Corridor Ventures

Coming off a successful time in SF, I couldn’t be happier with the result of our SVB x RAISE Social Hour. Our goal was two-fold: (1) spotlight a talented cohort of fund managers – Kwamena, Jewel, Peter, and James (among others) and (2) curate a space for LPs and GPs to make meaningful connections. I’m grateful we achieved both, with the support of multiple Silicon Valley Bank teams: Christopher, Daniel, Taryn, Jackson, Ashley, Jeremy, Kathy, and Alex M. And, a huge thanks to Scott Dubin and the #RAISEGlobalSummit team for the partnership. Looking forward to seeing these connections grow and to continuing the conversations. Until next time!

Alongside the INCLUDE Impact Conference, last week we also celebrated the graduation of our 2024 VC Include Fellows!??? Cheers to these 18 emerging managers,?representing 13 funds. This dynamic, gender balanced, and exceptionally diverse cohort joins our network of 75 GPs who have completed the fellowship over the past four years. To our graduating fellows: your courage to build new funds, dedication to your communities, and relentless drive to create impact are inspiring. We've watched you grow, challenge conventions, and support each other throughout this program. You have become ecosystem builders, job creators, and catalysts for inclusive sustainability. We cannot wait to see how you'll transform the venture landscape. Congratulations, Class of 2024! ?? A special thank you to JPMorganChase for making possible the memorable graduation dinner. Shoutout to Marvin Clark, Alejandro Manzanares Cai?as, and R. Daniel Okonkwo for not only anchoring the evening but also being a vibrant part of #IIC24 ? To our broader community: check out the VCI blog and follow our socials to hear more about these new GPs and their investment theses! https://lnkd.in/dD2c6HgH Alejandro Mu?oz Mendieta, MBA, Andy Vargas-Hernandez, No Border Ventures, Cvic Innocent, Frankenbuild Ventures, Douglas Watson, Measured Capital, Ernest Kabuye Ph.D., Seven Capital Ventures, Jason Miles, CAIA, Amenti Capital Group, Jeff Chu, Jenny Barba, Features Capital, Keith Daniel, Resilient Ventures, LLC, Lorine Pendleton, 125 Ventures, Mahrinah Lavi Shije, MBA, Fawn Sharp, Endemic Venture Capital, Patricia Funegra-McKnew, Moon Dancer Fund, Sonam Velani, Laura Fox, Streetlife Ventures, Veronica Juarez, Dahlia VC, Eduardo Zaldivar, Julien Ham-Ying, Mosaic ETA #emergingmanagers #diversityandinclusion #genderequality #impactinvesting #venturecapital #privateequity #alternateinvestments #diversityinVC #impactinaction #VC #VCI

Silicon Valley Bank put collaboration at the forefront for Atlanta Tech Week. We pulled off three events in one day with team members flying in from around the country to see what the South has to say. Our product team also attended RenderATL (Render Atlanta) in full force. I want to say a huge thank you to all of our partners for making this possible. ATW Rooftop Kick-Off: Atlanta Tech Week - Avoilan Bingham Gunderson Dettmer - Cody Peterson Slauson & Co. - Brittany Crockett Austin Clements Atlanta Tech Village - Nisha Kavalam Whiteboards & Networking: Corridor Ventures - Kwamena Aidoo Kelli Saulny Capital Conversations for Women Founders, Angels, and VCs: Atlanta Tech Village - Ania Lackey Panelists - Karen Robinson Cope Vanessa Stephens Rachel Stuve So much gratitude to my colleagues Christopher Hollins, Isa A., Taryn Burns, and everyone else who poured into helping SVB show up for the city.

It was an honor to showcase Wiggl Health at Atlanta Tech Week this year.?Huge thanks to the SVB team for hosting such a fantastic event!?A special shoutout to Kwamena Aidoo,?Isa A.,?and the entire SVB team for their incredible support in making this possible for Wiggl.

