Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. The number of businesses owned by Black women grew by 50% between 2014 and 2019 — more than double the rate of women-owned enterprises overall. In the startup world, the number of venture-backed firms launched by Black women doubled between 2016 and 2018 alone.
But year after year, Black women entrepreneurs find themselves shut out of the venture funding ecosystem, where the vast majority of investments still go to companies founded and led by white men.
That’s where Black Girl Ventures comes in. Since its launch in 2016 by serial entrepreneur and computer scientist Shelly Bell, BGV has been dedicated to providing access to capital to Black and brown women founders in an effort to help these entrepreneurs, their businesses, and their communities thrive. BGV runs the largest pitch program for Black and Brown women in the world, providing support, mentorship and expertise as well as financial capital.
We at Bumble share Black Girl Ventures’ mission to build a bigger table in the world of business. In 2018, we launched Bumble Fund, investing in early-stage companies, focusing primarily on startups founded and led by women of color and those from underrepresented groups. Now, we’re teaming up — and inviting the wider Black Girl Ventures community to apply for funding from Bumble Fund. If you’re a Black or Brown woman entrepreneur seeking capital to grow your business, head to the BGV site to learn more about the opportunity and apply.