BLCK VC

Our mission is to create an open and inclusive environment for current and future Latinx investors to thrive. VCFamilia bring Latinx cultures into the venture community and increase representation in investment roles.

Illumen Capital has developed a 10 year bias-reduction program for fund managers, designed to help managers make better decisions, expand their investable landscape, and maximize and protect every dollar invested. We apply cutting-edge research to reduce racial and gender bias, and help our managers identify, evaluate and invest in entrepreneurs who have been overlooked and underestimated. We hold fund managers accountable for investing in and growing the impact companies of the future. We evaluate managers to invest in through a diligence process that emphasizes both impact and financial return. We deliver bias reduction coaching and curriculum to managers, ultimately aimed at driving capital to entrepreneurs - and communities - that have long been overlooked and undervalued. We cultivate a synergistic and robust network of GPs, LPs, consultants and researchers designed to create a learning environment on issues of racial equity and investing.

The financial sector is enormous, accounting for roughly 20% of global GDP. But it only works well for a tiny fraction of the population. The big opportunity within fintech is not serving the top 10% that every fintech already caters to. It’s in creating economic opportunity for everyone else. Outside VC is creating the financial system the world deserves, betting on outsiders building fintech infrastructure and products that will lift up 100M people to the middle class over the next decade. Moving outsiders to the inside track As a founder, it often feels like the world is conspiring against you. But sometimes there’s this magic moment where everything flips and slowly but surely it starts to feel as if the world is conspiring for you. Our goal is to be part of that moment for you. Outside VC is backed by a world class network of top VC partners, CEOs, and fintech leaders from across the world who are all invested in seeing you succeed. Not a normal VC Let’s be honest, we’re not even normal humans. Instead, think of us as a friend who is also your investor. Let’s call it a friendvestor. Or if you’d prefer using a not-totally-made-up word, we’re the one investor on your cap table you can be real with when you don’t feel like you can talk to anyone else. We’ve been doing this long enough to know there is no magic startup playbook. So our promise to you is simple. Through all the ups and downs, we’re going to be here with you, rolling up our sleeves, picking up the phone, and doing the work. Because we’ve been in your shoes and know how insanely hard this journey is. We’ve got your back. Let’s go put a dent in the universe.

We are an open-ended fund offering flexibility, liquidity, and opportunities that investors and entrepreneurs need now. It’s how respect is earned, honesty is appreciated, trust is gained, and loyalty is returned. Loyal VC is a global venture fund with 220+ investments across 50+ countries. The fund is designed to minimize systemic bias inherent in the investment process, unlocking greater returns. The Loyal Startup Index Fund has delivered strong returns since its launch in 2018, thanks to its collaborative, staged investment process, its network of over 500 global advisors, and its partnerships with the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed accelerator, and INSEAD, rated the #1 non-US business school for unicorn founders by Pitchbook. Loyal's global start-up index fund is inclusive of a diverse, often mission-driven, group of entrepreneurs. To date, over 30% of the portfolio have a woman CEO, almost 30% are from emerging markets, and around 80% address one or more of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

Inclusive Investing™ is a market-backed discipline that allows us to cast a targeted, yet wide net when sourcing companies, while keeping outsized returns and impact front and center in our investment decisions. There’s a lot of talk about demographics and a lack of diversity in venture capital. Inclusive investing is a strategy that proactively addresses this problem. While we’re pioneering this strategy, the data supporting our thesis is on our side: diverse fund managers earn better returns, and companies with diverse leadership outperform their peers. Inclusive Investing™ goes beyond diversity - it’s a new investment discipline that can transform the way we source, invest in, and scale businesses, and in doing so, create new pathways to prosperity for individuals, businesses, and communities at scale. Inclusive Investing™ levels the playing field so the best businesses and most talented teams succeed. A Five-Pronged ApproachImplemented cohesively, these five areas of practice yield an Inclusive Investing™ discipline Zeal is spearheading in the venture world across private markets.Diverse Fund Managers: Fund managers and the broader team are diverse with complementary backgrounds and skill sets. Diverse Management Teams: Companies proactively source diverse management teams with complementary skill sets and backgrounds that help portfolio companies outperform. Geographic Inclusivity: Funds source from a wide range of geographies across the U.S., not just traditional geographic VC “hotbeds”. Investment Focus: Investment allocation is directed to sectors where fund managers expect continued innovation and opportunity for disruption. Impact Lens: Investments seek to achieve top tier financial and social returns that impact low-wealth communities and small businesses.

VC Lab is the venture capital accelerator guided by the Mensarius Oath. The program was launched in Q1 of 2020 to change the face of venture capital and help humanity finance solutions to our most pressing problems. VC Lab has grown globally to provide advisory services, formation assistance, back office support and a technology platform to run venture capital firms.