📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

This Unlikely VC Has Invested $4 Million in Underrepresented Founders Women, people of color and LGBTQ founders receive less than 10 percent of venture capital. Arlan Hamilton is changing that.

By Alice

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Known as a "mad scientist" to her friends and family and an outsider to many Silicon Valley venture capitalists, Arlan Hamilton doesn't fit any mold. And that's exactly what makes her brilliant.

Hamilton never expected to become the founder of a serious VC firm, but just a few years after leaving a small Texas town with a tenuous bank balance, she has done just that. Today, Hamilton's Backstage Capital has invested more than $4 million in 100 companies led by women, people of color and LGBTQ founders and is currently raising a $36 million fund to invest in black female founders.

In this candid episode of Role Breakers, Hamilton dishes about getting legendary VC Marc Andreesson to invest from a tweet, why she couldn't live without General Hospital and Candy Crush and what song psyched her up to keep going during the early days of Backstage.

Hamilton's best resources on managing workplace bias available here.

Alice is a free digital platform that makes smart, instant connections between business owners and the resources they need to accelerate sustainable growth and global impact. Alice is open to all founders and prioritizes access for women and other underrepresented business owners.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Side Hustle

These Coworkers-Turned-Friends Started a Side Hustle on Amazon — Now It's a 'Full Hustle' Earning Over $20 Million a Year: 'Jump in With Both Feet'

Achal Patel and Russell Gong met at a large consulting firm and "bonded over a shared vision to create a mission-led company."

Business News

These Are the 10 Most Profitable Cities for Airbnb Hosts, According to a New Report

Here's where Airbnb property owners and hosts are making the most money.

Side Hustle

How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Successful Business

A hobby, interest or charity project can turn into a money-making business if you know the right steps to take.

Starting a Business

This Couple Turned Their Startup Into a $150 Million Food Delivery Company. Here's What They Did Early On to Make It Happen.

Selling only online to your customers has many perks. But the founders of Little Spoon want you to know four things if you want to see accelerated growth.