"Perfect just the way we are." Healthy Roots Dolls on Twitter. Source.
Mixtape Vol. 34
The Backstage Mixtape brings you news, opportunities, and stories that help underestimated founders succeed. Subscribe.
As Black History Month comes to a close, our Crew shares personal reflections on this important month.
"Black History Month is special in a few ways. It acknowledges our history, the painful and the triumphant, while also highlighting those historical figures we don't know – those who were purposefully written out of history. Black History Month makes me think not only of our history, but our present and our future. Our Black Present is sobering, yet one that is full of potential; every new Black founder I meet reminds me of that. Our Black Future is bright, and informs almost every decision I make today."
- Arlan Hamilton, Founder + Managing Partner
"During the month of February, folks share on social media about Black historical figures and ancestors we know and love, but what I enjoy most is learning about those I've never heard of before. Working at Backstage – a venture firm that celebrates Black founders every day of the year – means I get to witness Black history being lived and written in real time. I often wonder about how future generations will remember and celebrate the stories, accomplishments, and legacies of the Black founders in which we’ve invested. It excites and fuels me to think that those who come after us may be inspired but what we're doing today."
- Anastasia Tarpeh-Ellis, Special Projects
"For me, Black History Month is such an important time where we finally get to learn about and shine a light on so many individuals who have made contributions to science, business, freedom, and culture – who would sadly go unrecognized. In an industry where we are so underrepresented, I love working at Backstage and being a part of this community of investors and founders whose stories are highlighted so that more and more people are aware that we exist and are creating history through what we do."
- Brittany Davis, Principal + Director of Deal Flow
News
CEEK VR closes a major investment deal and moves to Chicago. Read.
CEEK is also teaming up with Microsoft to solve major issues facing the streaming industry. Read.
Carrot launches Baby Steps, a podcast about fertility and the diverse paths that people take to become parents. Listen.
WYL launches Take Ownership, a podcast about current events and how they effect the communities we live in. Listen.
Lisa from Bippy was quoted in Glamour about the massive environmental impact of your choice in toilet paper. Read.
Win-Win partnered with Dr. Jen Welter, the NFL's 1st female coach, to host a girls-only football and technology camp during Super Bowl week. Read.
HabitAware wins at the 2020 BOLD Awards presented by the Association for Corporate Growth Minnesota. Read.
Sunhouse releases a new Sensory Percussion collection – the result is an electronic drum that plays like real acoustic drums. Read.
Ruben from Career Karma appeared on Yahoo! Finance talking about coding bootcamps and overcoming barriers to tech. Watch.
Liane from Aquaai talks about pitching aquaculture to Silicon Valley investors. Read.
This spotlight on Dickson of PopCom by a Columbus, OH, news outlet covers everything from CBD legislation to advice for female entrepreneurs. Watch.
Jobs
Badass natural hair stylists @ Naturalicious - Apply.
Head of Marketing + UX Designer @ Seed&Spark - Apply.
Music Machine Learning/MIR Engineer @ Weav - Apply.
Discover more career opportunities.
Events
Backstage Tour 2020
A multi-city, 1-day event series bringing knowledge, investment, and connection to underrepresented founders and the ecosystems that help them grow. Part of Arlan's official It's About Damn Time Book Tour. Tickets are now available and investment applications are open!
May 5 / NYC, NY
May 6 / Los Angeles, CA
May 8 / Bay Area, CA
May 12 / Dallas, TX
May 14 / Atlanta, GA
May 19 / Washington, D.C.
TBA / Miami, FL
May 27 / Portland, OR
June 9 / Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
June 11 / St. Louis, MO
June 18 / Chicago, IL
June 20 / Detroit, MI
🎟Buy tickets + apply today.
Other Events
Squad Talks: Millennial And Gen Z Leadership
Mar. 5 - NYC, NY
A discussion around how the definition of leadership is changing for the millennial and gen-z generations with guest panelists moderated by Headliner Isa Watson of Squad.
Learn More.
FORWARD Summit
Mar. 7 - Los Angeles, CA
A 1-day event from USC highlighting Black and Latinx business leaders who are making waves across industries. Backstage Ambassador Amiah Sheppard will be a panelist.
Learn more.
ShearShare + Grow with Google Livestream
Mar. 11 - Online
Join Headliner ShearShare and learn from Google insiders how to use two powerful (and 100% free!) tools that can help you as a small business owner to generate more clients using data.
Learn more.
Opportunities
New Media Ventures
Funding for a new wave of activists and entrepreneurs wrestling with the challenges facing our democracy.
Apply by March 2.
PledgeLA VC Intern
In collaboration with HBCUvc – looking for outstanding candidates to participate in a 10-week experiential learning internship program in Los Angeles venture capital.
Apply by March 27.
Toyota AI Ventures
Funding for promising companies that are using artificial intelligence, data, cloud, autonomy, mobility, or robotics technologies to improve urban innovation.
Apply by April 30.
Resources
Backstage x Brex
Brex is the card for startups with higher limits, no personal guarantee or security deposit required, and an incredible rewards program. They're waiving card fees for life and throwing in perks like AWS credits for the Backstage community. Signup or email backstage@brex.com.
A first-time founder's resource guide from Backstage alum Lolita Taub. Read.
What We're Reading
"If you empower a woman, you empower a nation." Yemi Keri, Co-founder of Rising Tide Africa.
Rising Tide Africa, an all-female angel investing network in Lagos, Nigeria, is making profitable bets on African entrepreneurs. Read.
Marcy Venture Partners, co-founded by Jay-Z, raises an $85M fund. Read.
Pipe raises $6M to give growing SaaS startups non-dilutive funding. Read.
Tangelo's Rebecca Padnos Altamirano shares a musical daily ritual that brings her family peace when life gets chaotic. Read.
