Shegun Otulana

Drop In Venture Funding To Black-Founded Startups Greatly Outpaces Market Decline Chris MetinkoGené Teare February 27, 2024 Venture funding to Black-founded U.S. startups last year totaled only $705 million — marking the first time since 2016 that the figure failed to even reach $1 billion, Crunchbase data shows. The decline in capital to Black-founded companies greatly outpaces the overall decline in startup funding. While total venture dollars in the U.S. fell 37% last year, funding to Black-founded startups dropped a staggering 71%, according to Crunchbase data. Last year’s total investment in Black-founded startups in the U.S. marks the lowest amount since such startups raised only $582 million in 2016. The drop in total dollars also meant Black-founded startups received their lowest share in the venture market since at least 2016, per Crunchbase. Black-founded startups received less than 0.5% of the $140.4 billion in venture funding all U.S.-based startups received last year. In 2021, Black-founded startups received 1.4% of all U.S. venture funding. In 2022, it was 1.1%.

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Today's the day. This has been a long time coming, and Pixlmob v.1 is finally here! We took in our first venture capital from SCRA: South Carolina Research Authority & Founderville in August (thank you to several angel investors who believed in us way before that!). Since that time we have deployed so much and grown exponentially, but now the core product features we were working on building are finally ready. If you've got three minutes, enjoy our mini-keynote as we drop some new tech that will revolutionize the real estate media world's ability to get work done. When work gets easier, more people can build the lives they want. At Pixlmob our "north star" is to build a platform where anyone on the planet is free to find and complete fulfilling work. This is a huge step forward in helping our vendors differentiate their unique businesses to be selected (through ASAP in particular). It's also a huge step forward for our customers to manage their projects with integrations to key platforms and project management tools for nightly production work (and so many more features)! #makeworksuckless

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Economic Development and Developers in the News # 153 Econ dev news from 85 economic development executives and organizations in 24 states.

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If you're building a fintech startup, you likely know of this investor, but just in case... This week's findfunding.vc spotlight is on Neil Kapur from TTV Capital. He: 🛫 Is based in SF & Atlanta 💲 Has spent time at Google in consumer-facing payments & at two fintech startups  🏔️ Loves alpine mountaineering and has climbed Kilimanjaro, Denali, Rainier, and more!! Amongst founders, Neil and the team at TTV Capital , including Gardiner Garrard, Mark Johnson, Sean Banks, Lizzie Guynn, and Laney Lewis are known for saying “lift, not lean.” They believe that their job as investors is not to create work for founders, but instead ask the right questions and help navigate to the best outcomes. Knowing Neil well personally, he's not only my go-to person for anything related to fintech but I can also highly recommend having him on your cap table - he's the kind of human you want to have in your corner during both good times and bad. Make sure to: ✉️ Pitch him at nkapur@ttvcapital.com ➡️ Follow TTV Capital on LinkedIn For more, check out our funder spotlight card below along with TTV Capital's profile on findfunding.vc (link in comments).

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The ultimate list for the #startup founder getting it together to raise capital #funding from #Angel Investors, and #Venture Capitalist (VCs). Help other entrepreneurs find the resources they need. Like, and REPOST! 👇

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Economic Development and Developers in the News # 152 Econ dev news from 48 economic development executives and organizations in 25 states.

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Discover how Thrive Business Operations empowers entrepreneurs to work strategically on their business! 🌟 Our Thrive meetings foster healthy business practices and provide a platform for idea-sharing among Upstate business owners. https://lnkd.in/en4J_XJX #ClientTestimonial #ThriveBusinessOperations #StrategicGrowth #scaleyourbusiness #businessgrowthexpert #businessgrowthtips #businessmodel #chiefoperatingofficer #FractionalLeadership #Execution #ThriveOpsCycle

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Unlocking Opportunities: How Venture Capital is Empowering Small Business Growth

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My amazing cousin, Cleven Ticeson (https://lnkd.in/gWis4xX6) , a 14 time Emmy award winning producer for KCTS9 in Seattle, is a hero of mine. I grew up watching the educational shows like Bill Nye and the performing arts they would showcase. He was following the work I have been doing de-siloing the Black professional class working in venture scale entrepreneurship in the Pacific Northwest and composed a news reel covering Dreamward Group that moved me not only because he is my hyper-talented and dear cousin but because it voiced and gave me the perspective of the decades that what we’re building has been missing from the mass culture and my culture. Lewis Rudd once told me that the hardest target to hit is an invisible one and my dear cousin hit me right in the heart by speaking in his video about the unseen, but nonetheless felt, absence of inclusive capitalization of startups. Felt by the generation of Black people that watched the tech industry grow not only painting Black technologists and Black founders out of the heroic saga of tech, but Black funders as well. I am so glad that Dreamward Group is able to paint the target and make it visible through our work. Venture Capital, the financial backing of the tech industry, just like tech itself, had an evolution with foundational moments in the 70s on Sand Hill Road in Silicon Valley yet it’s mechanics, drama, and operation are largely unknown to the public that isn’t working in tech entrepreneurship. It’s trajectory and heights of accomplishment with Andreessen Horowitz and Madrona Ventures are parallel and analogous to Google and Amazon…But only the later two brands are household names to people outside of the industry. The world knows the story of Black people being excluded from Tech, It knows the story of Black people being excluded from executive leadership. It experienced the Obama administration and the depravity of the Trump backlash and had to ask itself why it had actively or passively participated in writing off Black professionals. Some of the world hears of Black founders getting less than 2% of invested capital, but even on hearing that, they don’t know the story of Black people being excluded from the role of deciding which startups get funded using a yet third party’s (often their own government’s) money…That is the story of Venture Capital today, and that’s what Dreamward is changing for the future.

