Amazon Music joins podcasting fray; The US Billionaire Bonanza; Thank you #notoriousrbg.
A weekly newsletter for Black and Brown women highlighting entrepreneurship and venture capital in the tech ecosystem.
Hello all,
A giant has left the building. Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a feminist icon and a fierce advocate for civil rights, died Friday due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer. We honor Justice Ginsburg’s inspiring life and legacy. May she rest in peace. Thank you #rbg#notoriousrbg.
Zwift, which gamifies workouts, raised $450 million at a $1 billion valuation. McKinsey adds a femtech track to their yearly Early Stage Investor Conference. Dealroom wants to close the diversity data gap on their platform. Watch the pitch videos from the Entrepreneur First latest cohort of technology companies from London, Paris, and Berlin-Europe 14 Demo Day. Facebook announced that it will open an office in Lagos, Nigeria in H2 2021. Lightspeed Venture Partners announced the incoming 2020 Lightspeed Scouts-a program for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander communities who will receive support and capital as they join the venture industry.
INSIGHTS
Fund Allocator Plots Extra $20 Billion for Minority Managers
-Hema Parmar / Bloomberg
New diversity ‘standard’ for VC firms launches
-Amy Lewin / Sifted
Understanding Startup Stock Options
-Y Combinator
A Startup’s Physical Location Matters Less Than Ever Before
-TechStars
Why Investors Are About To Have Their Glassdoor Moment
-Paul Armstrong / Forbes
Kerry Washington explains why she became a startup investor
-Anthony Ha / TechCrunch
FUNDING & COMPETITIONS
Female Founders Leadership Accelerator, “Lead F” for Female Entrepreneurial Minds that Shape the World of Tomorrow. Apply by September 20, 2020.
Students curious about VC should apply to the 2020 Dorm Room Fund Partner Program. Applications are due September 22, 2020.
Y Combinator is accepting applications from startups for the Winter 2021 funding cycle. It will take place from January–March 2021. The deadline is September 23 at 8:00pm PT.
Fall Fundraising Days, A virtual week of curated events, office hours, and VC panels--organized by Brooklyn Bridge Ventures. Deadline, September 23, 2020.
The Founder Institute-Black American Founder Fellowship will enable at least one applicant per program to take the Institute’s accelerator program for free.
Collab Capital launches The PrepSchool for Founders: Capital Readiness Immersive. An 8-week program designed for high-potential Black founders. Apply by September 23, 2020.
UPCOMING (VIRTUAL) EVENTS
Afrobytes presents-Business Networking Series: Connectivity #1, “Connecting the Unconnected in Emerging Markets.” September 22, 2020.
OneTech 2020 Launch - New Incubator Programmes for Diverse Founders, September 22, 2020.
INSEAD Workshop: Venture Capital, Business Angels, and Starts Ups, A free 3-hour session. September 22, 24, 26 and Oct 2, 3, 2020.
Accion Venture Lab will host three separate fundraising workshops this fall for early-stage female fintech founders in Mexico, India and Brazil. Sept 22, Oct 6-7, and Oct 29, 2020.
Art of the Pitch: A Conversation with Black Female Founders by Women in Leadership - Ottawa, September 22, 2020.
Fireside Chat with Nnamdi Okike x Dave Salvant on Building Squire, hosted by Valence. September 24, 2020.
Black Tech Fest-Celebrating black innovation & creativity in partnership with Informa Tech, October 13-15, 2020.
Africa Tech Summit, October 20-22, 2020.
The Africa Tech Infrastructure: How Can Technology Transform African Economy? September 23, 2020.
ON OUR RADAR
How Two Sisters Started Miami's First Afro-Cuban, Woman-Owned Cigar Company.
American Billionaires Have Increased Their Wealth by $845 Billion Since the Pandemic Hit.
Young Latinos: A Generation of Change, A new report from Telemundo, working with Buzzfeed News.
Louisville agrees to pay Breonna Taylor's family $12 million and enact police reforms in historic settlement.
PEOPLE
Lybra Clemons becomes the first Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer at Twilio.
Kevin Clark joins Netflix as Director of Preschool Animation.
Pearlena Igbokwe, a Nigerian-born media executive, has been appointed chairman of Universal Studio Group.
Tonal, an AI home gym, backed by Steph Curry, raised $110 million.
A heartfelt thank you for reading and see you next week!
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