If you’re a Black founder seeking venture capital, you may want to look toward a Portland-based fund inspired by the struggles of another Black founder. Marceau Michel knows firsthand the frustrations of raising capital. But that negative experience also served as the motivation to provide a solution for other Black founders: the Black Founders Matter Fund.
Marceau Michel and Himalaya Rao started this fund after working in venture capital and seeing capital access disparities across communities of color. Marceau Michel was drawn to creating a fund after experiencing first-hand the difficulties of fundraising in a biased investment world. Himalaya Rao previously worked with seven different venture funds to source and screen investment opportunities. It was there that she realized even when there is a willingness to diversify the portfolio, there are significant barriers to achieving that outcome.
TAO will be hosting a discussion with Himalaya and Marceau about these topics, followed by a Q&A session, on February 19, 2021, at 9:00AM. The virtual event is free to attend.
For more information or to RSVP, visit “Support Equitable Funding with Black Founders Matter.”
[Full disclosure: Black Founders Matter is a PIE alum. I am the cofounder and general manager of PIE.]
