It makes sense that I’m composing this post while sitting in a Workfrom cafe. I mean, it’s a virtual cafe. But still. More on that later. What’s top of mind right now is that Workfrom has received a $50,000 non dilutive investment from Google for Startups as part of the Black Founders Fund.
If you’re not familiar with the Black Founders Fund, it’s a new initiative designed to ensure Google investments are seeking more diverse candidates.
Across the US, there are amazing Black startup founders that are building great companies yet are locked out of access to the funding that is critical to their success.
The $5M Google for Startups Black Founders Fund provides non-dilutive cash awards to Black led startups that have participated in our programs or have been nominated by our partner community. Selected founders receive between $50,000 and $100,000 in capital along with hands-on support to help their startup grow.
“This and future funding, coupled with the access to technical resources and programming Google is providing, increases our chances of success and helps sustain our team’s relentless drive towards our mission to make remote and independent work more social and more accessible,” founder Darren Buckner to the Portland Business Journal.
For on the funding, see the Workfrom post. For more on the cafe concept, see the Portland Business Journal.
[Full disclosure: Workfrom is a PIE alum. I am the cofounder and general manager of PIE.]