The Future of Business Will Be More Female

Posted on May 21, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

This Spring, the Case Foundation brought together a dynamic slate of female founders at SXSW for a conversation on why we believe the future of business is female. Case Foundation Board Member, Sonal Shah, who heads Georgetown University’s Beeck Center on Social Impact & Innovation led a discussion with Stephanie Lampkin from Blendoor, Jennifer Stybel from the Rent the Runway Foundation and Cindy Whitehead from The Pink Ceiling. Together they explored why intentionality around equal opportunity for women is key to building and funding a successful startup enterprise and the new pathways for investing in women-led companies.

Lampkin, who founded Blendoor, works with hundreds of tech companies—from Salesforce, to Google, Microsoft and more eliminating unconscious bias in job hiring by creating identity-blind applications. Meanwhile, Whitehead—who sold a company for more than $1 billion dollars three years ago—shared more on how she raised money to fund her company in unconventional ways. Her new company, The Pink Ceiling, provides seed investing and commercial support for female-led startups. The panelists each shared how they pay it forward by making early bets on other women-led companies and providing support for female entrepreneurs. Jennifer Stybel shared how Rent the Runway Foundation is doing just that. She, along with Whitehead and Lampkin are building a pipeline of women-led startups set to change the world.

Watch their conversation above.

Social Good in April: Stories You Don’t Want to Miss

Posted on April 30, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

April was full of breaking news in social good, so we’re bringing you another edition of “This Month In Social Good,” rounding up our favorite stories from our Breaking Good newsletter so you don’t miss anything.

Of particular note this month, we saw a lot of great stories across the podcast circuit. Case Foundation CEO Jean Case talked to Wall Street Journal Podcasts about the importance of fearlessness in her journey to spark innovation in the social sector, and our VP of Social Innovation, Sarah Koch, was on Silicon Hills News and EU Now to talk about the need to support women in tech and entrepreneurship. We also revisited our roundup of Seven Fearless Founder Podcasts for those of you looking to brighten your daily commute.

April also brought us stories about industry leaders attaining B Corp certification, local communities embracing Impact Investing and female founders and investors coming together to change the face of entrepreneurship.

B Corps in the news

This month, a major player jumped into the world of B Corps: Danone North America. The certification, which makes them the world’s largest certified B Corp, comes just one year after Danone legally registered as a benefit company as part of their acquisition of WhiteWave. The North American entity is the eighth company under the Danone umbrella to be certified. The company has long been a proponent of corporate social responsibility and socially conscious business and the speed with which this large company achieved certification is a signal to other companies with social-impact goals that B Corp certification is attainable no matter their size. As an added bonus, the company worked with B Lab to create a case study of the steps they took throughout the year so other multinationals could learn from Danone’s experience and, hopefully, follow in their footsteps.

In April, we also got to hear firsthand about how Greyston Bakery, another B Corp, is making waves. For 30 years, Greyston Bakery has been focused on a big bet: to hire anyone, regardless of their background, as they bake gourmet brownies and cookies, including many of the brownies you see in Ben & Jerry’s Brownie Ice Cream, at their for-profit bakery located just north of New York City. On our latest episode of Be Fearless, we talked to CEO Mike Brady and the Greyston team about the success open hiring practices has brought for their company and their community and how they’re helping other companies do the same.

Impact Investing making inroads in local communities

From Atlanta to Lancaster to Baltimore, local foundations and governments are testing the waters with Impact Investing and alternative funding structures. At the beginning of the month, the Lancaster County Community Foundation announced that they would invest $500,000 in two local organizations aiming for both a social and financial return. The recipients were a housing and neighborhood revitalization organization and a financial inclusion organization. The investment is part of an ongoing effort from the foundation to leverage new funding mechanisms to support their community.

In Atlanta, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta made a splash with a $10 million impact investment fund—the first local Impact Investing fund in the city. The fund, named GoATL will be distributed over the next two to three years and focused on five impact areas: arts, community development, education, nonprofit effectiveness and wellbeing.

Atlanta also is trying out innovative investing models with efforts to raise $12.9 million for an environmental impact bond through Neighborly, the municipal bond broker-dealer. The funds will go toward minimizing flooding and improving drainage. Baltimore is following suit with efforts to raise $6 million for an environmental impact bond aimed at reducing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

Seeing communities across the country take on Impact Investing to tackle local but large-scale challenges is a great reminder of the field’s potential to grow and scale globally as it continues to move to the mainstream.

Female founders and the changing face of entrepreneurship in America

In the world of Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Vanity Fair’s April feature gave us both something to celebrate and something to work on. The magazine teamed up with Kathryn Finney and digitalundivided to feature the 26 Black women who have raised $1 million or more in venture funding. And while these groundbreaking women are truly worth celebrating, this was yet another reminder of the need to support all women of color launching business, many more of whom deserve to join the ranks of this “million dollar club.”

Also on the founder side, we heard the stories of inspiring female founders like Maneesha Mukhi, a social entrepreneur who created an online marketplace called ImmiGo to help individuals and businesses find high quality immigration attorneys. We also heard from GirlCrew cofounder, Aine Mulloy, who took to #FacesofFounders to tell the story of launching a platform to connect women across the globe, while fighting for female representation across industries.

Female investors are taking a stand too. April also heralded the launch of AllRaise, a group of 34 women investors—representing over $1 billion in investable capital—who are committed to helping women entrepreneurs raise money. Recognizing that there’s a robust pipeline of female entrepreneurial talent, the group is committed to increasing the percentage of venture funding going to women while doubling the number of female partners at venture firms.

These stories have inspired us and motivated us to get to work this month and beyond—and we hope they’ve inspired you too. To stay up to date on all things social good sign up for our newsletter, Breaking Good. 

Is there anything we missed this month? Tell us about your favorite social good story you saw in April!

7 Fearless Founder Podcasts to Listen To

Posted on March 6, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Everyone loves a good success story, and entrepreneurs tend to have especially fascinating ones. The road to success rarely goes in a straight line; rather, most successful people have encountered quite a few failures and obstacles along the way.

