About

Tech Funding Equity is a project developed within the Aspen Tech Policy Hub from January 2 - March 13, 2020. Fellows of this program are technologists who embark on a 10-week journey to learn and apply the policy making process. By the end of the program, fellows produce policy and advocacy outputs that can help solve a well-scoped policy problem.

The policy problem we set out to solve is: How might we close the early stage funding gap for under-represented tech startup founders? Our solution is twofold:

1) Address the systemic racism put in place during the Great Depression; namely, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) definition of "accredited investor." This can help put an end discriminatory barriers to capital formation and wealth creation based on unfair and unproven assumptions.

2) Increase funding to underrepresented founders and fund managers with the Opportunity Pledge to Accelerate Equity in Startup Opportunities. This pledge offers a framework for sustained effort and lasting change.

Project Leadership

The Tech Funding Equity project was launched by Aspen Tech Policy Hub Fellow (Winter 2020), Mariah Lichtenstern. Attorney and American Leadership Forum Fellow, Chris Russell, Partner at Stoel Rives,is the Project Mentor.

Key Advocates

Mariah Lichtenstern

Founding Partner, DiverseCity Ventures

Chris Russell

Corporate Attorney / Project Mentor

Elizabeth Carter, Esq

Securities & Crowdfunding Attorney

Cameron Law

Executive Director, CSUS Carleson Center | Venture Partner, DiverseCity Ventures

Sheena Franklin

Founder & CEO, K'ept Health | Government Relations & Political Affairs Consultant

Cheryl Beninga

Co-Founder, FourthWave Accelerator | Venture Partner, DiverseCity Ventures (formerly at Intel Capital and American River Ventures)

Ramona Ortega

CEO, Mi Dinero Mi Futuro (My Money My Future) | Securities Attorney

Coalition Partners

Accelerator for early growth technology businesses led by women.

Acting respectfully and preventing sexual harassment, bias or ethical mishaps takes deliberate, practiced skill. A healthy workplace culture is the foundation of company performance and employee success. Over the past decade, Emtrain has taken a different path than other companies in our space – instead of offering companies the minimum they need to meet legal requirements, we’ve developed innovative approaches to changing the behaviors that define workplace culture.

Accelerating positive social, economic, and environmental impact through entrepreneurship.

The world’s largest pre-seed accelerator Since 2009, over 4,300 companies have used the Founder Institute to build global businesses, solve big problems, raise over $950M in funding, recruit a team, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more.

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Press Release

Jan 31, 2021
4 min

Tech Funding Equity Project Launches Partnership with CultureTech Platform, Emtrain

Tech Funding Equity Project (TFE) an initiative developed at the Aspen Tech Policy Hub, to close the funding gap.

Media & Press

Fortune Magazine, Investors still engage in racist redlining. Why haven’t we done something about it?

CleanStart, Todos Mariah Lichtenstern - Tech Funding Equity

StartupSac, Closing the Tech Funding Gap: Creating Opportunity for Founders and Funders, The Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Founder Institute, How Startup Organizations can Help Black American Entrepreneurs: An Open Discussion

Law 360, SEC Rule Tweak A Partial Fix For Underrepresented Founders

News Break, Closing the Tech Funding Gap: Creating Opportunity for Founders & Funders

IP Watchdog, This Week in Washington IP: Aspen Tech Policy Hub Demo Day: Seeding Success: Equity, Technology & Policy

WomenTech Network, Advocating for Tech Funding Equity

Contact Us

Press inquiry? Want to get more involved with Tech Funding Equity? Do you have thoughts, questions, or suggestions? Send us a message and let us know; we'd love to hear from you!

Opportunity Pledge Onboarding