Inclusive Angels

LOOK AT THIS. REALLY LOOK. This isn’t just some historical illustration. This was real life. This was the cost of the world we live in today. This was Black flesh chained, stacked like cargo, breathing in the stench of death and fear, all so that economies could boom, wealth could be built, and systems of power could be cemented. I am biracial. My mother is white. My father is Black. I exist because somewhere down the line, the unthinkable happened. Because survival happened. Because despite the brutal attempts to erase, break, and dehumanize, my ancestors endured. And yet, we’re still being told to “move on.” To “stop bringing up the past.” To “just work harder” in a system that was never built for Black and Brown people to thrive. I will NEVER move on. I will NEVER stop speaking the truth. And if this image makes you uncomfortable—GOOD. It should. Because the echoes of this horror are still felt today. In every institution, in every disparity, in every denial of justice. Honor the past by acknowledging it. Sit with the discomfort. Learn. And if you're someone who benefits from the systems built on the backs of these men, women, and children—ask yourself what you’re doing to dismantle it. Because history isn’t dead. It’s woven into every part of our present. Some want us to forget. The foundation of American wealth was built on forced labor, stolen labor, and the deliberate exclusion of Black people from economic opportunities for generations. That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact. And that economic exclusion didn’t end with slavery. It continued through redlining, Jim Crow, hiring discrimination, and a thousand other ways Black and Brown people were kept from generational wealth. So when we talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), we’re not talking about “wokeness.” We’re talking about addressing centuries of deliberate exclusion. And yet—NOW, in 2025—the federal government is rolling back DEI initiatives. Corporations are quietly backing away from their “commitments” made after George Floyd’s murder. CEOs are pretending that equity is some kind of unnecessary luxury instead of the foundation of an ethical, forward-thinking business. Let me be clear: DEI isn’t about “special treatment.” It’s about leveling a playing field that has been rigged from the beginning. It’s about ensuring that leadership isn’t just a recycled club of the same faces making decisions for the rest of us. It’s about making sure the next generation doesn’t have to fight the same damn battles over and over again just to be seen, heard, and valued. DEI isn’t dead. It’s evolving. The question is: Are YOU evolving with it? Or are you comfortable benefiting from a system that was built on the backs of those who never had a choice? Because the past isn’t past. It’s present. And it’s on us to decide what future we’re building. #TruthHurts #BlackHistoryIsNow #NeverForget #DEI #diversityequityinclusion

Calling all underestimated founders® in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, or South Gloucestershire! 🚀 We're thrilled to announce the Funding Readiness Programme – an incredible opportunity designed specifically for YOU! 🎉 This fully funded programme will empower you with the knowledge, tools and network to confidently navigate the world of investment. Think expert-led webinars, tailored mentorship and invaluable connections. 🤝 We believe in a future where no founder is left behind.  Are you ready to join us? 👉 Learn more below and apply by 28th February (Link in comments!) ♻️Feel free to repost to your network!

For every founder going through challenges... an overnight success takes 10 years... and resilience.

Are you an underestimated founder® or entrepreneur based in 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹, 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗵 & 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲? Struggling to secure funding? We’ve got your back! Diversity X is thrilled to launch our new Funding Readiness Programme – a fully funded initiative designed to equip you with the knowledge, tools, and connections to secure investment. So if you identify as: Female founder Person of colour founder LGBTQIA+ founder Neurodivergent founder Disabled founder Founder from socio-economically disadvantaged background First time founder over 50 Then you should apply 👇🏾 What’s included? ✅ Self-learning through the @MagicSauceOnline platform ✅ Weekly webinars with experts ✅ In-person learning & networking opportunities ✅ Mentors tailored to your needs ✅ Free access to cap table & EMI management software (courtesy of our global banking partner) ✅ Discounted legal fees on your funding rounds 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 – 𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 – thanks to the generous support of British Business Bank (SW) and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. Also, shout out to NatWest Business Bristol for their support. Why should you apply? 💡 Learn how to raise investment & navigate the funding landscape (including the alternatives to equity investment) 💡 Get practical insights from investors and experienced founders 💡 Expand your network & connections with funders and supporters 💡 Be part of a community that truly champions underestimated founders At Diversity X, we operate a No Underestimated Founder Left Behind policy. If you don’t make it into this cohort, you’ll still receive: 🔹 Personalised feedback to help you on your journey 🔹 Membership in the Diversity X Community for ongoing support 🔹 Free access to cap table & EMI management software (courtesy of our global banking partner) 📢 Applications are now open! Don’t miss this opportunity to get investment-ready and take your business to the next level. 🔗 Apply now: https://lnkd.in/essQKf7K Thanks to Edward Tellwright, Duncan Kerr, and Elly Rowley - for their efforts to get us here and make this a reality for the underestimated founders #DiversityX #FundingReadiness #UnderestimatedFounders #StartupSupport #Bristol #Bath #SouthGloucestershire #Entrepreneurship #NoFounderLeftBehind

