All souls to the poll. Voting is open for the 2011 Women’s Media Center Social Media Award.
As a founding member of the Election Protection Coalition, I would warn voters to “be careful how they vote” because stuff happens. For this election, you have the right to stuff the ballot box because I’m “built out of stuff like that.”
So please vote for me. And then tell your friends to tell their friends to “do it, do it.”
I would like to share my post published on Startup America Partnership’s blog.
During the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual legislative conference, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee convened a panel discussion on diversity in the technology sector, “African Americans: Joining the Leading Edge of the High Tech Boom.”
This first-ever CBC convening of tech entrepreneurs and thought leaders was designed to identify strategies to open up “a whole new area of job growth and wealth creation for our communities.” Jackson Lee said:
The whole industry has moved and the question is: Where are we? We have no time to wait.
Where are we? African Americans make up 1.5 percent of the Silicon Valley workforce. Black founders represent one percent of VC-backed startups.
[…]
Rep. Jared Polis, a co-founder of TechStars, sees opportunities in disruptive services and products. The value proposition is the new efficiency the idea introduces in the economy. But keep in mind investors fund the team not an idea. “They’re funding the team rather than a great idea because an idea can change depending on the market reaction.”
To be successful, you must know the language and culture of the industry. Polis said:
It’s a different language that these people speak. It’s the language of capital and entrepreneurship. You need to study the language so that you speak the language of venture capitalists.
That doesn’t mean you have to go to business school. In fact, most founders don’t. You must know the basic principles of finance, including your ABCs – Series A, Series B and Series C funding rounds.
You also must learn the culture. So mind your Ps and Qs and dress for success.
While networks matter, Polis observed:
It’s not an old boys’ network. It’s a young boys’ network. When you have a young boys’ network, it’s easier to break into…You still have to build the networks.
I attended the kickoff reception for the Fall 2011 class of DreamIt Ventures on Friday at University City Science Center.
The 15-member class includes five minority-led startups selected under the Comcast Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program. Two of the Comcast MEAP startups are led by black founders. Jonathan Gosier, co-founder of metaLayer, and John Njoku, CEO of Kwelia. BTW, John is a fellow Stanford Law grad.
Kerry Rupp, Managing Partner of DreamIt, said in a statement:
We’re excited to run our second program this year, coming hot off the heels of a very successful Demo Day in New York City in August. The caliber of this class is equally impressive. Additionally, we’re excited about the diversity of this group. In addition to the Comcast Minority Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program, this batch includes an Olympic medalist, an Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran and a TED Senior Fellow, as well as several people from Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
While all founders have a tough row to hoe to get to the next level, black founders must face a “harsh reality.”
Wayne Sutton, co-founder of NewMe Accelerator, recently wrote:
The harsh reality for black entrepreneurs in the web/tech space. Your chances of raising startup capital are slim to none. If you’re an entrepreneur, good luck and prove me wrong. If you’re an accelerator or incubator, open your doors and prove me wrong. If you’re a venture capitalist please prove me wrong!
I hope Jonathan and John will prove Wayne wrong.
That was the closing rap of Michael Morgan at DreamIt Demo Day New York 2011.
Morgan is the CEO of Re-Vinyl, an interactive mobile app that contextualizes the music experience. His target market includes music lovers who want to kick it like back in the day when album covers were art and fans rocked to the music while reading liner notes.
Morgan was one of 14 founders who made their pitch for “dollar, dollar bills y’all” before a large audience of venture capitalists and angel investors. While some pitches were more convincing than others, they were all impressive.
That said, it was a bittersweet experience. But complaining about the lack of diversity is so Web 1.0.
It is far more productive to embrace the wisdom of Theodore Roosevelt whose spirit was invoked by DreamIt Ventures Founder David Bookspan.
Roosevelt advised folks to get in the arena and brush off those who criticize from the sidelines:
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
To get in the arena, minority founders must apply to DreamIt and other incubators.
Indeed, Bookspan talked about the “power of collaboration.” He said entrepreneurs should “iterate, launch, learn.” Then repeat. It’s about people, market and ideas.
Sure, ideas without finance don’t stand a chance. But to get some “dollar, dollar bills,” founders should focus on assembling their team and identifying their market.
Bookspan said DreamIt’s bottom line is whether they can make a meaningful difference with the companies they accept into the program.
There’s little doubt DreamIt will make a meaningful difference for the five minority-led startups selected to participate in the Comcast Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program. They will get their turn on the mic on December 7 during Demo Day Philadelphia 2011.
But right now, it’s about an Empire State of Mind.
Philadelphia is the City of Innovators. Philly is now one of two cities with an innovative campaign to recognize “black men and boys leading in solutions, participating in decision-making and fully engaged in all issues and opportunities affecting their communities,” Black Male Engagement.
While the mainstream media sensationalizes “flash mobs,” BME (pronounced “Be me”) will tell untold Philadelphia stories. The stories of black males who likely carry a flash drive.
Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Program Director for Knight Foundation Philadelphia, said the City of Brotherly Love “has a chance to lead.” The campaign will “start with what is right rather than problems and challenges.”
That was music to the ears of Harvey L. Crudup, chairman of the Philadelphia Chapter of Concerned Black Men, a mentoring organization whose mission is “to develop and present youth in our community, particularly African American male youth, with programs and activities that motivate, educate and build self-esteem.”
Harvey told me:
I like the name – BME. That says it all. Their concept is the first time I’ve heard that in 36 years… Concerned Black Men focuses on the good kids… We highlight and recognize the good kids.
BME is not looking for Superman. Instead, they’re looking for “Average Joes” age 14 and older:
We’re not looking for perfection. We just want to share stories about the good things that black males do for their community, how you serve your neighborhood, your city and how you get others to join you. You don’t always realize that you are an example for the future leaders of our communities, so we’re asking the people around you to come forth and recognize you too.
BME will launch on August 1. In the meantime, I want to give a shout-out to the do-it-or-die brothers who dare to make a difference in their community.
It’s hard to believe this is the last day of ISTE 2011. As I planned my daily schedule, I sometimes felt like a kid in a candy store.
Chris Lehmann, the founding principal of the Science Leadership Academy, is the closing keynote speaker.
I got a preview of Lehmann’s remarks at the Special Interest Group Innovative Learning Technologies’ forum, “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Innovation!.” He said technology should be like oxygen – ubiquitous, necessary and invisible. “You know you’re there when technology becomes invisible.”
Lehmann’s passion is palpable:
We’re not about raising test scores. We’re about raising kids.
And forget about waiting for Superman. Lehmann prefers to wait for the pizza deliveryman to feed the parents who come together on Saturdays to talk about teaching and learning.
Lehmann brought along a small group of SLA students, including Rashaun Williams.
Rashaun described Lehmann as his teacher and mentor. He’s applying the lessons he’s learning at SLA to the nonprofit organization he co-founded, Phresh Philadelphia:
Phresh Philadelphia is an organization focusing on making Philadelphia a better place to live. Our approach to making this dream a reality is through building a solid foundation in the Philadelphia communities by teaming up with local programs, volunteers, and city officials, ultimately to bring neighborhood plans of a Greater Philadelphia into action.
To get connected with Phresh Philadelphia, complete a short survey and as Rashaun says, make it happen.