Google for Entrepreneurs Exchange Offers Program for Black Founders
DURHAM, NC – Ranked the #3 destination in the world to visit and #4 global city for venture capital investment, Durham is a unique mix of rich history, pioneering achievements and home to Black Wall Street. Durham’s American Underground, the program’s host, has helped usher over $1.5 Billion in recent exits in their community and is preparing the next generation of Black founders to leverage its rich pool of startup resources.
Spend a week in Durham, NC, a city capturing the country’s attention with its rich, diverse and geographically dense startup community and incredible ecosystem for Black founders. Durham has a rich history in Black entrepreneurship from its days as ‘Black Wall Street’ to the current flourishing of technology entrepreneurship. Yet, data shows that these founders do not have the same access to or success raising funding for their startups.
The focus of this Exchange will be to:
- Prepare Black founders for an angel/seed stage round raise (ie less than $750k) and
- Engage in conversation and provide useful tools around the unique challenges that face Black founders. This portion of the Exchange will involve thoughtful conversation between thought leaders and other Black founders to tackle the systemic and unconscious biases that will confront them while raising capital.
This Exchange will connect participants with investors, entrepreneurs and technologists that will provide tools and tips to help them through the fundraising process.
The American Underground will play host to this program and is considered North Carolina’s preeminent technology hub. It is one of the pioneers in inclusive innovation with nearly 30 percent of its startups led by women and 22 percent led by founders from underrepresented groups.
The week will culminate with Durham’s annual celebration of Black Wall Street Homecoming (in conjunction with HBCU North Carolina Central University) which welcomes venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and others in the entrepreneurial community to Durham.
Please note that accommodations and some meals will be provided for up to two members of the company. Travel and any associated costs (such as Visas) are the responsibility of the participants.
For more information, visit www.gfeexchange.com/black-founders-durham/