Claude Grunitzky on building Equity Alliance, shifting culture in venture capital, and cultivating an authentic network

This is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Claude Grunitzky is CEO and Managing Partner at the Equity Alliance, a New York-based fund that invests in venture capital firms and early-stage ventures run by women and people of color. Born in Togo, Claude is also the founder of two media companies, TRACE and TRUE Africa. Over the past two decades, TRACE, which was funded by Goldman Sachs and successfully sold to European investors in 2010, has become one of the most popular youth culture media brands focused on Black culture. TRUE Africa is a Google-funded media tech platform championing young African voices and innovators all over the world. Growing up, Claude, who speaks six languages and carries three passports, was exposed to many different cultures. These foreign interactions shaped his transcultural philosophy and informed the creative energy of his ventures.

In this episode, Claude shares:

• Why he started Equity Alliance to invest in venture capital firms and early-stage ventures run by women and people of color
• How he built a top media company and got Goldman Sachs to lead his Series A
• How he successfully raised capital for Equity Alliance and turned his wishlist of LPs into a reality
• How he does diligence on funds, and what makes a manager stand out
• How he activates his network and makes it work for him and his portfolio companies
• Why being less transactional is actually the key to success in venture