INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Over the past two years, as technology companies continued to struggle with diversifying their work forces, Los Angeles-based venture
capitalist Kobie Fuller wrestled with how to solve the problem.As a black professional himself, Fuller had experienced the frustrations and
isolation that can sometimes come with being the only person in the room who looked the way he did
says he was a bit puzzled by the fact that no one had come up with the solution to the problem
If the issue was finding talent, why not create a place that could collect those talented individuals in one place and encourage their
The company, which launches today with $2.5 million from Upfront Ventures, alongside Sinai Ventures, Human Ventures, High Alpha and angel
investors like Paul Judge, Peggy Alford and Willie Alford, is the fruit of two years of labor from Fuller and his co-founders La Mer Walker
solve its diversity problem, which remains acute not just in the technology industry but across American industry.Currently only 3% of
funding goes to black female founders
hope to help change that narrative in two ways
The first is simply through the creation of the network, which can serve as a single source for companies looking to hire black candidates
into positions at their firms
wants to go beyond simply creating a LinkedIn for black talent, according to Fuller
The company wants to celebrate the stories of those business executives and professionals who have already achieved a level of success that
like to help those professionals as they progress through their careers
Initial candidates are vetted by members of the community, which can vouch for new applicants.As members of the Valence community, black
professionals have access to a global community of high-powered business pros like Fuller, Alford (a senior vice president at PayPal and a
director on the Facebook board), Jordan Fudge, the co-founder and managing director of Sinai Ventures, Modi Oyewole, the director of
marketing at Epic Records, and Christine Simmons, the chief operating officer of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts.These members will also
have access to job opportunities from top companies, networking events, advice on raising capital and entrepreneurship and a targeted
mentorship program focused on providing quick bits of advice or references from direct requests posed to network members.Companies and
individuals who identify as partners can access the network to discover members, post jobs, contact members directly and provide advice,
in Los Angeles about a year ago
After their initial meeting the two began collaborating on how to bring Valence to the world.Now, the company is live after 10 months of
the company says its next step will be to bring its footprint to an increasingly global network of professionals representing other diaspora
