BKR Capital’s Post

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” Celebrating #NelsonMandelaInternationalDay! Today, we honor the extraordinary legacy of a transformative leader who championed #DiversityAndInclusion. It’s a day for everyone who is a part of the tech ecosystem; both #StartupFounders and VCs, to embrace his spirit of #resilience & #grit. It’s time to overcome the fear of the unfamiliar and make #diversity in funding a norm; enabling better outcomes for ourselves and the communities we operate in. #BKRCapital #VentureCapital #BlackFounders #BlackEntrepreneurs #RepresentationMatters

Attention all #BlackEntrepreneurs and #BusinessOwners in #Canada! The Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (BEKH) and Dr. Gerald Grant, Sprott School of Business at Carleton University are conducting a national research study to fill the gap in research on Black Entrepreneurs in Canada and collect data about on-ground challenges and experiences of Black Canadian entrepreneurs to establish a broad description of the group. This is a unique opportunity for Black Entrepreneurs to voice their needs and shape the future of Black Entrepreneurship in Canada. To participate in the survey, click here: https://bit.ly/4f6zBev Dream Legacy Foundation #BKRCapital #VentureCapital #BlackFounders #TechStartups

Goodee’s 2023 #ImpactReport is out and it's enthralling to see how #GoodPeople, #GoodDesign, and #GoodImpact are more than just words at the company; they are at the heart of its mission. This past year the company has achieved new milestones and transformed lives, showing the endless power of community support and collective effort. Every page is a testament to what can be achieved when we focus on #ProfitAndPurpose. It's more than the numbers; it's also the stories behind them, the additional change which we can bring about if we care just a little. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eGRqXRxH #BKRCapital #BKRCapitalPortco #VentureCapital #BlackFounders #BlackEntrepreneurs #BlackInTech #Growth #Innovation #TechStartups

BKR Capital’s Lise Birikundavyi was at Startupfest where she shared important insights with #StartupFounders looking to take their ventures to the next level. As a part of the BDC Women in Tech Bootcamp on July 10th, she was on a panel with female powerhouses Michelle Scarborough (Managing Partner, Thrive Venture Fund at BDC Capital (Canada)), Leah Nguyen (CIO, InBC Investment Corp.), and Neha Khera (Early-stage Investor) to discuss how women founders can navigate the current uncertainties to build a rock-solid company from ground up. Sharing insights from the other side of the table, Lise was also on a panel on July 11th with Satish Kanwar (Co-founder, Good Future), Meryeme Lahmami (Principal, Pender Ventures) and Marvin Liao (Partner, Diaspora Ventures), discussing the investor viewpoint as they look for investment opportunities during ambiguous macro-economic conditions. The founders walked away with some invaluable insights and best practices on building a fundamentally strong business, and on the potential impact of AI from a VC’s perspective. In the evening, BKR Capital cohosted a VC Social alongside friends from Espace CDPQ, including Accelia Capital, AQC Capital, Brightspark Ventures, Inovia Capital, StandUp Ventures, Two Small Fish Ventures and White Star Capital! The amazing event welcomed 400 guests from the Quebec, Canadian and North American investment community and startup ecosystem at the Espace CDPQ offices, and made for a very fun get-together. Here’s to continuing to build a stronger, robust and more diverse tech ecosystem! #BKRCapital #Startupfest #VentureCapital #TechStartups #Growth #Innovation #DiversityAndPerformance

#Focus This word gets thrown around a lot in the startup community. But on what? Product? That’s a given... Fundraising? But that takes a lot of time and attention away from the business... With so many activities vying for your attention as a startup founder, prioritizing where you focus is the key to success. Here are certain aspects of business-building we think startup founders should focus on, on an ongoing basis. #BKRCapital #LearningSeries #VentureCapital #BlackFounders #BlackEntrepreneurs #TechStartups

“Investing is all about finding opportunities that are not just aligned to our return targets but also to our purpose.” In his article for Forbes, Keith Ippel (Co-founder, Spring Impact Capital) shares important insight on how investors can improve #diversity in entrepreneurship to “reshape what the transfer of wealth looks like”. Citing examples of organizations at the forefront of driving #DiversityAndProfitability, Keith makes a strong business case for funding diverse founders. A heartfelt thanks to him for mentioning and recognizing BKR Capital’s involvement in the space. It’s a special feeling when community members come out to amplify each others’ work. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3VZBmms #BKRCapital #WeekendReads #VentureCapital #BlackFounders #BlackEntrepreneurs #DiversityAndInclusion #RepresentationMatters

#Resilience is a key trait for any #StartupFounder and Stacy Spikes (Co-founder & CEO, MoviePass) has that in abundance. After being ousted from his company, Stacy used all his hard-earned lessons and adopted a fresh approach to make a comeback. As a passionate #Entrepreneur from the Black community, he reveals the hidden powers of being an outsider and how you can reclaim your narrative to ignite an exciting new chapter in this Masters of Scale podcast with host Bob Safian. Listen to it to learn how #TechStartups can use their failures as a launchpad for a fresh start and increase their chance of success. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3VCVKbD #BKRCapital #BlackFounders #BlackInTech #Innovation

Strengthening #InclusiveInnovation in #Canada one brainstorming session at a time! #HappyCanadaDay from #TeamBKRCapital!

In celebration of #PrideMonth, we feel privileged to share our interview with Byron Peart, Co-founder, Goodee. In the interview, he opens up about his experience as a #BlackFounder from the 2SLGBTQI community and what authentic support for Pride Month looks like. Following a successful career in the fashion industry, Byron co-founded Goodee alongside his twin brother Dexter Peart to create an e-commerce platform that offers aesthetic designs, follows sustainable practices, and brings together conscious consumers. Read the interview for some real-world insight on finding success as a #StartupFounder at the intersectionality of two worlds. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gnasKrhi #BKRCapital #WeekendReads #VentureCapital #BlackEntrepreneur #TechStartups