Conference Description

The conversation, dialogue, and research regarding race, gender, and entrepreneurship rarely focuses on the inequity of investment across all sectors. In 2018, female founders received just 2.2% of venture capital, and black founders received less than 1%. The challenge can be even greater at the intersection of race and gender. Of all VC funding over the past decade, Latinx women-led startups have raised only 0.32 percent while black women have raised only .0006 percent.

This October 2019 conference, hosted by the Cook Center and sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., provided an opportunity to highlight the gaps in opportunity for various businesses, particularly those that are black-led and/or women-led, and to discuss ways to start resolving these inequities.

Presentations

Session 1:

Wealth Inequality: Challenges and Opportunities for

Entrepreneurs of Color

Session 2:

Hurricane Maria and the impact on entrepreneurship

Puerto Rico’s Perfect Storm

Day 1 Speaker: Dana A. Thompson

Keynote Address

Session 3:

Private Sector Strategies to Expand Business Ownership

JPMorgan Chase

Workshop

Financial Health for All

Session 4: Public/ Private Partnerships

In Search for Hayti “i.e in search for Wakanda”