Julia Dous’ Post

Founder friends! Applications are now open for ASTRSK's pro bono competition, awarding one-year, full-service PR contract from their entire agency, a $250k value. Last year, Hadley was very fortunate to win the prize, and it's been a true delight working hand in hand with such a dedicated team. <1% of venture capital goes to LGBTQ+ founders. When people ask me how I'm building Hadley as a solo founder, I always point to the partners who show up as accomplices. This opportunity reflects ASTRSK's commitment to boosting under-represented founders and also to making our country a better place. ASTRSK recognizes the very real problem we face around under-saving for school and retirement and shares my passion for solving this problem with Hadley. Because of their incredible work, Hadley has been featured in national media outlets, including broadcast. Thank you, ASTRSK, for helping Hadley refine our voice and message, attract investment, and spread the word to our neighbors about how Hadley is an app you can download to start saving and receive contributions from friends, family, and employers. Criteria -Open to consumer-facing, early-stage startups that have raised LESS than $1.5M in funding -Women, BIPOC, AAPI, and/or LGBTQ+ founded I encourage founders who fit the criteria to apply, and please feel free to reach out with any qs!

Identity.vc is bringing capital and community to Europe's LGBTQ+ venture ecosystem | TechCrunch When Til Klein and Jochen Beutgen came across Gaingels, the U.S.-based syndicate of angel investors backing LGBTQ+ founders, they wondered why there wasn’t a firm looking to do the same for the European LGBTQ+ startup community. Five years later, when a firm like that still didn’t exist, Klein and Beutgen decided they should try to launch one themselves. In 2023, the pair launched Identity.vc, a venture firm that invests in early-stage companies with at least one founder or executive who ide... Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dHgaDCCH . . Like 💝 Comment below ⏬ Share ✅ For More Such Updates Follow Us @qnewshub @qnewscrunch . . #qnewshub #qnewscrunch #StartupFunding

🥁Drumroll, please!!! We are announcing that applications are open for our SEVENTH Annual ASTRSK Pro Bono Contest!! This year's judges include Michael Kaye (of Match Group's OkCupid & ARCHER), Zhenni Liu (Partner at MaC Venture Capital) and Colin Daniels, M.A. (Editor at ADWEEK). Since the day I met Elliot Tomaeno, we have always talked about how important it was for us to try and use our "PR powers for good." Being part of marginalized communities ourselves, we know first-hand the struggles many people face when starting and scaling a business, including lack of capital, mentorship, networking connections and more. As an agency, we have always provided space and offered more flexibility for underrepresented founders with a mission of getting as many of them the spotlight they deserve in the media. I'm so incredibly proud of the work our team has done over the years landing these pro bono clients on Cosmo to WSJ to Bloomberg, NYT and much more. Who will be next?!? More information and link to apply below! Open to consumer-facing, early-stage startups that have raised LESS than $1.5M in funding and are either women, BIPOC, AAPI, and/or LGBTQ+ founded – the winner is granted a one-year, full-service PR contract from our entire agency of comms experts! In the last half a decade, we've given over $1.25 MILLION in PR services working with incredible startups and founders at their earliest stages such as Beam Impact (Viveka Hulyalkar and Alex Sadhu), Juicebox (Brianna Rader), Stix (Jamie Norwood and Cynthia Plotch), Both& Apparel (Finnegan Shepard), HairDays, Inc. (Dr. Tiffany St. Bernard,) and most recently Hadley (Yosh Miller). #pr #help #startups #founders #funding #network #probono #publicrelations #bipoc #aapi #LGBTQ #lgbtqcommunity #femalefounded https://lnkd.in/gmQ_x6hx

