According to CB Insights data, only one percent of venture capital-backed tech companies are founded by black and African American entrepreneurs.
The Founder Institute’s mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build businesses that positively impact the world, no matter their location, background, race, age, or sexual orientation. Below is a list of people and organizations working to help black American founders build and grow businesses across the United States, throughout each stage of the entrepreneurial journey.
This is just a V1 draft, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version, and we’re happy to have assistance from anyone who can help us in improving this resource!
Below we have included a text version, for ease of searching & hyperlinking to all resources:
Startup Stages
Startup Media: Centralized information, listings, and news around African American entrepreneurship (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters, etc)
AfroTech
Black Enterprise – Technology
Black Excellence
Black Tech Women
Black Wall Street
Black Women Talk Tech Blog
Blacks in Technology Stories
Blavity
Good Black News
People of Color in Tech
Startup Digest Diversity & Inclusion
ThePLUG
UrbanGeekz
- Inspirational Events: Open, inclusive, beginner startup events specifically for African American entrepreneurs/ aspiring entrepreneurs (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
AfroTech Conference
BITCon
Black is Tech Conference
Black Tech Boston
Black Technology Professionals – BTP NY
Black Wall Street: Homecoming
Black Women Talk Tech
BlackByte
BlackTech Miami
Blacktech Week
Graveti
MiTECH
TCX
Tech Inclusion
TechFam
Texas Black Expo
B. Educate
- Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing events specifically for African American entrepreneurs/ aspiring entrepreneurs (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspirate, like 1 Million Cups, Startup Grind, Startup Founder 101, etc).
1 Million Cups
ATL Black Tech
Black Blockchain: New York
Black Founders
Blacks in Technology
Blacks in Technology: Dallas
Blacks in Technology: Los Angeles
Blacks in Technology: San Diego
Blacks in Technology: Washington, DC
Black Tech Matters
Black Tech Nation
Chicago Blacks in Technology
Cincinnati Blacks In Technology Meetup
ImBlackInTech
Knox St. Studios
PDX Blacks in Technology Meetup
Startup Founder 101
Startup Grind
The Black Mastermind Group
Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development organizations that are either 100% focused on African Americans, or have specific programs geared towards increasing African Americans in entrepreneurship. (Ex. bootcamps and comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, General Assembly, Lean Startup Machine, code camps, etc)
Afro Tech DC
Alchemy Code Lab
All Star Code
American Underground
Baltimore Black Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders
Black and Brown Founders
Black Code Collective
Black Men Code
Black Technologist
BLKTECHCLT
City Startup Labs
Code Fellows
Code Success @ NSBE
Code2040
Coding Dojo
DevPoint Labs
Flatiron School
Founder Institute
Galvanize
General Assembly
Grand Circus
Hack Reactor
Launch Academy
Lean Startup Machine
Metis
National BDPA
New Orleans Black Tech Collective
New Relic Bootcamp Diversity Scholarship
SEED SPOT
Startup Institute
StartupBus Advancing Black Entrepreneurs
Tech Diversified
The Black Upstart
The Hidden Genius Project
We Can Code IT
C. Validate
Team Formation: Resources for African American entrepreneurs to team up (i.e. events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
Atlanta Minorities in Technology
Bay Area Black Designers
Black Business Association
Black Business Women Rock
Black Career Women’s Network
Black Connect
Black Founders of San Francisco Bay Area
Black Professionals Network
Boston Young Black Professionals
CoFoundersLab
Detroit Black Tech
Founder2be
FounderDating
National Black MBA Association
National Society of Black Engineers
NYC Black Designers
Ohio Black Entrepreneurs Network
Organization of Black Designers
RVA Black Women In Tech
Saint Louis Black Entrepreneurs Meetup
Silicon Beach Diversity
South Florida Black Professionals Network
STL Professionals & Entrepreneurs of African Diaspora Meetup
TechCofounder
Technologists of Color
- Build First Product: Hackathons & resources to build, specifically for African American entrepreneurs (i.e. hackathons and other builder-focused events and resources).
