Evan: I’m glad to be here, Spiffy! Upfront Ventures is one of the largest early-stage investment funds in Los Angeles. We are champions of the Southern California ecosystem and we also invest in emerging companies nationally and internationally. We have a passionate and curious team of investors that strives to select and nurture leading industry startups. Most importantly, we are committed to helping build the next generation of founders who are looking to make a significant impact with their ideas.
Mohamed: I’m happy to be here, Spiffy. We, through the organization, are solving the significant funding gap for early-stage startups in Africa.
Patrick: It’s a pleasure to be here, Spiffy—thanks for having me! Did you know that LGBTQ+ founders are often overlooked and underfunded? They face an increasingly uphill battle to succeed in the competitive startup ecosystem. Stories of getting kicked out of families and friend groups simply for being a member of the queer community are commonplace. With these hardships, however, tenacity, drive, and a disruptive mindset are inherently planted and fostered. Chasing Rainbows aims to tap into this underlying resiliency in the LGBTQ+ founder community. We provide capital to companies that cannot rely on “friends and family” due to hatred or bigotry. Via our founder playbook and mentor-driven approach to portfolio management, we also provide support and guidance to these founders to get them to the next tier of funding.
