Published in Genius Guild·PinnedCreating the Runway for Under-Resourced FoundersAs a VC, I often wonder what amazing opportunities we are missing out on because the runway just isn’t there for diverse founders. The recent raise in August of over $350 million dollars by the ethically-challenged founder and former CEO of WeWork, Adam Neumann, for a yet-to-be-launched venture, has already…Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
Published in Genius Guild·PinnedIntroducing Genius Guild: Investing in Market-based Innovations That End RacismRacism is the soil in which deep disparities grow in the United States. Everything from the impact of diseases like COVID-19 (the life expectancy of Black Americans was cut by 2.7 years, compared to 0.8 …Venture Capital4 min readVenture Capital4 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Updated Jan 19Access for All: How Genius Guild Invests in the Social Determinants of HealthGenius Guild believes that there’s significant opportunity and room for growth in innovations around the Social Determinants of Health…Health3 min readHealth3 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Updated Jan 19Being Human While Making A ProfitAs the first venture capital fund to publish our core values, we know that making a profit and being a good human aren’t synonymous. At Genius Guild, we’re value based investors- meaning our investments create value for everyone- community, investors, partners, and founders. The success of our portfolio in 2022…Humanity2 min readHumanity2 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Updated Nov 18, 2022Using Innovation to Solve the Child Mental Health CrisisUsing Innovation to Solve the Child Mental Health Crisis Children’s mental health is a growing problem, exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, from 2007 to 2019, there was a 329% increase in pediatric emergency room visits for deliberate self-harm and a 60% increase in…Innovation4 min readInnovation4 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Oct 26, 2022Investing in Value-Based Health CareInvesting in Value-Based Health Care Genius Guild is excited to announce an investment in Juno Medical, a value-based healthcare platform that centers chief medical decision-makers in families–often moms–with locations in urban communities around the country. …Healthcare5 min readHealthcare5 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Updated Nov 5, 2021Introducing Our New VCs in ResidenceGenius Guild’s core values are the foundation on which everything we do, including hiring new team members. I’m excited to welcome Tessa Flippin and Brian Laung Aoaeh as the new Venture Capitalists in Residence (VC-in-Residence) at the Fund. As VCs-in-Residence, Tessa and Brian provide high-level institutional investment experience to Genius…Venture Capital2 min readVenture Capital2 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Updated Sep 22, 2021Quirkchat- Harnessing the Power of Black GeekdomAs a Black geek, I’m excited to announce the Greenhouse Fund’s latest investment in Quirkchat (Quirktastic, Inc.) — a Black female-founded social application for anime fandom discussion. At the Greenhouse Fund, we value companies that take a creative approach to building authentic Black communities and Quirkchat does exactly that. In…Venture Capital2 min readVenture Capital2 min read
Published in Genius Guild·Updated Aug 17, 2021Health in Her Hue- Improving Healthcare for Black Women.As a former epidemiologist and a black woman, I have first hand knowledge of the health challenges faced by women of color. Which is why I’m proud to announce Genius Guild’s Greenhouse Fund investment in Health In Her HUE (HHH) — an innovative company working to improve healthcare for women…Womens Health2 min readWomens Health2 min read
Jul 30, 2020The Advice I Give My White CEO Friends On How to Do BetterThe day after Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, I received a frantic text, and then call, from a white male friend who is the CEO of a very successful incubator. A lifelong New Yorker who was on a path to “wokeness”, he was deeply…Diversity5 min readDiversity5 min read