Learning from these challenges and failing forward is what often leads to breakthroughs. As our Be Fearless principles state, making big bets, failing forward, trying brave experiments, working with unlikely partners and letting urgency conquer fear can be the keys to success for entrepreneurs.

Being fearless isn’t always easy. But seeing stories of fearless entrepreneurs who have braved the path before can be the inspiration capital needed for aspiring entrepreneurs to begin to build their businesses. That’s why telling the stories of entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, and lifting up role models whose stories are not told as frequently in mainstream entrepreneurship coverage, is so important. Our #FacesofFounders campaign has brought together stories of entrepreneurs across race, place and gender, what they struggle with, what they’re building and why inclusivity makes entrepreneurship even stronger. We also regularly share stories of those changing the narrative of who is and can be entrepreneurs in our weekly newsletter, Breaking Good.

But sometimes hearing—not just reading—stories can be uniquely powerful. So, we asked the Case Foundation team to share some of their favorite stories of entrepreneurship, as told by podcasts. While there are many great stories out there, we compiled a list of nine podcast episodes of entrepreneurs who each stand out in a different way. Read on to learn about some of the founders who inspire us and remind us to Be Fearless.

Spanx—Sara Blakely on NPR’s “How I Built This”

Sara Blakely’s story starts with selling fax machines and ends with her becoming the youngest self-made female billionaire in the US. But her journey to get there may be less well-known. She launched Spanx with the money in her savings after seeing a need for an undergarment that incorporates the control top feature of pantyhose without the legs of pantyhose.

Blakely’s journey gathering support from manufacturers, patent attorneys, buyers and even Oprah is an inspiring one for women founders pitching unique and disruptive products. The story of how she convinced a Neiman Marcus buyer to work with her is also a funny reminder that unconventional methods can sometimes be the most effective ones.

Be Visible—Andrea Guendelman, on Backstage Capital’s “Mission and Values”

As fans of Inclusive Entrepreneurship, we loved hearing about the journey of Andrea Guendelman, who co-founded Be Visible. Recognizing a lack of available professional mentoring and networking resources for Latinx professionals, she built Be Visible as a professional social network for the group.

Throughout the podcast, Andrea breaks down the underlying barriers that separate Latinx professionals from many opportunities available to the wider population. She talks about the group’s unique needs and how Latinx Millennials specifically can be supported and encouraged to be engaged and connected citizens. She also has an interesting backstory that crosses countries and industries before launching Be Visible. Listen through the end to hear about where the platform is going and which big client Be Visible just landed.

**Hamdi Ulukaya—Chobani, on Fast Company’s “Innovators Uncensored”**

For a lesson in humble beginnings, hard work and compassionate leadership, listen to Fast Company editor, Robert Safian’s interview with Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani. Ulukaya’s path to success was untraditional, to say the least. He started in a closed down factory in a small town in upstate New York, working with a team of just five people and had no prior formal business, marketing or managing experience.

What was the first thing his team did after opening the factory? It’s not what you’d expect, but Ulukaya’s story bucks tradition from the beginning and you have to tune into to hear it straight from Ulukaya. After Chobani’s massive success, Ulukaya shares how he didn’t let success go to his head, how he has sought to stay accountable to his employees and how he doesn’t shy away from wider issues, like the refugee crisis. Listen to the interview to hear him tell the story of two refugees (of the 600 he’s hired) who found success working for Chobani. Ulukaya’s story is the story of a leader rebelling against assumptions about how businesses are run and putting purpose at the center of his business.

Capway—Sheena Allen, on “VC Cheat Sheet”

Sheena Allen took a non-traditional route to entrepreneurship, launching Capway, a Financial Tech company, from rural Mississippi. Allen talks about her journey to launching the FinTech company, which serves different groups of financially underserved consumers and talks about the unconscious bias that she had to overcome to succeed.

The ‘aha’ moment that led to her launching Capway came in a grocery store, where she saw a long line of people waiting to cash their checks. Through more research, Allen identified the massive gap in financial services for unbanked and underbanked populations—which leads to people cashing checks at nontraditional financial institutions, like grocery and convenience stores. Despite there being a huge market to serve this community, gaining support from investors was a challenge. Allen shares how she’s been able to find success and find the right investors to work with. And she holds nothing back, giving very direct advice to women and other underrepresented entrepreneurs looking to build support and sharing her advice on how to ask for help the right way. Listen to her story for insight into the experience of an entrepreneur building support for a service for underrepresented consumers.

Radio One—Cathy Hughes, on NPR’s “How I Built This”

For some serious entrepreneurial inspiration, you’ll want to listen to Cathy Hughes’ journey to radio success, which involves a fair share of bumps in the road along the way. As a young, single mom, Hughes moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Washington, DC to help launch the radio station at Howard University. She found success there by creating shows that catered to underrepresented communities in DC, but her journey didn’t stop there.

Hughes’s path to becoming a media mogul takes unexpected twists and turns, including a stint of living with her son in the young, struggling radio station she bought. Her story of navigating entrepreneurship, motherhood, success and expansion as a female founder of color is interesting for so many reasons; from the creative to the financial to the personal.

Coss Marte—ConBody, on Gimlet Media’s “Start Up”

Part 1 and Part 2
This is a story about second chances. Coss Marte is an ex-convict who spent four years in prison for selling drugs. Fast forward to today and he’s running a successful fitness business, ConBody.

The inspiration for the company came while Marte was still in prison. Dealing with health problems and the confinement of prison, Marte developed his own workout routines that could be done in small spaces and without weights, and he helped other inmates do the same. In the podcast, Marte shares his story building up a customer base, battling negative perceptions and making sure to hire fellow ex-convicts, who struggle to get jobs after leaving incarceration. The podcast begins and ends with Marte and his cofounder, Jenn Shaw going to a pitch competition where they’re starkly reminded how much they stand out; he being Latino and Shaw being a woman among a crowd of mostly white, Ivy league grads. The story of his journey there, and the results of the pitch competition, will inspire and surprise you.

