnkd.in/guftjp5C
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Our 3rd annual Dinner on the Bluffs was magic on Martha's Vineyard ✨ As a place that holds special meaning and history for so many, it is an honor to host investors, partners, and friends for an evening of connection, conversation, and celebration. Thanks to everyone who joined us! Special thanks to Kevin Hart and Gran Coramino for treating our guests to a Vineyard-inspired tasting. The summer vibes were high! 📷 Eric Dargan
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It was an honor to co-host a special session at the African American Mayors Association inaugural Tech Summit alongside the a16z American Dynamism practice featuring several companies in our portfolio building toward the national interest. The group discussed ways emerging technologies can integrate into city systems to improve emergency response and public safety - incredibly impressive outcomes from Prepared, Flock Safety, Aerodome, and Skydio! Thank you to Mayor Steven L. Reed, president of AAMA, Phyllis Dickerson, CEO, the entire AAMA team, and all the amazing mayors we met for championing technology and opportunities for the public and private sector to work together! None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi for more information.
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a16z Cultural Leadership Fund reposted this
Very exciting to see how new AI tools are pushing the boundaries for filmmakers, designers, animators, illustrators, and multimedia artists. This summer, we at Andreessen Horowitz & a16z Cultural Leadership Fund brought together a dynamic group of artists and founders in New York to dive into the ways AI is transforming their creative processes. Thanks to innovative companies like ElevenLabs Civitai krea.ai Viggle Udio & Ideogram, artists had the chance to showcase cutting-edge features and explore exciting new integrations. Check out this behind-the-scenes glimpse:
New high-fidelity AI tools are extending the creative impact of filmmakers, designers, animators, illustrators, and multimedia artists. This summer, a16z hosted a gathering of artists and technologists in New York to explore how AI's capabilities are enhancing their work. With the support of companies like ElevenLabs, Civitai, krea.ai, Viggle, Udio and Ideogram, artists were able to demo emerging features and experiment with creative new integrations. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look:
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CLF spent an amazing few days in Spain with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), current and former athletes, and pioneers in all areas of performance at the NBPA Performance Summit. Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to important discussions as we continue to look for new ways to push the fields of sports and technology forward. Megan Holston-Alexander, Deborah Embaie, MPA
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Measuring personal health data may not be new, but until now, the technology has been reserved for select groups. At the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Performance Summit, CLF's Deborah Embaie, MPA led a conversation with Jonathan Swerdlin, cofounder & CEO of Function Health, and Julia Klim, VP at Equinox, about how they are making this technology more accessible for everyday athletes and how it can help improve performance and longevity. Thanks National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Leaders in Sport for having us participate in this important conversation about the future of health!