BLCK VC is thrilled to announce the Black Venture Institute (BVI) Cohort IV. These sixty-one new Fellows bring the overall BVI Community to over 220 Black check writers!

The Black Venture Institute has been and will continue to be an engine for change. Cohort IV adds velocity to what began two years ago as a movement to activate the next contingent of angel investors, venture investors, limited partners, and disruptors to the venture capital industry.

A few key highlights from this cohort include:

• Gender parity: We continue our work towards equal gender representation with a cohort of 30 women and 31 male identifying Fellows.
• Diversity in professional backgrounds: BVI Fellows range across sectors and industries, including Finance, tech, public policy, professional sports, entertainment, family offices, and more. BVI Fellows highlight the diversity of our cohort, such as:
  - Lauryn Williams: Financial adviser & First American Woman to medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympics
  - Joe Briggs: General Counsel for the NFL Players Association
  - Olivia Griffian: Chief of Staff, Serena Ventures
  - Theo Williams: Senior Portfolio Development Manager, Salesforce Ventures
  - Victoria Watkins: Chief of Staff to the Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Ariel Investments
• Geographic Diversity: BVI Fellows came from 20 states, including California, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and Maryland.
• Fellows took action: Two of the sixty fellows made their first ever venture investment while participating in BVI’s two-week program.

We want to thank the many wonderful mentors and speakers who continue to help make this program a success. UC Berkeley professors bring important academia to the Black Venture Institute Program. Top industry minds like Lo Toney, investing business leaders like Mark Wilkins, and exemplars of pivoting to venture like Brooke Daniels bring the program to life through their stories and critical advice.

In addition to our tremendous mentors, We could not have built BVI without BLCK VC’s Founding Partner for Black Venture Institute, Salesforce Ventures.

What comes next:

Applications are open for Black Venture Institute’s next Cohort, scheduled to commence in early 2023. Learn more and apply here.

If you’re interested in learning more and applying, please visit blckvc.org.

If you’re hiring and would like to be connected to BVI Cohort IV Fellows, please reach out via email: BVI@blckvc.org.