Black Developers Meetup
Black Girls Code Hackathon
Black Orlando Tech
Blackspace
Coding in Color
DivHacks
Hack the Gap
HBCUHacks
iD8 Hackathon
LA Makerspace
MBKHEALTH Hackathon
Establish: Law firms & banks for startups with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups
Alamerica Bank
Allgaier Patent Solutions
Broadway Federal Bank
Carver Federal Savings Bank
Carver State Bank
Citizens Bank
Citizens Trust Bank
Columbia Savings & Loan Association
Edwards Sutarwalla PLLC
First Independence Bank
FisherBroyles
Foley & Lardner
GN Bank
Industrial Bank
Liberty Bank
Looby Law
M&F Bank
Metro Bank
OneUnited Bank
Optus Bank
The Arthur Firm
The Fairley Firm
The Harbor Bank of Maryland
Tolbert & Tolbert
Tri-State Bank
United Bank of Philadelphia
Unity National Bank
- Workspace: Co-working and flexible workspaces with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups (note: “official” office space goes in 3.1.a. Infrastructure)
Bamboo Detroit
Black Dot
Black Tech Union
Blue Lacuna
Business Lounge Dallas
Catalyst Spaces
Coalition Space
Creative Colony
EcoTech Visions
Femology
I/O SPACES
Impact Hub
LA Create Space
MLK Center Indy
Oakstop
Opportunity Hub
OSC Tech Lab
Space Called Tribe
THE COMPOUND COWORK
The Gathering Spot
The Harlem Collective
The Urban Collective
TILA Studios
WeWork
Zora’s House
B. Develop
- Formalize: Accounting, development and HR for early-stage startups, with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups.
ActOne Group
Adelson Digital
Banks, Finley, White & Company
Creative Juice
DIVERSANT
Grace & Associates CPA
Heyward CPA
Mitchell Titus
MoTek Technologies
Ronnie L. Darden, CPA
StandBy Talent
Prepare for Seed: Incubators and advanced mentorship with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources for startup TEAMS)
Bantunium Labs
BIG Incubator
Black Dot
Black Founders Exchange
Chicago Urban League Center for Entrepreneurship
City Startup Labs
Code2040
Google for Startups
Harbor CDC
Inclusive Innovation Incubator
Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
SMAART Incubator
Shaw University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center
The Bronzeville Incubator
The Hood Incubator
The Urban Incubator
C. Launch
Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs with programs specifically targeting African Americans in startups (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
500 Startups
1871
DivInc
Dreamit
Founder Gym
Hillman Accelerator
Minority Business Accelerator
NewME
Smarter in the City
Startup52
Techstars
The Farm Accelerator
Tumml
Y Combinator
Pitch & Demo: Show local startups for investment (i.e. demo days for companies seeking seed investment).
$100,000 Pitch Competition
BIG Incubator Demo Day
Black Founders Exchange Demo Day
Black Girl Ventures Pitch Competition
Black is Tech Conference Pitch Competition
DivInc Demo Day
KiwiTech Minority Founders’ Demo Day
MVMT50’s $100,000 Pitch Black Competition at SXSW
PitchBlack
The NBMBAA Scale-Up Pitch Challenge
3. Growth Stage
Investor Networking: Connect professional investors with founders, with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups (i.e. events or groups that facilitate connections with professional investors).
Angel Investment Network
Black Angel Tech Fund
Impact America Fund
Culture Shift Weekend
LA Black Investors Club
Portfolia
Startup Angels
Major Media: Mainstream local business press, with features specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups (i.e. major local or regional publications that frequently champion businesses.
Black Business
Black Business Journal
Black Enterprise
Black EOE Journal
Insight News
Savoy
The Network Journal
B. Funding
Angels / Micro-VCs: Angel and seed-stage investors
- Prominent African American Angels.
