Startup Runway

I am joining the board at StartupRunway.org

Women and people of color receive <5% of investments in startups–yet represent over 40% of founders

For minority founders, there’s a gap in the friends and family round which is an instrumental round in setting the base for the long journey of building a lasting business.

I remember what it was like when I raised my friends and family round. It was terrifying as the few people in my circle who could invest were already asking me about the exit timeline and ROI. Compare this to another friend who raised a $250k round over Thanksgiving where everyone was supportive of him being brave and were ok if they received no return on their investment. This is the stark reality that most minority founders face.

Black families have, on average, 10% the wealth of white families, meaning their access to angel capital is at a completely different scale.

I am honored and excited to join the board at Startup Runway to help empower minority founders through issuance of grants through Startup Runway and investment partners who commit to being some of the first checks into companies led by minority founders.

As a board member I will assist in selection of grant recipients, mentorship for finalists and recruiting investment partners.