Today, on #NationalComingOutDay, I want to draw attention to the lack of LGBTQ+ representation among the #VC industry. Despite making up ~5% of the US population (& rapidly growing with 20% of GenZ identifying as queer), less than 1% of investment partners at VC firms identify as LGBTQ+. (We estimate, since no one is actually tracking investor representation the same way we are for founders). This underrepresentation stunts innovation and limits the flow of capital to founders and companies serving the queer community. Homogenous investment teams lead to groupthink that overlooks promising opportunities. To help turn the tide, Liam Vernon Silk and I started Queer VC, a network for #LGBTQ+ identifying venture capitalists and ecosystem partners. Our focus is on building community while advocating for greater inclusion in an industry that's 80% male, 70% white (Deloitte), and concentrated between hubs of NYC, SF, and Boston. There is still work to be done, but progress comes when people stand up and speak out. If you are a VC who identifies as LGBTQ+, join us as we transform the industry and how we can bring our whole selves to this work. https://lnkd.in/gDJG_5Ej We're also headed to launch our #Chicago chapter next week. We've been busy since launching in July, establishing chapters in SF and NYC. We're thrilled to bring this network to support the growing #vc community in a major midwest hub with a thriving #queer community. Thanks Sammie Hasen for leading this effort on the ground! Did you know Chicago has more queer owned restaurants than SF? https://lnkd.in/gxhN-KVN DMs are open if you'd like to join us or learn more about how to support Queer VC. For allys wanting to engage, we're always looking for #sponsors for our dinners 😉. With greater diversity among checkwriters, we can better support #queer founders, accelerate #innovation, and create a more #equitable startup ecosystem. The time for #LGBTQ+ venture is now!

We’re proud to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Lesbians Who Tech & Allies :: Queer. Inclusive. Badass. The atmosphere was charged with the spirit of inclusion as LGBTQ+ tech and business leaders gathered together. Right now, women are some of the most gifted people in technology. Yet there are far fewer of than there should be: Women account for 1 in 5 people in STEM fields. (That stat is even lower for queer women.) Because there aren’t enough women, trans, and GNC people in tech, they are rarely quoted as experts by the mainstream media and blogs, serve on panels, and serve in high positions at top tech companies. B. Pagels-Minor, founder of DVRGNT Ventures, reminds us of the qualities of an empathetic and vulnerable leader. Here’s to fostering a community in tech where everyone’s unique strengths are included. #LWTSummit

🏳️🌈 Calling all trailblazers in the world of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and investment! 🚀 🌟 Are you a visionary founder driving change in your industry? 🌈 Are you a passionate funder eager to support LGBTQ+ ventures? 💼 Do you believe in the power of diversity and inclusion to shape the future of business? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then mark your calendars and get ready to join us for an event like no other! 🗓️✨ At May 28th in 42workspace Rotterdam, we're bringing together the brightest minds and the boldest ideas in the LGBTQ+ entrepreneurial ecosystem. Whether you're an established investor looking for the next big opportunity or an up-and-coming founder seeking mentorship and funding, this is the place to be. Here's what you can expect: 1️⃣ Hear from industry leaders who are breaking barriers and paving the way for LGBTQ+ representation in business. 2️⃣ Engage in thought-provoking conversations on topics ranging from access to capital to building inclusive workplaces. 3️⃣ Connect with fellow queer funders and founders, forge valuable partnerships, and expand your professional network. But Queer Funders & Founders isn't just about business—it's about community. It's about celebrating our shared successes, supporting each other through challenges, and building a more inclusive future, one investment at a time. 🚀 Ready to be a part of something extraordinary? Sign up now to reserve your spot and join us in shaping the future of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and investment! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e-hnYCWJ Organized by Sabine Schoorl MBA 🏳️🌈 + LUMO Labs, the impact driven tech investor. #LGBTQ+ #Entrepreneurship #Investment #DiversityandInclusion #QueerBusiness #Innovation #Networking #CommunityBuilding #ChangeMakers

