\n<\/p>\n
Silicon Valley\u2019s full<\/span> of people from all walks of life, but very little of its wealth is distributed evenly, especially when we\u2019re talking about the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n Currently, it\u2019s estimated that less than 1%<\/a> of venture capital goes to openly LGBTQ+ founders. There are no numbers on how much of that capital goes specifically to trans founders or how many investors identify as part of the LGBTQ community. What is known is that LGBTQ founders still feel the need<\/a> to hide their identity from investors.<\/p>\n Enter LGBT+ VC, a nonprofit organization<\/a> that aims to support LGBTQ+ founders and investors allied with the cause. Launched by investors Tiana Tukes<\/a>, a Black trans woman who has worked at Accenture, Sequoia Capital and Silicon Valley Bank, and Jackson Block<\/a>, a former early-stage investor who identifies as bisexual, the nonprofit hopes to foster a new generation of inclusivity within the venture ecosystem by cultivating and educating investors to champion and accept LGBTQ+ founders and funders.<\/p>\n To that end, LGBT+ VC plans to run networking events, conferences, and education classes for the LGBTQ+ community to help them learn how to become accredited investors, one of many steps needed to change the mindset and add more intersectionality<\/a> within venture theses.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are trying to change who is an investor and who these founders can have opportunities with,\u201d Block told TechCrunch.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best investors right now are investing in LGBTQ-founded companies,\u201d Tukes added. \u201cOpen AI is a prime example. That, to me, is the hot-ticket company at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n The initiative comes amidst a historic wave of hate being directed at the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S., with anti-trans legislation<\/a> sweeping the country and crimes against the LGBTQ+ community increasing nationwide. In fact, Tukes and Block were inspired to launch the nonprofit after the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting late last year, which saw a gunman target the only LGBT club in the city and murder five people.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really difficult to see the silence of the venture community,\u201d Block told TechCrunch. \u201cTiana and I came together, and we thought, \u2018where can we make a difference?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n That resulted in the duo tapping into their networks and assessing the relationship the LGBTQ+ community currently has with the tech ecosystem. So far, Tukes says the reception has been warm and the nonprofit has managed to attract investors from a few law and accounting firms as well as banks and larger tech companies.<\/p>\n