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.