🌈🚀 It's disheartening to learn from the Proud Ventures Identity Report that 75% of LGBTQ+ founders in the UK tech industry and 80% of investors don't feel safe sharing their gender and sexual identity with their peers. This is a reminder that there's still work to be done in creating an inclusive and accepting environment for everyone in the tech world. At Antler, we're committed to fostering diversity and embracing the LGBTQ+ community. That's why we're thrilled to collaborate with Series Q on our upcoming event "Starting Out" 🌈 🦄, where we aim to empower LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and creators. Join us for a panel discussion this Thursday featuring incredible individuals like Mandeep Soor, Co-founder of Bendi, and Nicolas Buteau, Founder and CEO at Yayem. It's an opportunity to gain insights, network, and collectively drive towards a more diverse and inclusive startup landscape. Event Details: 🗓️ Date: Thursday 10th August 🕕 Time: 6:30 PM onwards 📍 Location: Antler HQ https://lnkd.in/eMSdsiMw Agenda: 🚪 6:30 PM: Doors Open, Networking 🎙️ 7:00 PM: Panel Discussion 🤝 7:45 PM: Networking 🍻 8:30 PM: Wind down 🛑 9:00 PM: Event closes We're also offering 📋 Pitch Clinics for LGBTQ+-founded companies. If you're an early-stage business seeking VC investment, this is your chance to refine your pitch and receive feedback from experienced founders and investors. Let's create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their true selves and their innovative ideas. Join us in building a future that's not just innovative, but inclusive too. See you there, ready to make strides towards an inclusive tech landscape! 🌟🚀 #DiversityAndInclusion #LGBTQ+ #StartupCommunity #StartingOut #InnovateInclusively #DayZero

🌈 This cohort, we have the greatest LGBTQ+ representation we've ever had (that I know of). As a gay investor, of course, that's personally very gratifying. And as I think about tomorrow's LGBTQ+ Pitch Event (Tuesday 3/26 @5pm) here at Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator it's caused me to reflect about why we do these events in the first place. It's not just because we believe in an equitable, level playing field for founders of all types, from all backgrounds. Although I certainly do. It's also because it makes financial sense. We're an accelerator -- but we're also a VC fund, and it's our job to deliver returns to our own LPs. And like any investor, we are always looking for an advantage…the idea that no one has thought of and, maybe more importantly, the founders that other investors haven't met. Folks can debate to what extent LGBTQ+ founders are at a disadvantage in the NYC startup scene. But what I've observed is that founders from our community often come through non-traditional channels. We do these events to create a space where founders feel welcome to participate, learn, and pitch their ideas, even if they feel they're not the "venture type" (whatever on Earth that is). If we're going to meet extraordinary founders, we need to dive deep into extraordinary communities. Which is all to say, I hope you'll join us for tomorrow's event -- allies are welcome! We'll have a panel of entrepreneurs and experts to discuss the topics I've written about here and hear pitches from some amazing founders with exciting ideas. Thanks in advance to Catalina Daniels, Carlo Cisco, Noah Robinson, MSc, and Jessica Offer from our wonderful supporter Withum. Hope to see you tomorrow! https://lu.ma/era27-lgbtq

Founders, please join for one of Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator's most informative and inspiring discussions, led by my business partner and dear friend Brian Hecht. Come hear 3 of our top entrepreneurs talk about their founder experiences and learn more about our upcoming Summer 2024 accelerator cohort! #startups #vc #founders #ally #lgbtq

Ecosystem Spotlight: Meet StartOut! We’re so honored to spotlight the incredible organization within the ecosystem doing the work to create a shift toward equity. Today, we want to spotlight an amazing LGBTQ+ organization on a mission. Meet StartOut! StartOut accelerates the growth of the LGBTQ+ community to drive its economic empowerment, building a world where every LGBTQ+ entrepreneur has equal access to lead, succeed, and shape the workforce of the future. StartOut believes empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs can unlock untapped business and economic value and become an essential driver of inclusivity and social progress. They provide LGBTQ+ founders with curated access to resources, expert support, and engagement to accelerate their ideas and businesses to grow, innovate, obtain financing, create jobs and give back to the communities that were instrumental in their success. We’re so honored to have them in the ecosystem making strides toward a more equitable tech industry! Learn more about them and how you can get involved here: https://startout.org/ #genderequalityintech #techleaders #womenintechnology #genderequality #inclusivetech #inclusivity #computerscience #womeninstem #equityintech #entrepreneurship #womenintech #genderequity #GETcommunity #innovation #technology #leadership #investment #startups #community #accelerator #blackintech #racialequity #womenintech #indigenoustech #latinasintech #blackwomenintech #latinosintech #latinx #getcities #getcitieshubs