Andrea Donkor (PayPal) Joins the Speaker Lineup Taking Mainstage Day One
NEW YORK — Black Women Talk Tech is pleased to announce BLCK VC & Upfront Ventures as supporting organizations for the 6th Annual Roadmap To Billions Conference happening June 16th-17th at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. The hybrid conference will allow attendees to meet investors, founders, and tech professionals virtually or in person.
Roadmap to Billions is the largest gathering created by and for Black tech women in the world, bringing together over 2,000 Black female founders and their allies.
Aligning with these two organizations will underline the main goal of the conference: to allocate crucial funding dollars to Black women entrepreneurs, upskill Black tech executives, and connect them with Fortune 500 companies to secure their next role.
“Upfront Ventures and BLCK VC completely understand the importance of planting seeds in startup companies and presenting them with the proper tools to help them grow,” says Esosa Ighodaro-Johnson, co-founder and CMO of Black Women Talk Tech. “Both organizations also acknowledge the brilliance, tenacity, and resilience that Black women bring to the table with ideas that are labored from both the head and the heart. We couldn’t be more excited to have them on board this year and for attendees to get the chance to meet with them.”
Upfront Ventures will lead the investor roundtable “Are You Ready To Fundraise?”, and host the fireside chat “Me and My Investor: A Startup Story” with Isoken Igbinedion of Parfait.
“It is no secret how few venture capital dollars have deployed into companies led by Black women. Not only does this limit the access to transformative funding sources, but also perpetuates the wealth gap in the United States” says Kobie Fuller, Partner at Upfront Ventures. “BWTT serves as a lightning rod to bring together VCs, entrepreneurs, and professionals committed to demystifying the space and changing the narrative. We are thrilled to work with the organizers of this conference and find pathways to meaningful partnerships and opportunities for founders. “
BLCK VC will host the panel “How We Break into Venture ” discussing venture capital as a largely untapped asset class and opportunity for the Black community. However, being a VC isn’t the only way for Black women to break into venture; this panel will dive into all the ways they can begin.
“All the data we currently have around Black women in venture seems to tell us only that we are very good at doing more with less, which seems more like a back-handed compliment than an important indicator of our boundlessness. The immense talent and brilliance at Roadmap to Billions and galvanized by BWTT is the antidote to any messaging indicating otherwise. Anyone not attuned to the innovation and investment opportunities that result from the connections made at Roadmap to Billions is simply missing out. We at BLCK VC are over the moon to be able to amplify more and more founders and investors in partnership with BWTT.”
In addition to the partnerships, Andrea Donkor, SVP, Regulatory and Consumer Compliance, will host a noteworthy Mainstage workshop during day one. Andrea leads PayPal’s compliance function, the development and oversight of PayPal’s regulatory strategy, and the company’s programs relating to fair access and equitable treatment of PayPal’s customers. Andrea also serves on the steering committee for Amplify, PayPal’s community group for Black employees and allies. She proudly serves on the board of the New York Urban League and received a B.A. from New York University and a J.D. / L.L.M. from Cornell Law School.
To register for the conference, visit www.blackwomentalktech.com.
To learn more about BLCK VC, visit www.blckvc.org.
To learn more about Upfront Ventures, visit www.upfront.com.
To learn more about PayPal, visit www.paypal.com.
ABOUT BLCK VC
BLCK VC is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization built for and by Black venture investors dedicated to increasing the representation of Black investors within venture capital now and for generations to come. Through educational programs, networking opportunities, and national chapters, BLCK VC provides the tools and connections to accelerate the careers of Black investors in venture capital. When venture capital mirrors the diverse demographics of the U.S., all communities benefit from the wealth created by technology built for the world. We’re the community for the future of venture capital.
ABOUT UPFRONT VENTURES
Upfront Ventures is proud to be an early investor and long-term partner to the world’s most exciting founders and startups. Based in Los Angeles and investing globally, for the past 25 years Upfront has backed standout teams across technology sectors, including Ring, TrueCar, Apeel Sciences, thredUP, Invoca, and Kyriba. Meet the team at upfront.com.
ABOUT BLACK WOMEN TALK TECH
Black Women Talk Tech (BWTT) is a collective of black women tech founders with a unique understanding of the challenges black women startup owners face and their innovative contributions. The organization seeks to identify, support, and encourage black women to build the next billion-dollar business. To learn more, visit www.blackwomentalktech.com. Follow BWTT on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
