Heather Lawver’s Post

#Opportunity 👉🏾 Applications are open again for the #McKinseyInNYC program, which is dedicated to supporting underrepresented founders at fast-growing series A to C startups in #NewYork. 📅 Deadline is April 15, 2024 👉🏾 Apply: https://lnkd.in/es8cHVmy *The program takes an expansive view of the underrepresented community to include socio-economic, first-generation college, first-generation immigrant, LGBTQ+, women, and other backgrounds that have faced adversity in the startup community #Entrepreneurship #underrepresented #startups

🥁Drumroll, please!!! We are announcing that applications are open for our SEVENTH Annual ASTRSK Pro Bono Contest!! This year's judges include Michael Kaye (of Match Group's OkCupid & ARCHER), Zhenni Liu (Partner at MaC Venture Capital) and Colin Daniels, M.A. (Editor at ADWEEK). Since the day I met Elliot Tomaeno, we have always talked about how important it was for us to try and use our "PR powers for good." Being part of marginalized communities ourselves, we know first-hand the struggles many people face when starting and scaling a business, including lack of capital, mentorship, networking connections and more. As an agency, we have always provided space and offered more flexibility for underrepresented founders with a mission of getting as many of them the spotlight they deserve in the media. I'm so incredibly proud of the work our team has done over the years landing these pro bono clients on Cosmo to WSJ to Bloomberg, NYT and much more. Who will be next?!? More information and link to apply below! Open to consumer-facing, early-stage startups that have raised LESS than $1.5M in funding and are either women, BIPOC, AAPI, and/or LGBTQ+ founded – the winner is granted a one-year, full-service PR contract from our entire agency of comms experts! In the last half a decade, we've given over $1.25 MILLION in PR services working with incredible startups and founders at their earliest stages such as Beam Impact (Viveka Hulyalkar and Alex Sadhu), Juicebox (Brianna Rader), Stix (Jamie Norwood and Cynthia Plotch), Both& Apparel (Finnegan Shepard), HairDays, Inc. (Dr. Tiffany St. Bernard,) and most recently Hadley (Yosh Miller). #pr #help #startups #founders #funding #network #probono #publicrelations #bipoc #aapi #LGBTQ #lgbtqcommunity #femalefounded https://lnkd.in/gmQ_x6hx

Founder friends! Applications are now open for ASTRSK's pro bono competition, awarding one-year, full-service PR contract from their entire agency, a $250k value. Last year, Hadley was very fortunate to win the prize, and it's been a true delight working hand in hand with such a dedicated team. <1% of venture capital goes to LGBTQ+ founders. When people ask me how I'm building Hadley as a solo founder, I always point to the partners who show up as accomplices. This opportunity reflects ASTRSK's commitment to boosting under-represented founders and also to making our country a better place. ASTRSK recognizes the very real problem we face around under-saving for school and retirement and shares my passion for solving this problem with Hadley. Because of their incredible work, Hadley has been featured in national media outlets, including broadcast. Thank you, ASTRSK, for helping Hadley refine our voice and message, attract investment, and spread the word to our neighbors about how Hadley is an app you can download to start saving and receive contributions from friends, family, and employers. Criteria -Open to consumer-facing, early-stage startups that have raised LESS than $1.5M in funding -Women, BIPOC, AAPI, and/or LGBTQ+ founded I encourage founders who fit the criteria to apply, and please feel free to reach out with any qs!

See how we run our LGBT+ VC College Fellowship? Very smart, very focused. We don’t overcomplicate things — just opportunities, mentorship, and real-world experience. That’s how you get ahead in the #venturecapital game. Some programs are out here making noise but miss the point. Not us. We’re here to build the next generation of savvy, LGBTQ+ investors. Very prepared. Very polished for every room you walk into-- it's very respectful. It's #demure. A lot of you show up ready to grind, but without direction? It’s like showing up to class with last year’s syllabus. We’re giving you the tools and the guidance you need to crush it in VC. Let’s do this the right way.

In 2023, Morgan Stanley Institute released a survey on Opportunities and Demand for Investing in LGBTQ+ Equity & Inclusion: – 0.5% of venture capital in the United States is raised by LGBTQ+ startup founders. – 67% of Gen Z investors want investment products and strategies that advance LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion are an integral part of the development of society. And I like the dynamics where it's going. The power of acceptance is growing, the number of products for LGBTQ+ audiences is growing, and the investor's interest is growing. We still need to find a lot of solutions on how to serve the LGBTQ+ community, and I believe the % of venture capital raised will get x5 higher in the next few years.

