Recap of 2024 New Fellows Summit
For the second year in a row, thanks to our sponsors at Atento Capital, HBCUvc hosted its New Fellows Summit in Tulsa, OK to formally welcome our latest cohort. Held from May 21 - May 23, the curated three-day experience offered our 2024 class of Fellows the opportunity to create meaningful, in-person connections with one another for the first time since their acceptance into the program, while being introduced to the Tulsa tech and VC ecosystem through the city’s leading changemakers and organizations.
Designed to provide Fellows with access and insights into both the entrepreneurial and investing perspectives of venture capital through the eyes and experiences of founders, ecosystem builders, and checkwriters, this year’s programming line-up featured numerous leaders who are backing a transformation in Tulsa’s innovation ecosystem, including:
Dominick Ard’is, Founder and CEO of ACT House
Kevin Moore, Founder and Managing Partner at Serac Ventures
Venita “Coop” Cooper, Founder and CEO, Arbit
Michael Basch, Founder and General Partner of Atento Capital
Danielle Melton, Founder of MOTHERBoard
Darrel Frater, Senior Associate at Serac Ventures
Kyle Smith, Partnership Relationship Manager at Builders + Backers
Dr. Ruth Ray Johnson, President of Langston University
Additionally, we added a special panel session featuring Alexis Dulan, George Okpamen, and Darren Stephenson—three HBCUvc Senior Fellows who successfully completed our program and now hold positions of influence and impact in the venture capital industry.
“Speaking [with this cohort] at the 2024 HBCUvc New Fellows Summit was incredibly fulfilling because I had the opportunity to share my story and experience through the fellowship with the next generation of diverse venture capital leaders. Engaging with passionate, driven professionals reaffirmed my commitment to fostering inclusion and innovation within the industry.”
Beyond our industry-based sessions hosted at Tulsa’s Consumer Affairs workspace, we also collaborated with Experience Tulsa and proud Tulsan native and historian Kode Ransom for an immersive tour of the city highlighted with detailed stops and historic retellings at The Gathering Place and the historic Greenwood District.
“Being able to connect with people in real life who I have heard ask thought-provoking questions, provide invaluable insights and share unique perspectives online was great. Everyone’s journey and path to venture capital is distinct—bringing in so much diversity in thought, perspective and experience,” shares JT Trujillo, one of our 2024 HBCUvc Fellows. Trujillo is an alumnus of Emory University and is currently interning over the summer in Atlanta with Open Opportunity Fund.
“Tulsa’s rich history really opened up my eyes and brought to life facts I had only read in text books or wrote papers about. Touring the [Greenwood Rising] Museum and learning more about what took place recalibrated my “why” and purpose for pursuing a path to becoming a capital allocator and changemaker— a change that venture capital needs. I give a major shout-out to the HBCUvc team for fostering community and bringing us together”
We extend a heartfelt thanks to Atento Capital for their continued support of our work and their sponsorship that allowed us to experience Tulsa for another year. We’d also like to thank our friends and supporters at Lightship Capital and Build in Tulsa for extending a warm welcome to our community during our 2024 New Fellows Summit programming.
For more information on how you or your organization can support next year’s New Fellows Summit, email us at partnerships@hbcu.vc.