Venture capital is an industry reliant upon access — access to the right network, access to the right knowledge, access to the right opportunity. It is no secret that the technology industry, and specifically venture capital, has an extremely low representation of Black professionals in technical, leadership, and investing roles. Only 1% of venture-backed startups have a Black founder and fewer than 3% of venture capital investors are Black.

 

Without intentional action, we are destined to fall into the same insular cycle that has delivered low representation in the past. BLCK VC, Operator Collective, and Salesforce Ventures believe that by making venture capital knowledge and networks more accessible, we can help empower the Black technology community and provide a path to accelerate innovation, opportunity, and access.

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Black Venture Institute is a curriculum-based program dedicated to teaching Black operators the foundational elements to become angel and venture investors. It is both a virtual course hosted by the Berkeley Haas School of Business in partnership with Berkeley Executive Education and an ongoing community. The program enables fellows to gain access to experienced, successful investors and learn the foundations of investing, including what investors look for, how to structure deals, and how to contribute as a board member or observer. As part of the Black Venture Institute community, fellows will be invited to ongoing sessions with investors, technology leaders, and LPs who will share actionable insights into their professional journeys as well as share deal flow, information, and relationships.