[urenna]

I agree with the thoughts and suggestions already expressed in this thread. It's great that you guys are thinking about this and want to make a difference but I will also add that I've looked at the team in Earnest Capital and there is zero diversity, which for me is a huge problem. That may be part of the reason why your portfolio/deal flow is mainly white male-owned companies. As a black female founder building a product targeting women, looking at your team structure, I would not consider applying to your fund because I wouldn't be convinced that you will understand my product/the need I'm addressing. Having a diverse group of individuals in the investment team is key because at your current state, you won't be able to quickly spot or identify with the nuanced experiences that minority founders face.

I personally think that the first step you need to take is improve on the diversity of the team or else you will still run into the same problems you're currently facing.

Also, reaching out to communities that put diversity at the heart of what they do would be a good step to take. I am based in London and there are a handful of communities with outstanding but overlooked founders - happy to share them with you if you want.

Happy to help in whatever way I can to make this a reality!