VISIBLE NEWS
March 1, 2024
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 March, Visionaries!To us, March signifies a month of renewal, growth, and opportunity. As we bid farewell to the winter months and usher in spring, we're reviewing the last several weeks of Q1 while revving up toward fresh programming for the rest of the year.
We're excited to embrace the energy and momentum that March brings, especially in regards to working with new founders. ICYMI: last week we announced our newest VHNYC cohort, and we're excited to meet them in-person in the coming weeks to help them build their startups to new heights across NYC.Additionally, our Spring goal is to share more useful tips and insights with you, from how to travel for work efficiently (even when traveling with little ones!) to how content can help build traction for your business. We'll also be showcasing more of the behind the scenes of the work we do, including days in our lives, like this video featuring Co-Founder and General Partner Daniel Acheampong! We also have been thankful for the amount of recognition we've received over the last month, including KillerStartup's feature on the work we do, and both Daniel and Co-Founder/General Partner Yasmin Cruz Ferrine being selected as part of this year's DEIC Power 100.As we venture into March, let's do so with determination, freshness, and a spirit of collaboration. Together, let's make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead and finish Q1 stronger than ever.
Be well,
The VH Team
VISIONARY UPDATES
Founder Updates, Asks, and Wins:
Congratulations to Visionaries II Founder Dominique Olowolafe of Lightly on being featured on Roku's upcoming show, Side Hustlers, premiering today!
Congratulations to VHNYC II Founder Michael Odokara of NKENNE on recently being featured as Apple's App of the Day!
Congratulations to Visionaries I Founder Alyse Dunn of CareCopilot on recently being highlighted by AgeTech Collaborative from AARP!
Congratulations to VHBOS I Founder Jashin Lin of Growbie on recently reaching 500 paid customers!
Congratulations to Visionaries I Founder Luis Suarez of Sanarai on recently being featured by the California Health Care Foundation!
Congratulations to Visionaries II Founder Shannon Morales of Tribaja on launching the 2nd annual "Path to Power" scholars program in partnership with the Urban League of Philadelphia!
Congratulations to Visionaries I Founder Brooke Hill of Swella and VHNYC II Founder Daniel Jayeoba of Guideli on both recently placing in Harvard's Black New Venture Competition!
Congratulations to Visionaries I Founder Irene Li of Prepshift on being selected as one of the upcoming keynote speakers for the WISE Summit, as well as on her recent feature in Wicked Local!
Congratulations to VHNYC II Founder Stephanie Downs of Uncaged Innovations Inc. on recently being featured in Maddyness UK!
WHAT WE HAVE OUR EYES ON
➕ Founder funding, community resources, and events
Applications to join Square One Startup School's 8th Cohort this Spring are officially open! The 10-week virtual pre-accelerator program helps first-time tech founders accelerate their startup journey by prepping them to build their first product, land their first customer, and/or secure their first investment. Learn more and apply here by March 1st.
Applications are open for Venture For ClimateTech, which accelerates innovations likely to have substantial climate impact, & have potential for adoption. Learn more and apply here by March 1st.
UnshackledVC has launched its second cohort of Residency, which supports solo immigrant founders with a $150K investment, immigration support, and a supportive community. Learn more and apply here by March 1st.
Applications are open for PLACE (Pava LaPere Award for Cultivating Ecosystems) Builders, an intensive, 3-month fellowship program empowering change-makers to catalyze more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems. The fellowship is inspired by the legacy of Pava LaPere, the late Co-Founder of EcoMap Technologies as a tribute to her legacy of fighting for equal access to opportunity. Learn more and apply here by March 3rd.
Applications are open for the Small Business, Big Wins Grant from Barclays. Learn more and apply here by March 4th.
Applications for The Engine’s Spring 2024 Blueprint Cohort are open! The Blueprint is a non-resident six-week educational program for graduate students, postdocs, research scientists, and their teams to prioritize and mitigate key risks in their early Tough Tech venture. Learn more and apply here by March 5th.
The CTIA Wireless Foundation is searching for emerging social entrepreneurs using mobile-first wireless technologies to enhance American communities, and this year, up to six applicants will receive unrestricted grants, with a first-place award of $100K. Learn more and apply here by March 5th.
Applications are open for the Black Girl Ventures Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program in NYC, LA, Chicago and Austin. This program is for ecosystem builders who are looking to develop their leadership skills and help other underrepresented founders in their city. Learn more about the program and apply here by March 11th.
Join Scroobious on March 12th for their March workshop around how to find a co-founder and maintain that relationship. Learn more and register here.
aKrewe NOLA is hosting The Business Exchange on March 14th, an inclusive networking series for professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Learn more and RSVP here.
Applications are open for Morgan Stanley's Inclusive Ventures Lab, an accelerator promoting financial inclusion while providing access to capital for early-stage tech & tech-enabled companies. Learn more and apply here by March 15th.
Applications are open for the W.E. Build Accelerator by Build in Tulsa, which empowers innovative companies led by diverse women to create and launch scalable ventures in Tulsa. Learn more and apply here by March 16th.
LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator has opened applications for their 2024 accelerator program, a 12-week, hybrid program that helps companies grow with an investment of $150K+, one-on-one mentorship, and great network connections. Learn more and apply here by March 18th.
Innovators developing novel technologies applicable to offshore wind are encouraged to apply by March 25th to the 2024 cohort of the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub Accelerator and be part of New York’s emerging industry. Learn more and apply here.
Applications are currently open for Galaxy of Stars' Galaxy Grant for Women and BIPOC founders. Learn more and apply here by March 31st.
Applications are open for YCombinator's Summer 2024 Accelerator program. Learn more and apply here by April 22nd.
Applications are open for Giving Joy grants, which are one-time micro-grants designed to help women establish or improve their businesses and initiatives. Learn more and apply here by April 30th.
Applications for the 2024 Black Ambition Prize Competition are now open! The Black Ambition Prize competition provides a platform for Black and Hispanic founders across the nation to access growth capital, coaching, and a curated community of innovators/mentors. Learn more and apply here by May 3rd.
🌎 Ecosystem Spotlights:
Applications are open for the HerRise MicroGrant, which provides financial assistance, with the help of corporate sponsors and donors, to Women of Color who are creating innovative solutions that impact their community and are often unable to secure funding for their small businesses. Learn more and apply here.
Applications are open for Wish Local's Empowerment Program, which awards grants to small Black-owned businesses to help them rebuild. Learn more and apply here.
Applications are open for the CCWC Women of Color Entrepreneur Grant, which awards grants to women entrepreneurs with businesses that have been established since January 1, 2020 and have generated more than $25K in lifetime revenue. Learn more and apply here.
Applications are open for the National Black Business Pitch (NBBP), a competition designed to connect Black-owned businesses to corporations who seek to expand and diversify their supply chain with new products and services. Learn more and apply here by June 3rd.
💼 Featured Jobs
Visionaries II Team Plot is currently hiring for a Social Media Intern. Learn more and apply here!
Hustle Hunters is currently hiring for a Program Associate - learn more and apply here!
Venture Guides is hiring for a VC Analyst - learn more and apply here!
25 Madison is currently hiring an Associate - learn more and apply here!
Nurture Ventures is hiring an Associate - learn more and apply here!
Glasswing VC is hiring an Associate - 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!
🧑🏽💻 What we are loving lately:
Listening:Taking Flight Podcast
Watching: Love is Blind Season 6, Netflix
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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