Today techSPARK uk launches the 2024 Annual Investment Report looking at equity funding across the #SouthWest. Current data puts the total investment raised at £587m which is (by a small margin) a four year low both in terms of total raised and number of companies successfully closing rounds (320+ in 2024). Beauhurst (masters of all investment data) will no doubt adjust the final number upwards by this time next year but currently, we are where we are. Interestingly the average amount raised has increased to £1.82m from £1.33m in 2023. So we’re seeing a shift towards more later-stage investment (from seed to Series A) and a fairly static amount raised over the last couple of years. Renewables, green tech, net zero, and medical, health and wellbeing companies took home 1/5 of the funding reflecting the ambition for positive impact (beyond profit) in the region. Is this a reason to be disappointed or concerned? I believe not. Over the last 3 months three new funds have been announced (at differing stages of development/delivery) - Foresight £50m, SETsquared/QantX up to £300m, and Bristol and Bath Regional Capital Net Zero fund £100m (only part of which will be relevant to fast growth companies). These join the existing SCVC Science Creates fund which totals $100m and of course, the £200m South West Investment Fund launched in July 2023 with 100 investments under their belt by December 2024. Hopefully, these are signs of a booming year in 2025. The full report is available via the link in the comments - read it to learn about great ‘ones to watch’ and explore the list of investors in the South West. Full disclosure, I didn’t have anything to do with writing the report this year, but I’m very much looking forward to the event this afternoon! #investment #funding #equity #SouthWest #Bristol #Bath 

Last week, I hosted a webinar for founders in the Co-op's Apiary Incubator (a programme designed to help impact-driven food and drink businesses become retail-ready). During the session, I shared a fundraising mistake I see all the time: 1️⃣ Create a forecast. 2️⃣ Set a valuation. 3️⃣ Decide how much to raise. 4️⃣ Build a pitch deck. 5️⃣ Find investors. Seems logical, right? Except it isn’t. 🚨 There’s a critical step missing between 4 & 5. And it's a step that can make your investment round SO much more efficient. The Step? Creating Angel Investor Personas. 💡 Just like you build customer personas to attract the right customers, you need to define the right investors for your startup. Why? Because narrowing your focus actually expands your pool of aligned investors—the ones that are most likely to convert from your pitch to your cap table. And that matters because raising investment is like having another full-time job alongside the day job of building your business and so making it efficient should be high on your list of priorities. I’ve had some brilliant coaching conversations with founders on this recently, including Jessica Morris & Nick Marsh at The Canine Menu, Oliver Harkus at Some Grub, Lesley Sackey at Pillow and Sophia Jarvis, CFA at Mia Wealth If you’re raising investment and haven’t thought about who you actually need in your round, it’s time to get started with angel investor personas. 📢 Want to learn more? Follow along—I’ll be sharing more lessons on this topic soon! 🚀 #raisinginvestment101 #angelinvestment #founderlessons #learnwithobu

Our friends at South East Angels are looking for more women founded ventures 👇

These eight women founded billion-dollar startups. And you probably haven't even heard of them. Meet the newest cohort of unicorn founders with companies that reached $1 billion dollar valuations in 2023 and 2024: → Ritu Narayan (CEO of Zūm): manages school transportation efficiencies → Kanjun Qiu (CEO of Imbue): trains models to teach AI agents → Kirsten Burpee (CCO of Ohmium): hydrogen energy technology → Courtney Fukuda (CIO of Metropolis Technologies): parking technology → Haya Odeh (Co-founder of Replit): AI technology for coding → Niki Parmar (CTO of Adept): AI technology for the workplace → Gina Bartasi and Joanne Schneider Demeireles (Co-founders of Kindbody): women's health technology We hear about so many founders in the media, yet I seldom see women represented. ♻️ Share this post to spread the word. Follow Jenny Stojkovic and subscribe for more. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gzmRRsKk

In the intelligent age, innovation and progress thrive on diverse perspectives. Yet systemic barriers still limit access to funding for female founders. Only 2% of venture capital funding goes to women-led businesses, even though they generate 2.5x more revenue per dollar invested. At our panel in the Equality Lounge at #WEF25, we explored how collaboration and women as investors can revolutionize venture capital, fund women-led businesses, and unlock this untapped economic potential. Watch Bea Martin , Head Non-Core and Legacy and President EMEA, and Emma Wheeler, Head Women’s Wealth, as they share their key insights from the discussion. #shareUBS

Over the next 5 years, $30 trillion will be passed down to women. Over the next decade, $100 trillion of wealth will be transferred to millennials and younger generations. We’re in the middle of the biggest wealth transfer in history. Today, women control about 1/3rd of all money. This number is set to rise to women owning 50% of global wealth. The best part? Women are mindful with investing. Impact matters deeply to us. Women invest with purpose and ensure our investments make positive change. More wealth for women = more good things happening in the world. 📹 - Bloomberg