Backstage Capital founder and managing partner Arlan Hamilton built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless. Her fund is dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT. Hamilton herself identifies as all three. Started in 2015, Backstage has invested nearly $7 million into 120 startups led by underestimated founders. In this talk, Hamilton describes how and why she created her unique fund, and why she views underrepresented, underestimated founders as a category with massive potential.

Video clips from: Underestimated [Entire Talk]

2 minutes

Growth and Social Impact

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4 minutes

Turning Down Money on Principle

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3 minutes

Investing in Black Women Founders

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7 minutes

Three Years of “No”

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3 minutes

The Power of Being Underestimated

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