Juneteenth was more than just a day of long-overdue freedom and celebration; it was also the catalyst for a wave of progress and opportunity. Formerly enslaved people engaged in the political, economic and social life of the South for the first time, with dozens of members of congress and 100s of state legislators. They pursued higher education and built businesses both large and small, and transformed communities across the country.
The Reconstruction Era also unleashed a two century wave of Black ingenuity, sparking inventions and innovations that form the foundations of our daily lives today. Despite educational and economic obstacles, Black Americans reimagined technologies and sought patents in huge numbers. Their inventiveness led directly to the industrial revolution. But history has whitewashed much of this legacy, as explored in this report from Brookings, stripping us of this proud and powerful history.
As we reflect on the Equitech vision today, it is frustrating that, 157 years after Juneteenth, so many Black Americans are still deprived of the tools to pursue their creativity and ingenuity – access to capital, networks, and critical infrastructure – and the hard-earned and deserved credit for their legacy of accomplishment. It's time we acknowledge the authentic record of Black innovation, and the policies and practices that are still impeding progress. We can't move forward as a city or a country if we can't look with clear eyes at the history that put us here today.
🤔 UpSurge thinks a lot about what founders need to make Baltimore their home. We summed up a host of local assets and incentives in this Building in Baltimore Guide, launched just this month. Let us know what's missing!
We've all heard that VC funding is falling, but did you know it's holding steady at the seed stage? Potential good news for Baltimore's young startups!
But the drop may not be good news for Black founders. After a recent pick-up in venture funding for Black-founded startups, it's down again so far in Q2.
IPGen, whose platform helps entrepreneurs navigate the patent process, offered this webinar on the tricky topic with TEDCO.
The Independent Director Initiative aims to help people from under-represented backgrounds serve on boards of VC-backed companies. The first cohort in in August in California -- apps due July 5.
The UpShot is Baltimore’s Equitech ecosystem news, curated for startups, founders, funders and friends, all working together to build the country’s first Equitech City. ↗️↗️↗️
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