Did you know that only 0.5% of venture capital in the United States goes to LGBT founders, despite the fact that LGBT people make up 7% of the population and as entrepreneurs create 36% more jobs than the average, are 44% more likely to exit and do all of this with an average of 16% less funding? Do you think this is a problem? Me too.  I am grateful to be a founding member of Venture Out Partnership. This is a group of LGBTQ+ professionals dedicated to promoting opportunity, visibility and support for the VC community, and providing resources and tools for a more equitable ecosystem. As head of our media and visibility committee, we have been working to gain support at the highest levels, and due to some amazing hard work from committee members like Patrick Driscoll, Our team of 25 will be headed to the White House this June to meet with President Biden and discuss how we can increase equity, visibility, and access for LGBT founders.  I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to be a change maker and to represent HubSpot For Startups and Venture Out at the White House. #startups #whitehouse #lgbt #lgbtfounders #equity #pridemonth

🏳️🌈 Calling all trailblazers in the world of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and investment! 🚀 🌟 Are you a visionary founder driving change in your industry? 🌈 Are you a passionate funder eager to support LGBTQ+ ventures? 💼 Do you believe in the power of diversity and inclusion to shape the future of business? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then mark your calendars and get ready to join us for an event like no other! 🗓️✨ At May 28th in 42workspace Rotterdam, we're bringing together the brightest minds and the boldest ideas in the LGBTQ+ entrepreneurial ecosystem. Whether you're an established investor looking for the next big opportunity or an up-and-coming founder seeking mentorship and funding, this is the place to be. Here's what you can expect: 1️⃣ Hear from industry leaders who are breaking barriers and paving the way for LGBTQ+ representation in business. 2️⃣ Engage in thought-provoking conversations on topics ranging from access to capital to building inclusive workplaces. 3️⃣ Connect with fellow queer funders and founders, forge valuable partnerships, and expand your professional network. But Queer Funders & Founders isn't just about business—it's about community. It's about celebrating our shared successes, supporting each other through challenges, and building a more inclusive future, one investment at a time. 🚀 Ready to be a part of something extraordinary? Sign up now to reserve your spot and join us in shaping the future of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and investment! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e-hnYCWJ Organized by Sabine Schoorl MBA 🏳️🌈 + LUMO Labs, the impact driven tech investor. #LGBTQ+ #Entrepreneurship #Investment #DiversityandInclusion #QueerBusiness #Innovation #Networking #CommunityBuilding #ChangeMakers

🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️It is Pride month, and while I have been in the DEI space for the last 5 years with focus on Mental Health, Neurodiversity and Race Allyship practices, LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices are still a topic I want to prioritise learning more about. 🤔The more I work in this wider space, attend sessions and listen to thought leaders and people excelling in this in the real world, the more I realise that there is so much more to learn and there are countless of great resources out there from which to learn. 📝So, as I continue on my learner journey in this topic, I wanted to vulnerably share how I plan to start to do that… ✅I will be starting from the basics to really understand the terminology and deeper meaning behind the words and visuals used for representation. This may be obvious, but if I have learned anything, it is that terminology and concepts need to be flexible, agile and consistently updated, and therefore I need to keep myself up to date on what’s in the most current glossary, terminology and dialogue. ✅I will be speaking more openly to my friends and community about this and asking more questions. I will set aside the fear that “I should know this stuff” and lean into the fact that I can and want to be better informed.   ✅I will be re- reading this article “5 Tips for LGBTQ+ History Month”   by friend and associate Nathan Nalla, as it provides 5 super clear and practical steps for organisations to embed LGBTQ+ Inclusion year round, ((and we all know  I am very much a fan of daily actionable steps)) Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/etBJQWyz 🤓So, here’s to being a learner and vulnerably admitting that we don’t always know everything and to keep the learning rolling… Please share in the comments below your recommendations for valuable resources in this space that I can learn from 👇 thanks SK #pride #pridemonth #allyship #pride2024 #LoveisLove #TransRightsAreHumanRights https://lnkd.in/eTsGME6K

Can't believe this has come around again so quickly! If you have an innovative idea, involving #chemistry do look at applying for one of the categories. I am looking forward to judging the entries! #innovation #greenchemistry #sustainability

@identity.vc Launches Europe’s First LGBTQ+ Venture Fund by Til Klein 🏳️🌈 🇪🇺, Founding Partner at identity.vc I Backing LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs. 👇 Why it matters 👇 This early-stage fund focuses on LGBTQ+ founders, unlocking untapped potential and riding global megatrends. With 15% of startups led by LGBTQ+ co-founders, this fund could fill a massive gap in Europe’s VC scene. Backing diverse teams isn’t just feel-good—it’s smart investing. Studies show diverse teams outperform and identify.vc is betting on this to drive innovation and deliver strong returns across Europe’s startup ecosystem. Read the announcement on EUVC Insights! 🔽 https://buff.ly/3XIMraW #venturecapital #startupfunding #Europe #EUVCInsights