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Economic Development and Developers in the News # 156 Econ dev news from 56 economic development executives and organizations in 15 states.

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The Activity level of #VentureCapital in the Southeast Find it EVERY Friday here on Hypepotamus #Entrepreneur #Startup #Investor

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Funding struggles got you down? 😩 Blursoft MCA can help! 🚀 Get FAST, FLEXIBLE funding for your business - NO matter your credit. 💯 Apply in minutes & see if you qualify! 🤑 #SmallBusinessFunding #FastCash #Blursoft

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Economic Development and Developers in the News # 157 Econ dev news from 97 economic development executives and organizations in 28 states.

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#Opportunity! From Baddies in Tech: "Are you a Baddie with a #Startup? If so, Nex Cubed's HBCU Founders Accelerator may be the opportunity you've been looking for! It is a customized 16-week intensive program, primarily conducted virtually.    With a cohort size of 8-10 startups, the accelerator seeks to create a collaborative environment to foster entrepreneurial success. Throughout the program, each company is provided with dedicated executive-level support from paid advisors.    Nex Cubed will also make an initial investment of $120,000 in each selected startup to help support their growth!    At least one member of the founding team must be an HBCU student, alum, or faculty member; and the company must have a proof of concept/MVP that is in the market or on the verge of commercialization."   Applications for Cohort 3 are open NOW through May 31st, at 11:59 PM EST: https://lnkd.in/dYvBbpbm  

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Feeling lost in the early stages? Our new blog post breaks down the benefits and essentials of building a strong financial model for your startup (https://lnkd.in/grkR-qZV). It's your roadmap to growth and investor confidence. Connect with me to discuss your needs and explore how Parikh Financial can help. (Just comment below) Let's turn your vision into a reality! #startup #financialmodeling #parikhfinancial 

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How We Help Small Businesses Succeed! Hi, I'm Christopher Rivera, the owner of Alpha27, Inc. With over 25 years of experience in software development, architecture, and team management, I've led numerous innovative projects that deliver tangible business outcomes. At Alpha27, Inc., we specialize in providing Internet Technology Solutions tailored to the unique needs of small businesses. Our expertise spans a wide range of services, from web design and development to SEO and web hosting and more. Here's how we can help your business thrive: Web Design Creating a user-friendly website is crucial. Our web design services build clean, functional sites that reflect your brand, attract customers, and ensure easy navigation. Web Development We specialize in custom web development, ensuring your site is secure, scalable, and aligned with your business goals. From simple sites to complex apps, we've got you covered. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Struggling to get noticed online? Our SEO services boost your website's ranking, driving organic traffic and increasing visibility. We optimize content, improve structure, and ensure easy discovery by search engines and users. Digital Marketing Finding the right strategy to market your business can be daunting. We create tailored digital marketing plans, from social media campaigns to email marketing, implementing strategies that drive engagement, generate leads, and boost sales. Social Media Marketing Engaging with your audience on social media is essential for modern businesses. Our social media marketing services create compelling content, manage accounts, run targeted ads, build a strong online presence, and turn followers into customers. Web Hosting A fast and reliable website is key to providing a great user experience. Our web hosting solutions ensure your site is always up and running smoothly. We offer various hosting options to fit your needs, ensuring optimal performance and security for your website. Site Maintenance Keeping your website up-to-date and secure is vital for your business's success. Our maintenance services include regular updates, backups, and security checks, ensuring your site remains functional and protected from threats. Let us handle the technicalities while you focus on running your business. Product Development Do you have a great idea for a new product or service? Our product development services turn your vision into reality. From concept to launch, we create and refine MVPs using lean methods, reducing risk and speeding market entry. Ready to elevate your small business? Contact us today to learn how we can help you overcome your challenges and achieve your goals! #SmallBusiness #WebDesign #WebDevelopment #SEO #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #WebHosting #SiteMaintenance #ProductDevelopment #Alpha27

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