VCs off the Record WOCstar Fund

On this week’s episode, we sit down with Oliver Libby, co-founding Managing Partner of H/L Ventures and CityRock Venture Partners. The H/L family of companies represents a new kind of venture firm, dedicated to building high-growth businesses that add value to society, with a strong preference for diverse founding teams.  In addition to H/L Ventures, Mr. Libby is also Chair & Co-Founder of The Resolution Project, Inc., a non-profit which works with undergraduate students launching new socially-responsible ventures.  Resolution supports hundreds of young social entrepreneurs in more than 80 countries and across the United States.

Mr. Libby was recently recognized by Crains New York Business’ first ever diversity program awards and has been featured in the New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Fast Company, Reuters for his work as an impact leader. 

Listen in as we dive into the issues in Venture Capital world today, the new face of innovation, and how diversity is everyone’s responsibility.

You won’t want to miss this!

We are back for Season 3 and we are SO excited! We are kicking it off with an amazing entrepreneur, Courtne Smith, founder and CEO of NewNew, a social decision-making app that lets you vote to control the outcome of other people’s lives. 

Prior to NewNew, Courtne spent over a decade on Grammy-award winning artist Drake's management team where she handled his business endeavors and special projects. She is a born entrepreneur with a flair for fashion and innovation and attributes her success to her relentless and resilient spirit. Alongside her business partner, Filip Diarra, Smith has founded a hair-extension line called Tharen, a giveaway game app called Suprize. Her latest innovation, NewNew, has been backed by huge investors like Will Smith, Andreessen Horowitz and more.

Courtne is also one of less than 20 Black female founders in tech to have built an eight-figure, venture backed company. She is a true WOCstar! 

Join us as we get real real with Courtne about everything from raising those first dollars as WOC in Tech to what has led to her continued success in all of her endeavors. Listen now!  

For far too long, implicit bias and systemic racism have created huge gaps in the VC and startup world —favoring white, male founders, while ignoring the brilliant minds of so many others in our diverse world. The data is out there but yet we still aren't seeing capital deployed to the underrepresented. 

As a former tech founder himself and a relentless advocate for underrepresented founders, Brian Brackeen has witnessed the difficulties of raising capital while black and has made it his mission to provide meaningful mentorship and funding in and outside Silicon Valley. Last year, Brian, alongside his wife and co-General Partner, Candice, launched Lightship Capital, a first-of-its-kind $50 million venture fund for underrepresented founders in the Midwest. The groundbreaking partnership with SecondMuse Capital will invest in early-stage startups launched by people of color, women, veterans, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities in the Midwest and the South (“all the places other investors fly over or vacation in, including Miami,” Brian said).

Their hope for the fund is to make the VC world accessible to all founders and to provide much-needed funding that allows minority-founded startups not only to survive, but to thrive, and to create a more equitable future.

Join us in the first of our new series, Raising While Black, as we chat with Brian about his experiences as a black male founder and investor. This is one you won’t want to miss!

We all know you need money to make money but you also need to "bank" money to use it especially as our world becomes more reliant on technology and touch-free. However, many lower-income, immigrants, and even young people do not have access to traditional financial services like banks. This week’s guest, Capway founder Sheena Allen, hopes to change this for the “underbanked” by restoring trust in and a fair banking system with her latest app.

Allen, a serial entrepreneur at heart, grew up in a small town with one bank. As a result, the people in her community, including family and friends, would keep their money in their home or use other fee-heavy alternative banking options.

She created her very first app with little tech experience and has since developed into an app machine, with five apps under her belt to date. In 2016, Allen had the idea to create the app and digital bank, Capway, which gave Sheena the title as the youngest female in America to own and operate a digital bank. The fintech company connects underserved millennials and Gen Z to today’s cashless economy.

Join us as we chat with Sheena about the challenges of banking while Black as well as what it takes to launch an app in this digital world. 

Entrepreneurs and investors - you won't want to miss this! 

One of the biggest myths in impact and gender lens investing is the lack of data showing the power of investing in diverse and inclusive ventures or those with a gender lens. Investors tend to think “impact” or “gender specific” means soft and small and pass on these opportunities. Although this mindset is slowly changing, many still need data and facts to change their mind.

Well, the data is out there! A new report, Project Sage 3.0, from the Wharton Social Impact Initiative and consulting firm Catalyst at Large finds a dramatic increase in gender lens investing over the last few years, and helps to demystify the stigma around impact and gender lens investing.

On this week’s episode, we sit down with one of the leading experts in the field, Suzanne Biegel, Founder of Catalyst at Large and globally renowned speaker on gender-smart investing. She is also Co-Founder of the GenderSmart Investing Summit and co-author of Project Sage 3.0. Her work spans research, field building, and consulting in the area of gender-smart investing.

Join us as we discuss how applying a gender lens to impact investing and using powerful data can bridge the funding gap and build resilient communities even in times of crisis. The data is there and the time is NOW!

LISTEN NOW! 

On today's episode, Diana sits down with Vicki Vasilopoulos, co-founder of  TheElysians.com, a platform for the U.S. market featuring exclusive, hand-crafted, fashion pieces, jewelry, and accessories made in Greece. These inspiring creators preserve their renowned Hellenic culture by reviving traditional techniques – like weaving and embroidery -- in a contemporary and sophisticated style that appeals to American consumers. Vicki and Elysians co-founder, Athina, recently received a $4,000 crowdfunded loan through WE Fund Crowd and Kiva which they attribute to saving their business during the pandemic. The loan of $4,000 will provide working capital to pay for the rising costs of wholesale inventory, fulfillment, and marketing. Join us in welcoming Vicki and Diana discuss the struggles of entrepreneurship and how WE NYC and crowdfunding has helped Vicki survive this past year.