Founders of Color Showcase

May 11th, 2020 12 pm pacific/3 pm eastern

**** Join us for our First Founders of Color Showcase (Virtually Via Zoom) *****

Did you know that less than 5% of venture capital in the United States goes to companies with female, Black, and Latino CEOs? ^1,2

Since 2009, Black women–led startups have raised $289MM in venture/angel funding, with a significant portion of that raised in 2017. This represents .06% of the $424.7 billion in total tech venture funding raised since 2009³.

Let’s work together to change this!

Join us and other like-minded funds, angel groups, and other investors/entities with an investment thesis that includes investing in scalable companies led by founders of color. Next Wave Impact is convening this showcase on Monday, May 11th. We will have up to 10 finalists present their companies.  Prizes will include cash awards, one-on-one pro bono consulting hours thanks to our sponsors, which include Kauffman Foundation, Anchor Point Foundation, Next Wave Foundation, Grasshopper Bank, Beta Boom, and others to be announced soon.

We’d like accredited investors to attend this virtual event with the intent of investing in one or more of these companies after undertaking your own due diligence or in collaboration with others. Please complete this form to get a registration link or to nominate companies:

We will be prioritizing U.S. companies that are currently raising funding rounds, that our partners are considering for investment or are already investing, and/or that fit the investment theses of the investors attending this event.

Timeline:

January and February: Open Application Period (Deadline March 15th, 2020)

March: Initial screening and continued nominations received

April: Interviews, Due diligence, and Selection of finalists

Monday, May 11th, 2020: Founder Showcase 

If you are a founder of color and are interested in applying to present at the showcase, our open application deadline has passed. HOWEVER, if you are connected to any of the partners below, feel free to reach out to them and ask them to nominate you as a late entry if you meet ALL of the following criteria:

1. 1. Legally incorporated as a U.S. for-profit entity (B corporations are eligible)
   2. Seeking to scale
   3. Currently raising a Pre-Seed or Seed Stage funding round
   4. Your company has a social impact focus; your company is addressing a pressing social or environmental problem and/or creates a positive social impact on people and/or the planet
   5. Founded and led by people of color (majority-owned and led).

Thanks to our sponsors!

GOLD

SILVER

    Anonymous

BRONZE

Some of our Investor Partners include:

Social Venture Circle, Rockies Impact Fund and Rockies Venture Club, Techstars, Kachuwa Impact Fund, Beta Boom, Village Capital, VentureWell, Endeavor,  Camelback Ventures,  Pipeline Angels, Citrine Angels, Astia Angels, Score 3, Impact America Fund, Rising America Fund, VamosVentures, Collab Capital, Connectic Ventures, Kapor Capital, Harlem Capital, Southwest Angel Network, Women’s Investor Network, Female Founders Alliance, VC Include, Illumen Capital, SustainVC, Chloe Capital, Ad Astra Ventures,  SoGal Ventures, Builder Capitalism, Gratitude Railroad, The 22 Fund, Queen City Angels, Mission Driven Finance, the Angel Capital Association, and more!

Become one of our investor partners now by nominating companies and attending & encouraging aligned investors to attend the Showcase virtually via Zoom.  Please complete this form to get a registration link or to nominate companies. Nominations are due by April 7th.

For Sponsorship Opportunities please contact Alicia via email: alicia@nextwaveimpact.com

¹ Pitchbook, 2019

² Kauffman Foundation, 2018

³ DigitalUndivided, 2018