VC Hype Playlist; Plaid Launches FinRise Incubator For Entrepreneurs Of Color; Africa Funding Report 2020; One Night In Miami
A weekly newsletter for Black and Brown women highlighting entrepreneurship and venture capital in the tech ecosystem.
Happy Sunday!
“Ugly” food delivery Imperfect Foods raised $95 million in Series D funding. Clubhouse is reportedly fielding investor interest at a $1 billion valuation. Instacart plans to lay off nearly 2,000 of its workers inlcuding all union members. Facebook Asks Oversight Board Whether Trump's Account Should Be Restored. Loon, Google’s internet balloon project is dead.
INSIGHTS
You raised seed — and now you want to raise a Series A
-Sophia Bendz / Cherry Ventures
5 years of gender data in VC
-William McQuillan / Frontline
African Tech Startups Funding Report 2020
-Disrupt Africa
VC Hype Playlist: What Emerging VCs Listen to Before Meetings
-Siya Raj Purohit / Pathway Ventures
The Non-Obvious Guide to Fundraising
-Gigi Levy-Weiss/ NFX
Why we need to start looking at Europe as one tech ecosystem
-Alex Ong
Is this a VC bubble, or just the new normal?
-Tomio Geron / Protocol
OPPORTUNITIES, FUNDING & COMPETITIONS
Lightning Rounds-Investor Pitches for Black and Brown Founders hosted by gener8tor. Startups apply to pitch by February 1, 2021
Plaid launches FinRise, an incubator program to empower early-stage entrepreneurs that are Black, Indigenous or People of Color. Apply by February 21, 2021.
Midemlab 2021 Music Startup Competition. Open to startups offering an innovative solution for the music/entertainment industry. Apply by March 14, 2021.
2021 Tony Elumelu Foundation Flagship Entrepreneurship Programme will provide startups with training, mentorship and $5,000 in funding. Apply by March 31, 2021.
The Techstars + Western Union Accelerator. This (virtual) program focuses on startups looking to shape the future of how money moves. Deadline April 11, 2021.
UPCOMING (VIRTUAL) EVENTS
Conversations on Diversity in Silicon Valley, Women in Investing, January 28, 2021.
The VCs panel- Focusing on Fashion and BeautyTech new business models, hosted by Fab Co-Creation Studio Ventures. January 28, 2021.
Virtual Fireside with Investors of Color Network's Eli Velasquez, Co-Founder, and Angel Capital Association Board Member, January 28, 2021.
Impact Ventures Accelerator Presents Fall 2020 Virtual Startup Showcase & $50,000 Pitch Competition, January 30, 2021.
Raising a Seed Round, Q&A fireside chat with Elizabeth Yin, GP at Hustle Fund. February 3, 2021.
500 Startups Batch 27 Digital Demo Day for founders, press, and investors, February 4, 2021.
Wearables & Healthcare: Female Founders Stories, February 11, 2021.
ON OUR RADAR
Douglas Emhoff: I Might Be the First Second Gentleman, But I Don't Want to Be the Last.
Netflix confirms Shuffle Play feature will officially launch this year.
The uncomfortable truth: Why more white women didn’t rally behind the Biden-Harris campaign.
PEOPLE / ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jay-Z launches a $10 million cannabis fund to help minority-owned businesses who have missed out on the marijuana boom.
Michele Ghee is named new CEO of Ebony and Jet.
uLesson, a Nigeria ed-tech startup raises $7.5 million Series A round for African expansion.
Aerobotics, a South African startup raises $17 million to use drones and satellites to provide farmers with crop data.
Nothing but Gold (NbG) -a Nike Project- IS A NEW KIND OF SHOPPING APP designed for girls who 'Just Do It' their own way.
A heartfelt thank you for reading and see you next week!
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