VISIBLE NEWS
Visible Hands is a VC firm that provides exceptional founders from underrepresented backgrounds with the funds, hands-on support, and community they need to thrive at the earliest stages of company building.
Happy Friday, VH Community!
As we approach the summer, we find ourselves facing a unique challenge: the quality of outdoor air. While we would typically be excited to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, the current air quality conditions have made it necessary for many of us to spend more time indoors this week. However, this doesn't mean we can't remain productive and make the most out of this situation!
This past week, we hosted some virtual events for our different fellowship teams, from a virtual show-and-tell event for VHNYC to a cool workshop exploring pitch narratives as a function of business strategy with our VHBOS teams. We also began our heads-down review of Visionaries III applications for the upcoming accelerator, while simultaneously preparing for next week's BK-XL Demo Day as our newest accelerator comes to a close.We know you may be craving the outdoor air and direct sun while finishing up the busy first half of the year, so here are a few things we've been doing to make due while indoors:
Optimizing indoor air quality: While we can't control outdoor air quality, we can take steps to ensure the air inside our homes is clean and fresh. Consider using air purifiers or plants that help filter and purify the air, and keep windows closed until air quality improves.
Focusing on personal development: Use this time indoors to invest in your personal and professional growth. Engage in online courses, webinars, or industry-related reading to expand your knowledge and skills.
Practicing self-care: Don't forget to prioritize self-care and well-being. Engage in activities that bring you joy, whether it's exercising, practicing mindfulness, or pursuing hobbies. Taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining productivity in the long run.
While the current air quality conditions may restrict our outdoor activities, let's turn this situation into an opportunity to focus on personal and professional growth. By implementing these strategies and supporting each other, we can remain productive and continue to make progress toward our goals (and hopefully, be back outside by the end of the weekend!)
Be well,The Visible Hands Team
VH ANNOUNCEMENTS
The 2023 Class of Kauffman Fellows (with VH Co-Founder & General Partner Yasmin Cruz Ferrine working it on the left!)
Major congratulations to VH Co-Founder and General Partner Yasmin Cruz Ferrine on being chosen to be part of the Class 28 of Kauffman Fellows! Read more about Yasmin here.
ICYMI: Last month, VH Co-Founder and General Partner Justin Kang spoke at a fireside chat with The Foley Hoag Foundation for AAPI month! Watch the recording of Justin's conversation here.
VH Co-Founder & General Partner Daniel Acheampong will be a virtual panelist on June 13th from 6-7pm ET for ADL's Equity in Equities Webinar on improving diversity and inclusion on Wall Street - learn more and register here!
Check out VH Investor Associate, Darrel Frater's Office Hours on Twitter Spaces every Friday from 1 pm - 3 pm EST where he creates a safe space for founders to pitch VCs and discuss challenges they are facing in the business.
Join us and the
at the first-ever BK-XL Demo Day where you’ll get a chance to watch the BK-XL cohort companies pitch their startups! There will also be a fireside chat with Clara Wu Tsai and Andy Weissman (GP at Union Square Ventures) you won't want to miss. Click on the photo above to RSVP!
VISIONARY UPDATES
Visionaries I Founders Starlitt Miller (left) and Shannan Clarke (right) meeting up with VH Co-Founder & General Partner Daniel Acheampong (center) for brunch this week!
Founder Updates, Asks, and Wins:
Congratulations to Visionaries I Founder Luis Suarez of Sanarai on his graduation from LBAN/Latino Business Action Network's Business Scaling program!
Congratulations to VHBOS I Fellow Gabrielle Dee of Seak on recently graduating from MIT Sloan!
Congratulations to VHLX I Fellow Christy Fernandez-Cull of DaVinci Wearables on being chosen for the 2023 Techstars Sports Accelerator!
Congratulations to Visionaries II Founder Hawa Hassan of Basbaas Foods on being chosen to present at the 2023 James Beard Media Awards!
Congratulations to Visionaries II Founder Sarah Spear of Empowered Together on being selected for Well4Tech's Bootcamp! Join Sarah for the Demo Day in Connecticut on June 15th by RSVP-ing here! Additionally, Sarah just launched the MVP of Empowered Together and is looking for people within the disability community to test it out and give feedback. You and folks you know can sign up for access to the MVP here.
Congratulations to VHBOS I Fellow Stanley Rameau of Renavest who launched the link to their download event on June 29th - learn more and RSVP here! Also, bonus congratulations to Stanley on recently receiving a grant from BECMA!
VHLX I Founder Aixa Elgazwe of TrustFundRegistry is working on a volunteer system to help founders save time in the search for capital resources and has launched a beta system! To join as a beta tester, click here.
WHAT WE HAVE OUR EYES ON
➕ Founder funding, community resources, and events:
Join the NYC Women in Tech Elevated Networking event happening on June 13th! This free meetup event is designed for women in VCs, founders, and operators who are looking to make meaningful connections and grow their professional network. Learn more and RSVP here.
