Black Girl Ventures is expanding into Houston, one of America’s most diverse cities. The launch of the Houston Chapter will create access to social and financial capital for Black and Brown woman-identifying entrepreneurs in Houston. This initiative is the latest in a growing nationwide movement to address the diversity gap in entrepreneurship.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Houston Chapter,” said Shelly Bell, Founder and CEO of Black Girl Ventures. “Houston is a major entrepreneurial hub and we want to ensure Black and Brown woman-identifying founders have access to the capital they need to grow their businesses. We applaud the Houston Venture Board for their commitment to building a more inclusive economy.”
Black Girl Ventures has recruited five Black and Brown women Change Agents – Ty’lisha Summers, Joshlyn Ross, Vanessa Lampkin, Joy M. Hutton and Sharita Humphrey – to lead the charge in Houston. These prominent business leaders will play a pivotal role in implementing the organization’s mission in the local ecosystem. The Houston Chapter will offer Black and Brown woman-identifying founders access to coaching, pitching opportunities, funding, feedback and community.
“We are honored to join forces with Black Girl Ventures to support Black and Brown woman-identifying entrepreneurs in Houston,” said Joy M. Hutton, Black Girl Ventures Houston Venture Board Lead and Founder of Joy of Consulting, a management consulting firm, and On the go GLAM, a beauty on demand platform. “The representation of Black and Brown women in business is so important and we are looking forward to growing the Black Girl Ventures community in Houston.”
Black and Brown women entrepreneurs in Houston will have the opportunity to engage with Black Girl Ventures through an annual pitch competition, a speaker series, networking opportunities, and other events. Black Girl Ventures’ signature pitch competition program is an innovative way to finance businesses, merging the traditional pitch competition with crowdfunding.
Black Girl Ventures has also launched four additional Chapters in Birmingham, Durham, Miami, and Philadelphia. Black Girl Ventures is grateful for the support of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the 2019 Inclusion Open grant award in making this expansion possible.
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About Black Girl Ventures
Black Girl Ventures works to create access to social and financial capital for Black and Brown woman-identifying founders. Black Girl Ventures believes in a world where all ideas have the chance to succeed. The organization supports founders through its signature pitch competition program, online community, social events, boot camps and other forms of entrepreneurial training. To learn more about Black Girl Ventures, visit www.blackgirlventures.org.