Mariam Naficy—Minted, on “Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman”

Mariam Naficy is a two-time founder who launched both her companies in uncertain times. She started with Eve.com, the first major online cosmetics seller, which she launched in the late 90’s, a time when the future of the internet was unclear. In fact, to obtain the domain name, she actually had to make a deal with a very powerful five-year-old by the same name. From there, Eve.com raised $26 million in its first year and continued to scale rapidly until she sold the company in 2000.

After moving on from Eve, Naficy moved on to her next venture, Minted, an online stationary store. In this episode, she shares her challenges raising venture capital as a mom entrepreneur, and launching a company in 2008, at the height of a financial crisis. Minted would go on to raise $89 million in Venture Capital and ship to 70 million households, but along the way, Naficy faced a lot of teachable failures, which she shares with listeners.

We hope these podcasts inspire you as much as they have our team. For some more #BeFearless inspiration, check out our Be Fearless hub, and to learn more about how we’re championing entrepreneurship for all through inspiration capital and more, check out our Inclusive Entrepreneurship page and #FacesofFounders series.

This Month in Social Good

Posted on February 28, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

February may be the shortest month of the year, but this February was packed with news in the world of social innovation. In particular, we saw new data, stories and perspectives brought forward in the world of Inclusive Entrepreneurship that we’d like to reflect on and use to power the movement. I spent some time rereading our weekly Case Foundation Breaking Good newsletter to gauge some of the conversation around supporting diverse entrepreneurs this month. Here are some of the articles and trends that stood out to me:

Black History Month is a reminder to uplift Black entrepreneurs—past and present

Every day is a great day to celebrate the achievements of groundbreaking innovators in history and the people who are carrying on their legacies and building their own. But as Black History Month comes to a close, we’re given a renewed commitment to uplift the stories of Black entrepreneurs—sharing both the contributions they bring and the unique challenges they face.

With that in mind, we were inspired by reflections from successful Black entrepreneurs on how they succeeded in a world filled with barriers designed to stifle their progress. One of the Be Fearless quotes that stood out came from Urban One founder, Cathy Hughes:

“[Don’t] let anyone convince you that your dream, your vision to be an entrepreneur, is something that you shouldn’t do. What often happens is that people who are well meaning, who really care for us, are afraid for us and talk us out of it.”

There’s a glaring gap for women entrepreneurs

As reports highlighting data on entrepreneurship from 2017 begin to come out, the statistics on women entrepreneurs are disheartening, to say the least. According to Pitchbook, businesses with all-women founding teams received just 2.2 percent of all venture capital in 2017. Teams with a mix of genders received just 12 percent, and a whopping 79 percent of venture capital went to all-male teams (the remaining 7 percent was unreported).

To change these numbers, there isn’t an easy fix. We know where we can start—more women launching businesses, more women in venture capital, fewer cases of bias at the hands of investors—but none of these alone will solve the problem. Partners are stepping up across industries to build solutions together that will collectively challenge the systemic biases that affect how opportunity is distributed in our culture. Data and storytelling can play major role in that, which brings us to our next trend.

We need to support data and storytelling on underrepresented innovators

Sherrell Dorsey is doing just that. Dorsey founded a daily newsletter called ThePLUG to report on founders, investors and innovators of color. This month, she talked to Vice about the need for more data on Black entrepreneurs. This is one of the many great points she made:

“A lot of times, especially in the black community, when you look at entrepreneurship, there’s been very little data collection—like, the kind of businesses we’re creating, the kind of problems that we’re solving. (…) A lot of times investors are looking for patterns in data, so when that information is not shared in public, you get a knowledge gap.”

To extrapolate out from what Sherrell is saying, if investors don’t have the data they are used to having when making investment decisions, they are less likely to fund initiatives. Therefore, having a more robust dataset on Black entrepreneurship could help spark solutions across the board. That’s something we’re working towards as we champion inspiration capital as a core part of our Inclusive Entrepreneurship work. By uplifting the stories of underrepresented entrepreneurs—stories that share both their challenges and their unique insights—we’re hoping to change widespread assumptions about who is and can be a talented entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship can flourish across in all communities across the U.S.

Another widespread assumption about entrepreneurship we’re working to challenge is the notion that Silicon Valley is the only great place to launch a company. Fortunately, that idea is being challenged by entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem builders across the country. We loved hearing about how Kela Ivonye, founder of connected delivery storage service, MailHaven found Louisville Kentucky, not Silicon Valley to be the best place to build the company.

On the ecosystem side, we’ve been inspired by news about places like Raleigh, where a program is helping formerly incarcerated individuals pursue entrepreneurship. In the Midwest, a variety of organizations are working to support the region’s female entrepreneurs. And in New York, three of the city’s major banks announced plans to give a combined $40 million to programs supporting women and entrepreneurs of color there.

This month, Engine also interviewed an ecosystem builder in Colorado as part of an ongoing series we love, #StartupsEverywhere, where the outlet talks to the people building entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country. And this week’s Kauffman Foundation newsletter poses important questions on how we can build inclusive ecosystems, including a powerful video by Melissa Bradley on her experiences as an entrepreneur, investor and ecosystem builder.

From celebrating past and present Black entrepreneurs and leaders, to building solutions for female founders, to tackling the data gap, to highlighting innovation everywhere—leaders in the world of Inclusive Entrepreneurship are getting to work. The stories we’ve seen this month inspire us and we can’t wait to read and share even more of these informative and inspirational stories. To learn more, sign up for our newsletter, Breaking Good.

Is there anything we missed this month? Tell us about your favorite social good story you saw in February!

33 SXSW Sessions You Shouldn’t Miss in 2018

Posted on February 23, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of SXSW, the world renowned gathering that unites more than 420,000 people from across the globe. Each year SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people expand their knowledge and have the opportunity to meet fellow innovators on a mission to change the world. Featured speakers at this year’s gathering include philanthropist and investor Melinda Gates; internationally renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés; tech pioneer and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki; social influencers like Karlie Kloss, Guy Raz and Eric Liedtke; and many more. The festival is the essential destination for social impact leaders, startup founders, investors, philanthropists and innovators.

