With systemic racism at the forefront of the American consciousness, many corporations have pledged their support for Black Americans. But how can these organizations, and specifically those that help entrepreneurs, make real internal changes that actually lead to meaningful long term results? What are the specific challenges that Black American entrepreneurs face along every step of their startup journey, and what measures can accelerators, investors, and other organizations put in place to help? This is a video recording of an open and honest discussion on the unique challenges facing black founders in the U.S. today and a brainstorm on possible solutions.

About the Speakers:
Mariah Lichtenstern – Aspen Tech Policy Fellow at The Aspen Institute, Founding Partner at DiverseCity Ventures – At the intersection of technology, entertainment, and venture capital, Mariah Lichtenstern accelerates social, economic, and environmental impact through entrepreneurship. Mariah is the Founding Partner of DiverseCity Ventures and Managing Director of the Founder Institute, Sacramento Chapter. She is a member of UCLA Ventures, and serves as an advisor for CalSEED CleanTech Fund, Berkeley SkyDeck, and Village Capital Finance Forward US 2019. An alumna of UC Berkeley, USC, and UCLA, she is passionate about solving the wealth, wage, and funding gaps by building equitable bridges between those with privilege and those with valuable, but underutilized perspectives.
Harold Hughes – Founder & CEO of BANDWAGON, Venture Partner at Republic – Harold Hughes is the founder & CEO of Bandwagon – an analytics and identity management company that uses Blockchain technology to help teams & entertainers create more personalized fan experiences while eliminating ticket fraud. A rising star in sports tech, Harold has had his ideas validated as a graduate (and now mentor) of the Founder Institute Greenville chapter; graduate of Capital Factory – Austin, one of the inaugural companies in Google for Startups Black Founders Exchange Program, and most recently the IBM Blockchain Accelerator. Harold also serves as a Venture Partner at Republic, a member of the Dean’s Senior Advisory Board at Clemson University and University of South Carolina Upstate, a Fellow with the Notley Fellowship, and more.

To join us for future interactive, online startup events from the Founder Institute, visit https://FI.co/events or https://www.OnlineStartupEvents.com

More info on How Startup Organizations Can Help Black American Entrepreneurs: An Open Discussion