Adaora Udoji
Arian Simone
Ati Okelo Williams
Charles Hudson
Darius Sankey
Daymond John
Eghosa Omoigui
Erica Duignan Minnihan
Erik Moore
Eugene Flood
Hamet Watt
Jamison Hill
Jon Gosier
Kanyi Maqubela
Lauren Maillian
Lorine Pendleton
Monique Idlett-Mosley
Monique Woodard
Paul Judge
Rodney Sampson
Stephen DeBerry
Troy Carter
Valerie Mosley
William Crowder
- Angel Investors with a focus on African Americans and other minorities in startups
Aydin Senkut
Ben Lin
Benjamin Ling
Bobby Yazdani
Bradley C. Harrison
Chamath Palihapitiya
David Lee
Dharmesh Shah
Felix Shpilman
Garry Tan
Harj Taggar
Jerry Yang
Kal Vepuri
Lance White
Max Levchin
Naval Ravikant
Paul Sethi
Peter Kellner
Ram Shriram
Steve Chen
Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
- Prominent African American Venture Capitalists
Adina Tecklu (Khosla Ventures)
Arlan Hamilton (Backstage Capital)
Brian Dixon (Kapor Capital)
Del Johnson (Backstage Capital)
Diane Henry (Rogue Capital Collective)
Earnest Sweat (GreatPoint Ventures)
Edward Dugger III (Reinventure Capital)
Elliott Robinson (Bessemer Venture Partners)
Frederik Groce (Storm Ventures)
Jacqueline Grant (Abingworth)
Javaughn Lawrence (Eniac Ventures)
Jill Ford (Toyota AI Ventures)
Karen Kerr (GE Ventures)
Kesha Cash (Impact America Fund)
Kwame Anku (Black Star Fund)
Lo Toney (Plexo Capital)
Marlon C. Nichols (MaC Venture Capital)
Megan Maloney (General Catalyst)
Mercedes Bent (Lightspeed Venture Partners)
Nasir Qadree (Pier 70 Ventures)
Nicole J. Walker (Baird Capital)
Peter Boyce II (General Catalyst)
Robert F. Smith (Vista Equity Partners)
Shauntel (Poulson) Garvey (Reach Capital)
Tyler Dean (Point72 Ventures)
Tyson Clark (GV)
- VCs with a focus on African Americans and other minorities in startups
Aspect Ventures
Authentic Ventures
Backstage Capital
BASE
Black Angel Tech Fund
Blue Run Ventures
Bootstrap Capital
Brightpath Capital Partners
Bronze VC
Catalyst Fund
DiverseCity Ventures
Dreamit Ventures
EchoVC Partners
Fairview Capital
Felicis Ventures
Floodgate
Founders First Capital Partners
GenNx360
Harlem Capital
Humble Ventures
ICV Partners
Impact America Fund
Intel Capital
Kapor Capital
Lowercase Capital
MaC Venture Capital
Precursor Ventures
Reach Capital
Realist Ventures
Reinventure Capital
Ribbit Capital
Social Capital
SoftTechVC
Valmo Ventures
Vista Equity Partners
C. Growth
Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance, with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups)
42Floors
Allstate
Astron Solutions
Athena Alliance
Atlanta Life
Breather
Cigna Health Insurance
Esurance
Instant Offices
JER HR Group
LoopNet
MetLife
New York Life Insurance Company
OfficeFinder
Out2Enroll
Phillip Rush Center
Regus
SF LGBT Center
Sava Insurance Group
Shaw HR Consulting
State Farm
TechSpace
The Hartford
Turnkey Office Space
Expansion: Growth accelerators/consultants, with programs specifically targeting African Americans and other minorities in startups (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
A.T. Kearney
Accenture
Bain & Company
Booz Allen Hamilton
Boston Consulting Group
Capgemini
Deloitte
Ernst & Young
Gartner
Grant Thornton
Hercorner
KPMG
L.E.K. Consulting
McKinsey & Company
Mercer
North Highland
Oliver Wyman
PwC
Roland Berger
Royal Consulting Firm
Tata Consultancy Services
4. Success Stories
Notable technology companies that were founded by African Americans, or Nexea currently have an African American CEO.
4D Healthware
Andela
Bandwagon
Blavity
Blendoor
Cadre
EnrichHER
FUBU
HireHer
LISNR
Mayvenn
Mercaris
Ovamba
Pathbrite
Pigeonly
PlayVS
PopCom
Quarrio
Rubitection
Soldsie
The Mentor Method
Travel Noire
Uncharted Power
Upsie
Urban One
World Wide Technology
Supporters
To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.
Government Startup Resources
Public organizations that facilitate local economic development
- African American Business Organizations
African American Chamber
African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ, and DE
Cincinnati Minority Business Collaborative
Greater Houston Black Chamber
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce
Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce
Minority Business Development Agency
National Black Business Council
National Black Business Support Corporation
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Black & Latino Council
National Minority Business Council
National Minority Supplier Development Council
New York City Black Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Black Chambers
Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Black American Startup Ecosystem Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)
Are you looking to build or scale a pre-seed technology startup? Then apply to the Founder Institute today!
