I had the pleasure of speaking on the opening panel for Yale Ventures' 10th annual Yale Innovation Summit this week alongside truly admirable changemakers, including Alphonso David (CEO of Global Black Economic Forum and attorney for The Fearless Fund), Steph Speirs (Co-Founder and CEO of Solstice), and Travis Whitfill (Chief Operating Officer at Azitra). My good friend Kaakpema "KP" Yelpaada (Faculty Director, InnovateHealth Yale and Global Health Advocate) moderated an important discussion about the intersection of social entrepreneurship and innovation. We each brought a unique perspective to the conversation, often focusing on the repercussions of uneven representation and unequal access to resources and capital.
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If you've followed my work, you know I often highlight how in 2023, women founding teams received 1.8% of venture capital dollars, and Black founding teams received 0.5%.
Think about what that means.
Women are unable to access 98% of venture capital, and Black founders are shut out of 99.5%.
You can read previous newsletters for deeper dives into this issue, but I'll skip ahead here.
KP's concluding question was, "What makes us feel hopeful?" Here was my answer: There is a significant shift happening right now. We are in a moment. I work with hundreds of founders and investors and have the privilege of being "in the room" for crucial conversations. Those who have been overlooked by venture capital and our broader financial systems have had enough. This movement spans all industries, professions, ages, and economic conditions. More of us are coming together to collaborate than ever before.
When you are part of a marginalized community, you often operate with a scarcity mindset because you're used to fighting for your crumb of an already small slice of the pie. This phenomenon, resulting from operating in a system not designed for us, has fragmented our efforts and prevented compounded change and progress. I've been an advocate for equal access to capital for four years now, and this is the first time I have *felt* a shift.
Do you feel it too? Are you noticing those around you reaching out and working together in ways they haven't before? There is a groundswell happening. There is money and power behind it.
Throughout the rest of the conference, attendees came up to share that they deeply resonated with my words and feel it too - in themselves and in their communities.
I am hopeful and I am taking action. I'd love to hear from you if you are too.
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| Keep reading to explore great upcoming events and opportunities below, and don't overlook our featured founder at the end! Thank you for reading. Thank you for supporting us. I appreciate you. |
Allison Byers, Founder & CEO |
Click on an item to learn more and access content.
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Investor Panel: Join us on Tuesday, June 25, from 2-3 pm ET for a panel discussion on how founders can concisely and effectively pitch and discuss AI. Investor panelists will share top tips on discussing your use of AI and what to avoid when pitching to investors, followed by a live Q+A session.
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Road Show: We are proud to partner with IFEL for the 2024 Creating Conscious Collisions Road Show. This invitation-only event series is designed for investors interested in driving returns through inclusion, allies and champions who support women of color entrepreneurs, and government policymakers. Learn more and request an invite to one of their 15 city shows here.
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InvestHer Summit: I'm virtually speaking and judging the pitch competition at the InvestHer Summit, held in Dublin, Ireland this June. Join funders, women founders, corporates, and policymakers to take action together to get 1M women entrepreneurs funded by 2030. |
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Click on an item to learn more and access content.
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Ignition Pitch Competition: I'm judging the ConV2X 5th Annual Ignition PITCH competition and applications are open to pitch! The competition welcomes submissions that address healthcare and life sciences solutions for public blockchain, private blockchain and consortium blockchain, contributions for a more decentralized, secure, and user-centered internet, enhanced efficiency and security of blockchain networks, and more.
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The Nobellum Innovator Program: A 6-month cohort-based training for Black Innovators & Startups in STEM. The program offers access to capital, workshops, and networking events designed to support Black business owners in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Applications due 6/30. |
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Blue Ridge Labs Fellowship: Robin Hood’s Blue Ridge Labs serves as the innovation hub of Robin Hood – New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization. They are looking for potential Fellows who are ruthlessly dedicated to addressing the most pressing issues for low-income communities in NYC, both getting an idea off the ground and sustaining it long-term.
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Hackrah Media is a full-service Gen-Z-led marketing agency that empowers mission-driven and impact-first organizations. |
This week, we will be taking a look at how you can create a successful social media strategy: |
3 Key Pillars for a Successful Social Media Strategy: -
Build Awareness – expanding your reach is crucial to garnering an audience (collaborate with UGC creators/influencers in your niche, utilize keywords/hashtags, and consider offering a discount/freebie as an incentive to visit your website or sign up for your email list).
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Build Engagement – make sure to keep your audience engaged through meaningful interactions (use interactive content like polls, Q&As, lives, etc., and engage directly with industry peers and followers).
- Build Community – build hype around your offerings and actively engage with your audience (use broadcast channels or VIP community chats, giveaway contests, invite-only launch events, etc.).
The TL;DR on Social Media Strategy? Social media is for building and connecting with your audience. Tap into relevant platforms and get creative to reach your audience! If you need our help with social media strategy, book a FREE 1:1 consultation call with our marketing experts here. |
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Each newsletter features the perspective of one of our members. I encourage you to reach out to offer networking, investment interest, or expertise. |
This month, we highlight Jamilyn Segal, Founder and CEO of ScriptDoor, an open-market distribution, publishing, and streaming platform that provides an instant, ready-made system for enterprise content providers that want control over their material from product pricing, advertising revenue, and connection to their consumers.
ScriptDoor works through a friendly and easy-to-use interface to publish, buy, sell, co-sell, collaborate, chat, manage advertising, and redistribution functionalities.
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"Driven by my passion for equity and inspired by the challenges of growing up in a developing country, I founded ScriptDoor to empower and transform the media industry. I've worked for a Telecom media cluster where I observed the construction of a collaborative ecosystem among companies. This inspired me to create a similar environment in the online business world, fostering a community of digital content providers. There’s a huge gap between the power of a technology company and the media and entertainment industry.
We’re trying to create a ready-made solution for creators to run their success story. Whether you’re a publisher or movie producer, you can upload and price your content, handle your advertising revenue, and distribute directly to the consumer, whether that’s an individual or a corporation. ScriptDoor's vision is to break through bottlenecks, revolutionize access, and ensure diverse, equal opportunities for all to compete and succeed."
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Do you want to be more Scroobious? Let's chat! |
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