InnoCrew, Founder Collective, and Hunt Club have teamed up with an incredible group of Boston startup folks to discuss all things pivoting on June 13th! Join to learn, network, and of course, eat pastries! Learn more and RSVP here.
Looking ahead to Pride Month, StartOut's 4th Annual StartOut Equity Summit is taking place virtually on June 15th, where you can listen, learn, and engage with diverse industry leaders in a day-long conversation focused on equity. Learn more and register here.
Calling all undergraduate and graduate startup founders currently attending HBCUs and universities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Join Harvard Innovation Labs and AWS Startups for a two-week in-person NextGen accelerator program dedicated to building and scaling your startup. Learn more and apply here by June 16th.
Applications are open for Pitch HearstLabU, a startup pitch competition exclusively for university-enrolled & recently-graduated women. The winner of Pitch HearstLabU will become an automatic finalist in our $100K pitch event in the fall. Learn more and apply here by June 17th.
Are you a founder focused on creating eCommerce solutions such as SaaS, logistics, marketing, or supply chain management? Don't miss this incredible opportunity to showcase your innovative product or service at the inaugural Black in eCom Conference on August 17th -19th 2023 in Atlanta, GA! Learn more and register here by June 17th.
Worried about your pitch to investors? Techstars is hosting the newest Brad Feld and Kauffman Fellows Venture Deals course starting June 20th - an invaluable, comprehensive, and FREE resource for entrepreneurs. Get the tips and tools to do it right by registering here.
43North is a startup accelerator sponsored by Empire State Development that invests $5M annually into seed-stage startups. Their 2023 application is now open - learn more and apply here by June 23rd.
StartOut Growth Lab is a startup accelerator that offers top-quality mentoring, education, and networking opportunities for companies that are founded or co-founded by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Applications are open now - learn more and apply here by June 30th.
The Cartier Women's Initiative has created a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award to encourage entrepreneurial solutions designed to close gaps of access, outcome or opportunity for communities that have been underrepresented or underserved. For more info and to apply, apply here by June 30th.
Applications are open and rolling for the Forum Ventures B2B SaaS Accelerator, a high-touch program for early-stage founders designed to get you to the next stage. Learn more and apply here.
🌎 Ecosystem Spotlights:
Calling all Black and LatinX founders across Los Angeles County! Applications are now live for the third year of the PledgeLA Founders Fund in partnership with Grid110. The 20 selected companies will each receive $25K in non-dilutive capital from PledgeLA and go through Grid110's 3-month accelerator program. Learn more and apply here by June 11th.
Be sure to register for All Raise's first Power Conversations event happening on June 14th! The event will include "The State of Venture" hosted by CEO Paige Hendrix Buckner with special guest Rebecca Kaden, General Partner at Union Square Ventures. Learn more and register here!
Venture Lane has opened applications for its next startup accelerator that kicks off in September - offering up to $100K in investments and support on sales and go-to-market. Learn more and apply here by July 14th.
Scroobious is increasing diversity in the startup ecosystem by teaching diverse founders how to create investable pitch material through a scalable online platform and making it easy for investors to discover them through data-driven curation. Mitchell Sandler, a women-managed, majority women-owned law firm, has partnered with them to support 15 FinTech or InsureTech entrepreneurs in their fundraising efforts with free 1-year Scroobious memberships. Early-stage, US-based founders in these sectors who are working on a fundraising pitch are encouraged to learn more and apply here.
💼 Featured Jobs:
Visionaries I Team Candoor has a crowdsourced job board where folks hiring can share roles with Candoor advisees - check out the board here!
VHNYC I Fellowship Team ConConnect is looking for a Head of Engineering. Learn more and apply for the role here.
VHNYC I Fellow Catherine Huang is currently hiring a marketing intern! Learn more and apply for the role here.
Primary VC is on the lookout for a talented Market Development Manager to join its Impact team and scale its expanding network of healthcare, financial services, and general industry executives. Learn more and apply here.
Our friends over at Liberty Mutual are hiring for multiple innovation-related positions - learn more about the available roles and apply here!
Visionaries I Team Hearth Display is currently hiring for a Marketing Manager! Learn more and apply for the role here.
BK-XL l Team HABIT is looking to hire a creative video and strategy intern for the summer! To apply, send your resume and some video content here.
🧑🏽💻 What we are watching, reading, or listening to:
Stopped scrolling for: This video by Visionaries I Founder Alyse Dunn of CareCopilot
Listening: Work Party Podcast, Create & Cultivate
If you'd like your founder resource or event/conference to be featured in our weekly newsletter, shoot us a message at kerry@visiblehands.vc
"We celebrate the bold, the curious, and the irrational. We applaud those with big dreams, and who choose the harder, riskier path in relentless pursuit of pushing forward what is possible."
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