The premise is clear enough to those in the know: Black and brown entrepreneurs have a harder time both raising venture capital and bootstrapping it.
In a push to level the playing field, Tinsel founder Aniyia Williams launched an effort called Black & Brown Founders, which held its first conference in May of this year in San Francisco.
“People who are trying to build a businesses are being told a story of how to get venture capital money, but the reality is a different one for women and people of color,” said Williams, a Penn State grad. “The checks just aren’t being cut.”
Williams is on a push to bring together other founders facing the same context. On Oct. 9 and 10, the Black & Brown Founders conference is happening at Quorum, with Mayor Jim Kenney as headliner and a roster of 21 speakers.
Get ticketsBig ups to Comcast NBCUniversal, StartupPHL, Penn State, and Drexel for supporting Black & Brown Founders Project Philly! pic.twitter.com/IMlbaLvLXU
— Black & Brown Founders (@BBFounders) September 21, 2017
Slots are open for those wanting to offer their expertise as mentors during the one-on-one sessions by emailing hello@bbfounders.co.
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