Empowering A Generation of Intentional, Impact-Driven VCs: Meet Our 2024 HBCUvc Fellows
In our seventh year of building a more equity-focused and inclusive ecosystem for Black investors to thrive in VC, we are thrilled to announce and welcome the newest class of 2024 HBCUvc Fellows. After reviewing more than 130 applications from highly qualified graduate students and young professionals from across the nation, we are proud to introduce 28 exceptional individuals into our community, each who brings a unique and diverse set of experiences and perspectives to our vibrant network.
A Snapshot of the 2024 Class of HBCUvc Fellows
Gender Diversity: Our newest cohort has 16 fellows who identify as women (57%) and 12 who identify as men (43%). This is in comparison to the current makeup of venture capital, where women represent roughly 15% of investors VC firms.
HBCU Representation: This year, as we shifted our fellowship’s focus toward graduate students and undergraduate alumni with professional experience, we are excited to share that 17 of our fellows (60%) are HBCU alumni or are currently enrolled at an HBCU. Some of the historic anchor institutions represented in the 2024 cohort include Howard University, Tennessee State University, Clafin University, and Fayetteville State University.
Academic and Professional Diversity: The fellows' backgrounds span a wide array of disciplines, including economics, finance, accounting; and even areas of study that are dubbed unconventional in VC, including biology, psychology, African American studies, and history. Moreover, nine of our fellows are currently enrolled in Master’s or MBA programs, with four of them set to graduate this spring or fall.
Exciting Collaborations
In addition to welcoming new Fellows to HBCUvc, this year marked an exciting chapter as we broadened and deepened our partnerships across VC with mission-aligned firms. Serving as first-time host firms for our 2024 class, we are excited to announce our collaboration with Next Legacy, Goodie Nation, Collab Capital, Launch Tennessee, Open Opportunity Fund, Market Square Ventures, and gener8tor through this Fellowship Program.
Through these partnerships with our 27 firms this year, our 2024 Fellows will have access to unparalleled opportunities for growth, mentorship, and networking within the venture capital ecosystem. Ahead of their 10-week internship, Fellows will join us for our three-day, in-person New Fellows Summit hosted by Atento Capital in Tulsa, OK.
Help us welcome our 2024 HBCUvc Fellows:
Alfred Mohammed | Alumnus, Morehouse College
Interning with Bloomberg Beta
Alyssa Daniel | Alumnus, Spelman College
Interning with Supply Change Capital
Armari Tucker | Senior, Morehouse College
Interning with 50 South Capital
Arnold Gatoro | Alumnus, The University of Utah
Interning with Next Legacy Ventures
Bradley Aka | MBA Candidate, University of Pennsylvania
Interning with Lux Capital
Cameron Blount | Senior, North Carolina Central University
Interning with HBCUvc as Creative-in-Residence
Charles Flowers | Alumnus, Morehouse College and MBA Candidate, Johns Hopkins University
Interning with Bronze Valley
Dylan Stallworth | Alumnus, Alabama State University and Master’s Candidate, Columbia University
Interning with gener8tor
Emauri Watson | Alumna and Current MBA Candidate, Clark Atlanta University
Interning with HBCUvc
Errol Parker | Alumnus, Morehouse College
Interning with Black Tech Nation Ventures
Francesca Polycarpe | MBA Candidate, Harvard University
Interning with Redpoint Ventures
Haley Coller | MBA Candidate, University of Pennsylvania — Wharton School
Interning with Collide Capital
Jai’lyn Richardson | Alumna, Tennessee State University and MBA Candidate, University of California, San Diego
Interning with Launch Tennessee
JT Trujillo | Alumnus, Emory University
Interning with Open Opportunity Fund
Ke’Shawn Alexander | Alumnus, Morehouse College
Interning with Latimer Ventures
Kenthia Roberts | Alumna, Howard University and Master’s Candidate, Columbia University
Interning with Advantage Capital
Kilandra Bass | Alumna, Georgetown University
Interning with Sixty8 Capital
Lauren Tolbert | Alumna, Claflin University
Interning with Fearless Fund
Leah Proctor-Ford | Alumna, Spelman College
Interning with Zane Venture Fund
Myles Hester | Alumnus, Fayetteville State University
Interning with Atento Capital
Nayancie Matthews | Alumna, Baruch College
Interning with Avivar Capital
Quintin Lassiter Jr | Alumnus, North Carolina A&T State University
Interning with Toyota Ventures
Ryan Jackson | Alumna, Howard University
Interning with Collab Capital
Shadé Fatusin | Alumna, University of Maryland
Interning with Atento Capital
Sydney Robertson | MBA Candidate, Harvard University
Interning with Capitalize VC
Syleste Davis | MBA Candidate, University of Michigan
Interning with Market Square Ventures
Théry Badin | MBA Candidate, Northwestern University
Interning with Munich Re Ventures
Tina Kingsberry | Alumna, Spelman College and Master’s Candidate, Columbia University
Interning at Goodie Nation
To learn more about our Fellowship Program, visit hbcu.vc/vc-fellowship.