The Case Foundation team is excited to announce that we will take the stage at four sessions this year and that we are also partnering with TechCo where we will host a series of video interviews with startup founders, investors and ecosystem builders dedicated to pushing the Inclusive Entrepreneurship movement forward. Be on the lookout for our Facebook LIVE videos from SXSW debuting on March 10th HERE. We also invite you to check out the Startup Night SXSW 2018 presented by the Kauffman Foundation in partnership with TechCo, as part of their annual Startup of the Year program.

Some other events we’re excited to attend are Latinas in Tech, a showcase with Latina stars in the tech industry who will have a candid conversation on the state of entrepreneurship for female founders of color and how we can move the industry forward. Attendees can also check out a panel with Kansas Senator, Jerry Moran, as he takes the stage with business and policy experts who will discuss a variety of issues that are impacting entrepreneurs during their session on Supporting Startups to Fuel American Competitiveness.

And while in Austin, one must eat, and eat well. In addition to the hundreds of SX sessions and parties, you’ll find top-notch Texas restaurants and food trucks to keep you busy. Our team of former Texans here at the Case Foundation recommends Micklethwait Craft Meats, Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ—the Austin outpost of famed Black’s Barbecue, Launderette, Franklin’s Barbeque, Le Politque, Emmer & Rye, Tiger Fork and Hula Hut. For those looking for a memorable sunset, try the Oasis on Lake Travis.

Keeping with tradition, the Case Foundation has done your homework for you and detailed the 33 can’t miss sessions that are guaranteed to challenge your mind and change your view of the world at SXSW. Mark your calendars and see you there!

