'No longer on the sidelines': New event series focuses funding for underrepresented startups
From left, Christina Long of Create Campaign, Wichita entrepreneur Gene Camarena, Kansas City-based investor Kelly Sievers, and WorkTorch founder Deborah Gladney participate in a panel Dec. 3, 2024. Photo courtesy of Shaheer Naveed, Wichita Business Journal.
Among venture capitalists in the U.S., 11% are women, 2% are Black and less than 1% are Hispanic, NXTUS Inc. founder Mary Beth Jarvis shared during a Monday event.
That has eventually led to only 22% of venture capital being invested in women-led companies, she said, and even less with Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs, creating a significant gap in investment and access to resources for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
"If you didn't know there was a gap, you're going to learn that tonight," Jarvis said Monday to an audience of investors, entrepreneurs and community leaders, "and if you didn't know how to be a part of bridging that gap then you're going to learn that as well."