Building Bridges Between Black Tech Talent and Venture Capital
2025
Strategy
Building Bridges Between Black Tech Talent and Venture Capital
Partner: SignalFire (Head of Ecosystem: Sadasia McCutchen)
Event: NY Tech Week Collaboration
Stage: Ecosystem Development
Focus Area: Economic Development & Sustainable Health
The Challenge
SignalFire wanted to establish meaningful presence at NY Tech Week by connecting with founders and operators in health, data, AI, and life sciences. A bonus on top was a request with a particular focus on Black and underrepresented talent who are often excluded from traditional VC networking events. The goal wasn't just attendance, but authentic relationship-building that would lead to lasting ecosystem connections.
Our Approach
We leveraged our Black venture network and portfolio relationships to curate an intimate dinner experience that felt less like a pitch event and more like a community gathering. By partnering with SignalFire on content (AI conversation led by renowned speaker Ibrahim Jackson) and choosing the culturally significant, Michelin-rated CrownShy restaurant, we created an environment where genuine connection could happen - in good taste (pun intended).
What We Delivered
Strategic Curation
Recruited operators and founders from our portfolio and network across health, AI, data, and life sciences
Ensured majority Black and underrepresented attendees without tokenization
Matched attendees based on complementary interests and potential collaboration opportunities
Experience Design
Co-hosted with SignalFire at CrownShy, a hip-hop iconic, Michelin-rated venue
Facilitated table conversation around AI with Ibrahim Jackson
Created intimate setting for substantive dialogue beyond surface-level networking
The Impact
Full attendance with operators and founders from innovative startups and top industry players including: Equity Quotient, Mayo Clinic, Kyndred and KIMBRITIVE, Blooming Health, éo-vision AI, Cardinal Health, Morgan Health, Givepact, PEMPal, (cookout invitee) Joel Nadelman of PolicyMap, digitalundivided & BLCK VC
Post-event, cross-connection collaborations increased measurably across attendees. More importantly, the event demonstrated a replicable model for authentic ecosystem building. SignalFire and our community are now planning future events with community-attuned ecosystem partners, proving that when you create space for genuine connection, the deals and collaborations follow naturally.
This collaboration showed that access doesn't have to mean gatekeeping, it can simply mean building the right tables and inviting the right people to sit at them.