Engaging Millennials to Support Education, Mar 8, 2018 – 11:00am – 12:00pm Nnamdi Asomugha of The Asomugha Foundation and Derrick Feldmann of Achieve will discuss the current state of education and how a generation can support educational advancement for all of America’s youth. Feldmann will also debut the newest study from the Millennial Impact Project, a multi-year study in partnership with the Case Foundation on how Millennials engage with causes.
Attracting VC Investment Outside of Silicon Valley, Mar 9, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm presented by Capital Factory—hear from three VC’s who recently made investments in Texas-based startups to find out what factors they considered and how you can make your pitch stand out from the rest.
Opening Sessions at the HBCUSXSW18 House, Mar 9, 2018 – 1:00pm – 5:00pm featuring presentations on navigating SXSW, high demand technology careers, high growth company building, and multi-generational wealth creation. Featured speakers include Janice Bryant Howroyd (Founder, ACT-1 Global), Brian Bracken (Founder, Kairos & $KRS), Yulkendy Valdez (Founder, Project 99), Pat Kirkland, (Founder, Pat Kirkland Leadership), Samson Williams (Cofounder, Axes & Eggs), Jamarlin Martin (Founder & CEO, Moguldom), Arif Gursel (Founder & CEO, Black TechUnion), Sheena Allen (Founder, Capway), Rodney Williams (Cofounder, Lisnr), Dave Parker (Founder, Six Month Startup), Alicia Jones (Financial Education & Coach, Journey To Wealth), Berto Horne (Founder, The Perfect Gentlemen) and more.
Return on Inclusion: Investing in Diverse Startups, Mar 9, 2018 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm featuring Arlan Hamilton from Backstage Capital, Kai Bond from Comcast Ventures/Catalyst Fund, Sutian Dong from the Female Founders Fund and Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures, panelists will discuss the challenges that entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds face as they look to raise money and build their businesses, and will explore how startups can leverage their diverse perspective as a competitive advantage.
Giving Back Rocks: How Austin Brands Do It, Mar 9, 2018 – 5:00pm – 6:00pm what do a jewelry designer, hair care billionaire, tennis player, and hospital have in common? Successful businesses that give back to the community, while remaining “on brand.” This session highlights how an unconventional collection of panelists: Kendra Scott, John Paul DeJoria, Andy Roddick, Austin’s St. David’s HealthCare—leverage their individual talents and brands for serious philanthropy.
Improving Diversity and Reducing Harassment in VC, Mar 10, 2018 – 11:00am – 12:00pm join Reed Albergotti, a reporter at The Information; Niniane Wang founder & CEO of Evertoon; and Sarah Kunst founder & CEO at Proday.co as they discuss the culture within the VC community, ideas around improving diversity among decision-makers at VC firms, and the climate for women in tech.
Film + Storytelling in a Politically-Charged Era, Mar 10, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:00pm national Geographic leads a conversation on how private and nonprofit sectors have stepped up to tell the stories of those affected by political actions, increasing activism and empathy. This panel features creative industry pros – top Hollywood directors and execs – sharing how they partner the profit-bearing potential of the business world with visionary storytelling to make waves on Capitol Hill.
Latinas Removing Barriers in Tech, Mar 10, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm this session explores the role of Latinas in tech both as users and as leaders of tech companies. Join Carolina Casares of Yahoo Latin America and Spain, Kety Esquivel from Edelman, Claudia Romo Edelman of UNICEF and Samira Saba of Smartmatic for the discussion.
New Girls’ Network: Women Funding Women, Mar 10, 2018 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm leaders from iFundWomen, Portfolia and Belle Capital USA share insights on the vast and growing ecosystem of organizations looking to capitalize on the underserved market of women-led companies.
Convergence Keynote: Ta-Nehisi Coates, Mar 10, 2018 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic leads a conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates — national correspondent for The Atlantic, best-selling author, and current scribe of Black Panther comics—about culture, politics, and social issues in the Age of Trump.
Where Are the Women? How to Diversify Journalism, Mar 10, 2018 – 3:30pm – 4:30pm four leading female print and multimedia journalists from the BBC, The Fuller Project, Vignette Interactive and Women Photograph shed light on the gender imbalance in journalism through the lens of their own global reporting.
The End of Global Hunger? AI Will Make it Work, Mar 10, 2018 – 3:30pm – 4:30pm panelists from XPRIZE, Google, Gates Foundation and the UN World Food Programme will discuss how AI’s disruptive potential could help end global hunger.
Creating New Stories of Immigration, Mar 10, 2018 – 3:30pm – 4:30pm narratives of immigration play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and public policy, but nuanced narratives are all too often missing or ignored. The story of the individual, model immigrant is exalted, but what of those who don’t fit this image? Panelists working from varying perspectives and platforms will discuss their efforts to create new forms of storytelling that represent the immigrant experience in all its contours and speak to those on multiple sides of the issue.
Tech-no-color: Advancing Women of Color in Tech, Mar 10, 2018 – 3:30pm – 4:30pm a panel including Aubrey Blanche of Atlassian, Lafawn Davis of Twilio, Y-Vonne Hutchinson of ReadySet and Janet Ikpa of HIRED will shine a light on how to further build diversity and inclusion strategies with a focus on women of color.
Resistance & Disruption Through Diversity & Data, Mar 10, 2018 – 5:00pm – 6:00pm join Hilary Sloan, director of business development at ShopStyle; Nicolette Mason, diversity pioneer and founder; and Blake Gifford, attorney and digital influencer, as they discuss the power of activism and the opportunities for influencers to take a stand.
The Future of Business is Female, Mar 11, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm join Sonal Shah, Executive Director of the Beeck Center and Case Foundation Board Member as she leads a discussion with Stephanie Lampkin from Blendoor, Jennifer Stybel from the Rent the Runway Foundation and Cindy Whitehead from The Pink Ceiling exploring why intentionality around equal opportunity for women is a cornerstone to building and funding a successful startup enterprise and how new research and the #MeToo movement have opened up new pathways for investing in women leaders.
Corporate VC: The Firms, The Myths, The Legends, Mar 11, 2018 – 5:00pm – 6:00pm corporate Venture Capital is the topic of discussion in this session with Iris Capital, Orange Digital Ventures and Verizon Ventures led by Crunchbase/TechCrunch. They share more on the the rise of Corporate VC, the benefits they can offer startups and the key differences and similarities they share with traditional VC firms.
Minority Report: Engaging Kids of Color in Tech, Mar 12, 2018 – 9:30am – 10:30am Kimberly Bryant of Black Girls Gode, Laura Donnelly from Latinitas, Dalinda Gonzalez-Alcantar of Border Kids Code and Daniel Lucio of Google Fiber take the stage to share how high-touch programs are engaging minority youth in the tech world and inspiring them to go from becoming tech consumers to tech creators.
A Better World: Next-Gen Tech for Social Good, Mar 12, 2018 – 9:30am – 10:30am presented by CI&T—speakers from KnowTheChain, Thorn and Comrade share how companies are harnessing the power of technologies to amplify a social cause or mission.
Designers Who Broke the Internet, Mar 12, 2018 – 11:00am – 12:00pm join some of the designers behind Hulu, Twitter and Instagram to hear what their rationale and guiding principles were when they disrupted their respective ecosystems.
Women Rule, Mar 12, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm join POLITICO’s Editor Carrie Budoff Brown as she sits down with female leaders on the Women Rule podcast to talk power, politics and policy, and explore how dynamics shift when women have a seat at the table.
Black Women & The Invisible Billion Dollar Startup, Mar 12, 2018 – 5:00pm – 6:00pm breaking down barriers for black women founders is hard. Join TresseNoire, Be Nimble, Precursor VC and KeepUp for a conversation about how they are creating solutions to support black female founders and drive toward a world where the next billion dollar founder is a black woman.
Latino Entrepreneurship: Scaling to Excellence, Mar 13, 2018 – 9:30am – 10:30am how can Latino entrepreneurs manage the challenges to scaling their businesses and what resources are available to assist them? Check out this panel discussion featuring entrepreneurs and leaders that have dealt with this problem.
Democratizing AI for Individuals & Organizations, Mar 13, 2018 – 9:30am – 10:30am AI is the focus of the conversation when Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Director of Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence Lab and Chief Scientist of AI/ML at Google Cloud; Megan Smith, CEO of shift7 and former U.S. CTO; and Joanne Chen, Partner at Foundation Capital take the stage. They will discuss the enormous potential AI has for improving the world, from increasing productivity to creating new medicines, as well as the challenges that it must overcome to produce these results.
The Truth about Diversity in Tech, Mar 13, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm Vice President of Public Policy at Lyft, Joe Okpaku discusses what drove him to pursue work at an early stage tech startup, how he thrives as a black executive in Silicon Valley, and offers advice to others looking to blaze their own unique career paths and improve people’s lives.
Agents of Mass Construction, Mar 13, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm filmmakers and environmentalists are teaming up to leverage film and storytelling to make a positive impact for nature. Mission Blue’s Sylvia Earle, Exposure Lab’s Jeff Orlowski, race car driver Leilani Munter and academy award winner Louie Psihoyos make media that Psihoyos calls “weapons of mass construction.” They will discuss taking viewers to the depths of the oceans and up close with endangered wildlife to turn audiences into agents for change.
Earth v. Mars: The Future of Exploration, Mar 13, 2018 – 12:30pm – 1:30pm National Geographic unites renowned explorers and astronauts as they dive deep into the future of expeditions on Earth, Mars and beyond. Speakers include Brian Skerry and Nadia Drake of National Geographic, as well as Leland Melvin and Nicole Scott from NASA. Together they will share the risks and rewards of pushing the limits of our capabilities as a species; breakthroughs in the potential to make a new home on the Red Planet; and surprising insights that are making us rethink staying put right here on Earth.
Why Black Women are 2018’s Best Investment, Mar 13, 2018 – 3:30pm – 4:30pm The Case Foundation sits down with inclusive entrepreneurship champions providing important connections, training and mentorships for entrepreneurs, as well as with the investors and influencers working to change the way capital and media attention flows to diverse entrepreneurs. Our VP of Social Innovation Sarah Koch will moderate a conversation with Cheryl Contee of Fission Strategy and Kathryn Finney of digitalundivided.
Creating a Movement Through User Generated Content, Mar 13, 2018 – 3:30pm – 4:30pm User Generated Content (UGC) has quickly become a valuable form of marketing, and today’s rich analytics environment means we have more information than ever about how people are reacting to brands and using different platforms. But creating a campaign that leverages UGC across multiple channels—playing to each of their strengths—remains a challenge for many marketers. Join Kate Coughlin from National Geographic, Megan Bond from the ONE Campaign, Monique Carswell from Comcast NBCUniversal and Jessica Zetzman from the Case Foundation to explore how to use UGC to break through.
How Can Venture Capital Achieve Gender Parity? Mar 13, 2018 – 5:00pm – 6:00pm how can women seize more of the venture capital pie? Doree Shafrir, senior tech writer for BuzzFeed News and author of STARTUP: A NOVEL, will moderate a panel with Trail Mix Ventures GP and entrepreneur Soraya Darabi, Homebrew founder and partner Hunter Walk, and Parity Partners program director Natalia Quintero.
Journalists Shattering the Business Status Quo, Mar 14, 2018 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm join a compelling conversation about how journalists and editors are conquering stereotypes and busting myths every day through their digital, online and print platforms. Seasoned media influencers share how news agencies are crafting stories about entrepreneurs of color, female founders, and the inclusive ecosystems that shatter the status quo. Jade Floyd of the Case Foundation will moderate a discussion with Megan Rose Dickey from TechCrunch, Valentina Zarya from Fortune Magazine and Vanessa De Luca from Essence Magazine.
Building a Bada#$ Business Against All Odds, Mar 15, 2018 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm this session is taught by experienced entrepreneurs from underrepresented sectors of tech who’ve made something out of nothing. Join Danielle Leslie from Course Alchemy, Tara Reed from Apps Without Code, Thomas Stovall from Candid/I’m Black in Tech and Aniyia Williams from Tinsel as they discuss the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they created.
How Tech Hubs Outside SV Lead The Way on Diversity, Mar 15, 2018 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm Detroit, Kansas City, Coeur D’Alene, Chattanooga: Cities with robust tech ecosystems show how starting a company outside Silicon Valley can create more opportunities to under-represented entrepreneurs and elevate diverse business ideas. Speakers from St. Martins Press, SLACK, UBS and Innovation Collective take the stage.

