Intel Capital partners with HBCUvc to build a world of shared prosperity

By Katherine Resteiner, Chief of Staff to Intel Capital's President, and Nick Washburn, Intel Capital's COO.

 

"Nothing is stronger than a community that invests in its people." This message sits atop the website of HBCU.vc, a nonprofit that trains students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities about venture capital and technology entrepreneurship.

 

We could not agree more with that message, or with the mission. That's why we're so excited today to announce a new partnership with HBCU.vc.

 

The venture capital business is built on relationships. Sometimes this may make it seem exclusionary. But the story of Intel Capital's relationship with HBCU.vc is actually one of relationships and inclusion.

 

Intel Capital has been leading the Corporate VC industry in encouraging diversity and inclusion – not only in our investments, but also in our people and our talent pipeline. Wendell Brooks, Intel Capital's president, last year challenged our peers to hire at least one intern from a diverse background.

 

Many of his CVC peers joined the challenge, and the results they reported have been fantastic. The organizers of the Global Corporate Venturing & Innovation Summit (GCVI) invited some of the interns to join us at their conference earlier this year and talk about their experiences.

 

We were having a wonderful cup of coffee at the conference when Ime, one of our Intel Capital interns, mentioned that he was busy both with school and with another VC organization he had joined as a fellow: HBCU.vc.

 

The first-of-its-kind program offers students at HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) venture capital skills training, mentorship and the chance to build professional relationships with seasoned investors and entrepreneurs. Its Venture Capital Clinic empowers the student fellows to put what they've learned into practice and fuel high-growth entrepreneurship on campus by giving them real-world investing experience. It's a unique learning model that can jumpstart their careers.

 

Ime's passion for the things he was learning from the group was infectious, and we asked for an introduction. Ime immediately put us in touch with program CEO Hadiyah Mujhid and Managing Director Jorge Torres.

 

On our first call together, we knew we shared a vision and goals. Both our organizations want to expose undergraduates to the fundamentals of venture capital and entrepreneurship. By partnering, we're able to educate underserved communities about VC and to build the next generation of entrepreneurs.

 

And, over that cup of coffee, Ime learned that yes, this is a relationship business – and he has the power to make connections within it.

 

We're looking forward to working together to help more students like Ime learn about the world of venture capital.