To celebrate Atlanta Tech Week, our SVB team hosted an event with founders, friends, investors, and banking experts for an afternoon of ‘whiteboards’ and networking. Thanks to Mason Orme founder of Wiggl Health for presenting his business plan and Kwamena Aidoo from Corridor Ventures for facilitating and guiding the discussion. The themes we uncovered are likely familiar to others on the founder journey: crystallizing the value proposition, identifying the TAM and SAM, determining the target audience and ICP, selecting talent, and expansion plans. I’m proud that SVB hosts events that help bridge the gap for founders and it has been a pleasure to celebrate all the entrepreneurial talent in Atlanta. Cheers to #ATLTechWeek!

26 College Students 6 Teams 24 Hours “Develop a business that addresses a need in Louisiana” 4 Judges 1 Winning Team = A price hackathon experience at ?? The Lab by TECHPLUG powered by Healthy Blue. 2024 GNO Inc. x @techplug.tech HBCU Hackathon (2nd Annual) GNO Inc. team: Daphine B. and Denise Washington Judges: Kwamena Aidoo Shay Claiborne Temika D. Malaika Moran “Our future is bright!”

Last week I got to join my friends at Innovation Portal for their first MoneyFest, and the opportunity to talk about funding for small businesses and startups. I was honored to get to share the stage with Kwamena Aidoo, Cynthia Crutchfield, and Todd Greer talking about the funding landscape. If you're in Mobile and looking to connect with this type of work, reach out! Thank you to MoneyFest sponsor Voyager Lending!

Kicked off the MBX: Multicultural Business Xcellerator with its 1st Immersion Week welcoming these incredible founders to #StartupNWA! Jeannette Collins Elnaz Sarraf Isis Ashford-Swain April Roy Kehlin Swain Sierra P. Brandon Watts Fernando Machín Gojdycz Laila Zemrani Shaheen Lokhandwala Alex de la Fuente Jonathan de la Fuente Natalie Shew Steffany Benton Derrick Reives Dexter Caffey James Bell, MBA Kwamena Aidoo Serafina Lalany

I remember when I wanted to break into impact investing, it was extremely difficult. There was so much noise and confusion, especially for fellow HBCU alumni like me. That's why I'm excited to host the Kirchner Impact Foundation HBCU Investment Academy on May 25th! This one-day training is open to all HBCU students who want to cut through the confusion and learn the fundamentals of investing with a focus on diversity and impact. We're bringing together a lineup of experts and experienced investors, including: ?? Kwame Terra, MPH - Founder & CEO, bEHR Health Systems, Inc., Xavier University alumnus ?? Kwamena Aidoo - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Corridor Ventures ?? (me!) Terrance Range - 3x tech founder, Wilberforce University alumnus, and angel investor. Here's a glimpse of what we'll cover: ?? The role of diversity and representation in investing. ?? Understanding different funding options (angel, VC, impact, etc.) ?? Key concepts of equity investing. ?? Real-world stories of startup fundraising from the entrepreneur's perspective. This intensive program has already helped over 1,000 people worldwide, and the best part is that it's entirely FREE to attend for HBCU students but space is limited. Reserve your spot today: https://lnkd.in/gFdxfxGk Let's build a stronger investment community and expand opportunities together for our HBCU students! See you on May 25th!

Set against the warm glow of nightlights and the unseasonably cool air in New Orleans, and nestled amidst the vibrant tapestry of?New Orleans Entrepreneurship Week (NOEW) events and activities, an exclusive investor dinner unfolded last week at the enchanting Elysian Bar, embodying the essence of innovation and collaboration. In a collaborative effort between?VC Include,?Phelps Dunbar LLP, and?Corridor Ventures, this SPARK: Convening brought together a select group of investors, entrepreneurs, and influencers for an evening of inspiration and connection. VC Include SPARK: Gatherings, bring together entrepreneurs, investors, thought leaders, and ecosystem builders for networking, knowledge-sharing, and partnership-building to bring about positive change in the Venture + Private Equity industry. As?#NOEW2024?continues to shine a spotlight on the city's vibrant startup scene, events like SPARK: New Orleans at the Elysian Bar serve as catalysts for growth and transformation, propelling New Orleans towards a future brimming with innovation and possibility. #Innovation?#Entrepreneurship?#CommunityEngagement?#venturecapital?#privateequity?#fundmanagers?#alternateinvestments?#impactinvesting?