Finally, I’m excited to also serve as a WeDC Ambassador this year where I will be joined by fellow Washington, D.C. creatives, chefs, makers, entrepreneurs and innovators who each represent DC’s vibrant business sectors. Led by the Washington DC Economic Partnership and Executive Office of the Mayor, D.C. is committed to inclusive innovation focusing on providing access, opportunity and resources to the people, companies and organizations. Be sure to check out the many #WeDC House events taking place at SX this year.

Have a session you want us to share that didn’t make the list? Tweet us @CaseFoundation and @JadeFloydDC

23 Conferences on Our Radar in 2018

Posted on January 17, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

It’s that time of year! The beginning of a new rotation around the sun when we all start to prioritize our goals for the next 365 days. One of my resolutions this year is to make meaningful connections and expand my knowledge of subjects both known and unknown. There’s no better way to do so then to step out of the office occasionally and travel to a new region for a few days of learning. Our team at the Case Foundation does just that, attending and speaking at dozens of conferences and events across the globe.

Last year we took the stage at events like SXSW, Essence Festival and the Forbes Philanthropy Summit. We had the chance to talk Impact Investing with the masses at gatherings like the first-ever Forbes Impact Investing Summit, the Financial Times Investing for Good, the NYPL Business Leadership Council, Web Summit, Wharton Social Impact Investing Conference and more. And our Inclusive Entrepreneurship team took the stage at key events like the Women’s Global Leadership Forum, Atlantic Magazine’s Social Impact Forum and Black and Brown Founders.

We know that time is precious and there are countless conferences and events for you to consider in 2018 to expand your knowledge. Here’s our take on 23 conferences to attend this year in the world of philanthropy, Impact Investing, Millennial engagement and Inclusive Entrepreneurship:

