Who we are
OurMission
At BGV, we create access to capital, capacity, and community
for under-resourced entrepreneurs that enable business sustainability and create intergenerational wealth for a more equitable society.
We Fund & Scale
Tech enabled
Revenue generating businesses under
$1 Million
founded by people who identify
as under-resourced entrepreneurs.
We are Black Girl Ventures
OurPurpose
We were founded in 2016 by Serial Entrepreneur and Computer Scientist, Omi Bell. We have a passion for finding solutions to the unique challenges under-resourced entrepreneurs face in accessing social and financial capital to grow their businesses.
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Our unique style pitch competition is the largest pitch competition globally for underrepresented women founders. We combine the premise of Shark Tank and Kickstarter by activating community participation in donating to support women-owned businesses directly.
We have funded over 450 women of color, held over 50 BGV Pitch Programs across 15 cities, and served over 10,000 founders. Our pitch alumni are collectively generating over $10M in revenue and supporting over 3,000 jobs. We currently have four signature programs (BGV Pitch, BGV NextGen, Emerging Leaders Fellowship andPull Up & Pitch) and is now the largest ecosystem builder for underrepresented women founders on the East Coast.
To Accelerate
100,000 under-resourced
Entrepreneurs
by shifting the idea of community building from being viewed solely as a community service to a valid and viable business offering to ensure the development and growth of small businesses.
We believe in a world where all ideas have a chance to succeed.
OurPledge
History
FROM THE “RENT PARTY” TO THE
"GREEN BOOK" FOR ENTREPRENEURS
BGV began by supporting under-resourced through our crowdfunded pitch competition program. Modeled after the historic African-American “Rent Party,” the BGV Pitch offers a creative way to raise funds and build a community for founders who identify as women, Black and/or Brown.
During a BGV Pitch, each founder has 3 minutes to pitch and a 3 minute Q&A from our Champions Panel. The audience then votes with their dollars via Raisify, our tech platform. The winners are the top 3 founders who receive the most votes. All participants become part of the BGV Cohort and have the opportunity to gain access to capital, connections, resources and exclusive updates. Through our expansion efforts, we are keeping the rent party going while working to help under-resourced entrepreneurs navigate (Green Book) the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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We now have four signature programs:
Emerging Leaders Fellowship (formerly known as the Change Agent fellowship)
Pull Up & Pitch