MAKERS Conference, February 5-7 (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) explores new ways to make shock waves, unleash our collective power and lift each other up as we fight for causes that matter. Last year’s conference included speakers like Gloria Steinem, Eva Longoria, Priscilla Chan, Sheryl Sandberg, Diane von Furstenberg and Gabby Douglas.
Economist Impact Investing Forum, February 15 (New York, NY) join Economist editors and 200 financiers, institutional investors, policymakers, academics, impact investors and philanthropists at the second iteration of Investing for Impact: risk, return and the future of the world. Our CEO Jean Case is scheduled to take the stage with Liesel Pritzker Simmons, co-founder of the Blue Haven Initiative in a conversation on why investing in women founders is the ultimate return.
SXSW Interactive, March 9-17 (Austin, TX) we would be remiss if we didn’t give a shoutout to the conference of all conferences. Tens of thousands of attendees gather for hundreds of sessions on topics related to social good, investing, entrepreneurship, art, music and more. Our Case Foundation team will take the stage at four sessions that week, and we look forward to seeing many of you while in Austin. Speakers this year will include Melinda Gates, Alex Chung, Mark Cuban, Michael Dell, Kathryn Finney, Cindy Whitehead, Ira Glass, Walter Isaacson, Ezra Klein, Megan Smith, Gary Vaynerchuk and many more.
Women’s Private Equity Summit, March 9-11 (Half Moon Bay, CA) brings together more than 500 female private equity and venture capital leaders for discussion and networking.
Skoll World Forum, April 10-13 (Oxford, England) launched by the Skoll Foundation, accelerates entrepreneurial approaches and solutions to the world’s most pressing problems by uniting social entrepreneurs in a pursuit of learning, leverage and large-scale social change. Past speakers have included President of the World Bank Group Dr. Jim Yong Kim, Winnie Byanyima of Oxfam International and Hamdi Ulukaya of the yogurt empire Chobani.
Nonprofit Technology Conference, April 11-13 (New Orleans, LA) features over 100 educational sessions, an exhibit hall highlighting the latest nonprofit products and services and networking events each day. Be sure to check out our session on open source philanthropy with our VP of Interactive Strategies, John Jones.
Women in the World Summit, April 12-14 (New York, NY) presents powerful new female role models whose personal stories illuminate the most pressing international issues. Speakers last year included Scarlett Johansson, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Diane von Furstenberg and many more luminaries.
Tech Inclusion, Spring 2018 (Washington, DC) brings the industry together to drive solutions to diversity and inclusion. Attendees include executives, hiring managers, human resources, data scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and diversity and inclusion advocates.
Vanity Fair Founder’s Fair, April 20 (New York, NY) slated for its second year, this gathering highlights the accomplishments of ambitious women entrepreneurs and explores ways to help them unleash even greater growth for their businesses and their brands.
Good Tech Fest, May 22-24 (Detroit, MI) is for anyone using data and technology to drive impact. It’s for the doers and practitioners. The people on the ground. The leaders that are wanting to find innovative ways to leverage technology, and the technologists wanting to apply their skills for real global change.
US SIF Annual Conference, May 30-June 1 (Washington, DC) gives you the opportunity to network with leaders of sustainable, responsible and Impact Investing. Hear from leading investors, CEOs and policymakers, and to learn about new approaches, trends and policy developments in the field.
MCON, June (Washington, DC) join 1,000 passionate individuals who come together to channel their enthusiasm into action for today’s most pressing issues. MCON gathers leaders, entrepreneurs and cause enthusiasts of all generations to discuss problems and find creative solutions to the challenges of today.
Forbes Impact Investing Summit, June 12-13 (New York, NY) this invitation only event for doers and investors who believe in investing in companies that can change the world is a new offering from Forbes and it’s certain to make an impression. Join seasoned impact investors who are moving capital and leading the next generation of investment.
NextGen Summit, June 18 (New York, NY) unites a global community of young entrepreneurs. The 2017 Next Gen Summit welcomed dozens of investors and founders of billion dollar brands and companies, NBA and NFL stars, Shark Tank alums, world-renowned fitness experts and underwater drone creators.
Aspen Ideas Festival, June 21-30 (Aspen, CO) unites leaders and influencers from around the globe for inquisitive discussions on the ideas and issues that shape our lives and challenge our times. Hundreds of award winning journalists, global leaders, scientists and explorers, former secretaries of states, startup founders and investors take the stage each year.
Fortune Most Powerful Women, October 1-3 (Laguna Niguel, CA) MPW has evolved into the world’s most extraordinary leadership community, convening the preeminent women in business—along with select leaders in government, philanthropy, education and the arts—for wide-ranging conversations that inspire and deliver practical advice. The program features one-on-one interviews, panel discussions, interactive breakout sessions and high-level networking.
Communications Network, October 10-12 (San Francisco, CA) brings together more than 500 social sector communications professionals from foundations and organizations across the globe for engaging dialogues on using the power of storytelling to drive social impact, demystifying design and the making of movements.
Global Impact Investing Network Forum, October 30-31 (Paris, France) investors from around the globe convene for the preeminent gathering of active impact investors and those who are interested in building an Impact Investing practice. Hosted by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and PEI Media, the Forum aims to advance and scale the market through insight from industry leaders, leading-edge research and unrivaled networking opportunities.
PopTech, October 31-November 3 (Point Lookout, ME) is a robust gathering of more than 600 scientists, technologists, humanitarians, designers, artists, innovators, corporate and governmental leaders, academics and those who defy tidy categorization.
Inc Women’s Summit, Fall 2018 (New York, NY) unites savvy female business leaders with diverse backgrounds, passions, and pursuits for a day of dynamic exchanges and innovative business ideas. Speakers have included the likes of Spanx CEO Sara Blakely, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, Maria Malcolm Beck of Bluemercury and more.
Blavity Afrotech, Fall 2018 (Silicon Valley, CA) unites founders and employees of some of the fastest-growing tech startups to share the tactics and strategies they use to grow their products and businesses. Conversations range from raising venture funding, combining tech and culture, user design workshops, growth hacking and more.
Washington Ideas, October 2-4 (Washington, DC) is an annual must-attend event bringing the most consequential people and issues to D.C. featuring hundreds of political leaders and those shaping the future of business, science, technology, arts and journalism.
Fast Company Innovation Festival, Fall 2018 (New York, NY) taking place across NYC, the festival features dozens of events in content tracks ranging from tech to design, leadership to creativity, fashion to healthcare and more. CEOs and influencers from companies and organizations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, CARE, DonorsChoose.org, Robin Hood, Swell Investing and more.
Bonus: LIVE anything! Live content from media brands is a hot ticket for 2018 both in person and online. Check out the many upcoming LIVE events from media entities like Forbes, Washington Post, Bloomberg, AXIOS 360 and The Atlantic announced each week.

There are countless other gatherings you can consider like TED, Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen, the Code Conference, the Milken Global Conference, Wharton Social Impact Conference and the Sustainable Brands Conference series. Be sure to check out our past conferences we have featured in our blog from 2017 HERE and 2016 HERE. Many of these events take place year-after-year, so be sure to keep them on your radar in 2018 and beyond.

A Month of Entrepreneurial Stories

Posted on November 30, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Our Inclusive Entrepreneurship work at the Case Foundation is built upon the core value that we must change the way we all talk about entrepreneurship, expanding who we lift up as success stories and busting myths that hold entrepreneurs back. National Entrepreneurship Month gave us a great opportunity to dive into the subject again and to celebrate entrepreneurs from a wide variety of backgrounds. It also gave us a chance to provide an honest look at some of the challenges of entrepreneurship.

We focus our work in Inclusive Entrepreneurship on challenges across race, place and gender, driven by the stark statistics that show the disparities faced by diverse entrepreneurs. Just looking at venture capital distribution reveals that only 10 percent of venture-backed companies have a female founder and only one percent have an African American founder. And just 75 percent of all venture capital is being distributed to just three states; California, New York and Massachusetts. Talent is everywhere; opportunity is not. And many of these elements are central to the stories that were at the core of our National Entrepreneurship Month blogs.

November 1^st was both the first day of National Entrepreneurship Month and National Stress Awareness Day, so we kicked off our series with an examination of the role stamina and support plays in becoming an entrepreneur. We asked our #FacesofFounders entrepreneurs how they manage the stress of launching and running a business. See what they said in Confronting the Dark Side of Entrepreneurship.

On Veteran’s Day, we shined a spotlight on veterans in entrepreneurship and ways to support them. Our friends at Bunker Labs took to #FacesofFounders to share how the organization is working to build an ecosystem to support veteran entrepreneurs. Read what CEO Todd Connor had to say in How Bunker Labs Is Building an Inclusive Ecosystem for Veteran Entrepreneurs.

Then we looked back at the Essence Festival panel our senior vice president, Sheila Herrling, moderated with a group of entrepreneurial changemakers. Herrling shares some of the top takeaways from the informative and action-inspiring conversation in Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship.

Finally, to celebrate Small Business Saturday and #Giving Tuesday we focused on some of the many ways individuals can support entrepreneurs running businesses of all sizes. Not every entrepreneur has the same financial and social resources, and in Keeping Entrepreneurship at the Heart of the American Experience, we highlighted the many ways that individuals can support entrepreneurs in their daily lives and with the purchasing decisions they make.

We hope these stories has given you a chance to learn more about entrepreneurs, their valuable contributions and how you can support them. To learn more and to access a list of resources on these subjects, visit our website, follow our Medium publication #FacesofFounders and subscribe to Breaking Good, the Case Foundation’s weekly newsletter, to see more from us on entrepreneurship, race, place and gender.

There is much more work to be done and while Entrepreneurship Month may be over, we will continue to champion building onramps to entrepreneurship for all with the goal of everyone having an equal chance at unlocking the American Dream. We hope you will join us.

Keeping Entrepreneurship at the Heart of the American Experience

Posted on November 20, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Entrepreneurs are vital members of our communities. The products and services they provide, innovation they spur and jobs they create are critical to the economic wellbeing of a community and a core part of the American Experience. As we have seen in the growth of the Impact Investing movement over the past ten years, entrepreneurs are also increasingly focusing part, if not all, of their efforts on addressing social and environmental problems that other stakeholders have been somewhat ineffective at solving.

While we know that the idea of entrepreneurs toiling away by themselves alone in a garage is a myth, while bringing forward these innovative new ideas, many entrepreneurs do spend a significant amount of time working by themselves or in small teams before their business gets to scale. It takes a village to get a startup off the ground, but building the community needed to succeed can be challenging. For example, 48 percent of women founders cite a lack of available mentors as a barrier to success and the average cost to launch a startup is around $30,000 with reports claiming that 80 percent of funding for new businesses comes from personal savings, friends and family. This creates additional roadblocks for entrepreneurs without wealthy friends and families.

We believe that entrepreneurs are only as strong as the community around them — investors, ecosystem builders, their team, supportive policy and you! As we approach Small Business Saturday and #GivingTuesday, we have rounded up some of the ways that anyone, anywhere can help entrepreneurs succeed.

Head to #FacesofFounders to read more about how you can support the entrepreneurship ecosystem…

Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship

Posted on November 15, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

At the core of the Case Foundation’s Inclusive Entrepreneurship work is finding solutions that allow all innovators, specifically women and people of color, to explore and participate in the entrepreneurship arena and all it has to offer.

As a part of the 2017 Summer Essence Festival, I had the pleasure to host an engaging panel discussion with Kristen Sonday, Co-Founder of Paladin (and a #FacesofFounders winner!), Kathryn Finney, Founder of digitalundivided and Brian Brackeen, CEO and Founder of Kairos. These changemakers are disrupting the image of who is and can be an entrepreneur and are part of a movement to seize the opportunity that inclusive entrepreneurship provides and dramatically change the distribution of capital required to make that happen.

On the Essence Festival stage, we had thoughtful and action-oriented conversation trying to unbundle what’s at play behind the following set of stats: If women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, particularly black women, women-led businesses are outperforming their male peers in many VC portfolios and racially-diverse companies are outperforming industry norms by 35 percent, why does so little capital go their way? For context, less than 10 percent of venture-backed companies have a female founder; less than one percent have a black founder; less than one percent have a Latinx founder, and; a mere 0.2 percent have a black female founder.

These statistics make up the backdrop to the great conversation we had on stage. Key themes we covered are:

Talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not.
It’s not just about the financial capital; social capital is hugely important.
He (because it’s largely men) who make the decisions matters
Media plays a big role in setting default narrative and images of who is an can be an entrepreneur.

I hope you’ll watch and share your feedback on social media using #FacesofFounders!

Confronting the Dark Side of Entrepreneurship

Posted on November 1, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

November is National Entrepreneurship Month, and the irony that the month kicks off with National Stress Awareness Day will not be lost on any entrepreneur.

Throughout the month, we at the Case Foundation will be celebrating entrepreneurs and all of the contributions they bring. When we talk about putting our Be Fearless principles into practice, it’s not surprising that we often turn to startup founders for inspiration. For “Make big bets” you can’t help but think of Sara Blakely and Jeff Bezos; “Let Urgency Conquer Fear” evokes the story of Daymond John; “Make Failure Matter” conjures images of Oprah who was told she wasn’t made for TV, Elon Musk, or Thomas Edison who famously declared, “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.”

But the story of many entrepreneurs, because they can be so inspirational, can also become over-glamorized. What we don’t talk about enough, however, is the stamina — mental and physical — required to be an entrepreneur. It’s an essential part of the narrative of who is and can be an entrepreneur. And since that very notion was the premise of our recent #FacesofFounders campaign, we reached back out to some of those featured founders to take on the topic of stress management.

Head to Faces of Founders on Medium to see what they said.

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