Black Tech Nation Ventures

Black Tech Nation Ventures Research Executive Summary Black Tech Nation Ventures (BTN.vc) is a mission-driven venture capital firm focused on investing in Black-led and diverse-led early-stage startups across the United States. Launched in 2020 as the investment arm of the broader Black Tech Nation ecosystem (a fiscally sponsored non-profit founded in 2017), BTN.vc combines financial capital with intellectual capital and social capital through its extensive network of investors, operators, and entrepreneurs. Investment Thesis Black Tech Nation Ventures believes that the next generation of significant technology companies will be built by Black founders and diverse entrepreneurs who have historically been locked out of access to venture capital. The fund's core thesis is centered on backing exceptional Black and diverse-led teams building scalable technology solutions that address real market problems, with the conviction that diverse teams drive innovation and create extraordinary returns. The firm explicitly embraces a "belong" philosophy—recognizing that building a company is incredibly difficult, and positioning BTN.vc as part of an entire ecosystem that cares about founders' visions and ultimate success. This is reinforced through mentorship, operational support, and access to BTN's extensive network. Stage Focus BTN.vc primarily invests in seed-stage pre-revenue startups that meet these criteria: Currently in pilot with promising customers Raising their first institutional round Demonstrating 10x-100x growth potential Clear path to ~$1M revenue within one year of first-round financing The fund occasionally participates in follow-on rounds for breakout companies in their portfolio, but their primary focus remains seed-stage investments. Check Size & Fund Size Check Sizes: Initial checks: $250,000 to $1,000,000 Significant capital reserved for follow-on funding for breakout portfolio companies Fund Size: Fund I (Inaugural): $50 million (closed 2020-2021) Current status: Actively deploying from Fund I; building momentum toward Fund II Capital Composition: Financial capital: Direct venture investments ($250K-$1M checks) Intellectual capital: Partners are not just investors but operators, bringing collective experience and expertise Social capital: Access to extensive venture community networks throughout the ecosystem Geographic Focus BTN.vc invests nationally across the United States with an emphasis on startup hubs and emerging innovation centers. The fund maintains strong presence and relationships in: Pittsburgh, PA (headquarters and home base) Midwest tech communities National network of Black tech ecosystems While primarily focused on US-based startups, the fund has indicated openness to international investments "in special cases" and maintains strategic partnerships with global ecosystems. Sector & Model Preferences Primary Sectors: Fintech & Payments - Financial services, employee benefits, payment infrastructure Healthcare & Healthtech - Telehealth, medical devices software, home care technology, wellness platforms Enterprise Software - B2B SaaS, workflow automation, vertical SaaS Education Technology - K-12 platforms, workforce development, training Sustainability & Climate - Supply chain optimization, environmental impact measurement Emerging Focus Areas: AI/ML Applications - Especially AI applied to enterprise workflows, content creation, and healthcare Blockchain/Web3 - Selective investments in this space Business Model Preferences: SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) B2B Marketplaces Vertical SaaS targeting specific industries Technology platforms with network effects High-margin, scalable software models Team & Leadership Founder & General Partner: Kelauni Jasmyn - Founder & CEO of Black Tech Nation, General Partner at BTN.vc. Founded BTN in 2017 after noticing the absence of Black technologists in Pittsburgh's innovation circles. Visionary leader driving the mission of creating "Black Tech Unicorns." General Partners: Sean Sebastian - General Partner. Brings operational experience and deep network in tech ecosystem. David Motley - General Partner. Strategic advisor and operator with experience scaling companies. Operating Team: Maria Ferguson - Chief Financial Officer. Manages fund operations and financial management. Ehab Elhag - Investor. Sources and supports early-stage investments. Katelyn Perryman - Investor. Portfolio support and deal sourcing. Investment Process & Founder Support BTN.vc provides three types of capital to portfolio companies: Financial Capital: Initial investments of $250K-$1M Follow-on capital for breakout companies Access to capital network through syndication Intellectual Capital: Partners are operators with proven scaling experience Hands-on mentorship and strategic guidance Operational support through critical growth phases Expertise across fintech, healthcare, enterprise software Social Capital: Extensive venture community network Customer introductions and partnership opportunities Access to downstream investors for growth rounds Integration into Black Tech Nation ecosystem (2,500+ Black tech founders) Founder Requirements Must be Black-led and/or have strong diverse leadership team Open to learning and coachable ("know what you don't know") Willingness to accept mentorship and guidance Commitment to building alongside the fund Recent Investment Activity October 2024: Every Health (Healthcare) August 2025: Welcome Tech (Series C participation) - Essential services benefits platform Active Portfolio: BTN.vc has made 16+ investments across their Fund I Fund status: Actively deploying capital 20+ portfolio companies across diverse sectors Notable Portfolio Companies Healthcare: Culina Health - Telehealth nutrition therapy Guaranteed - At-home hospice care technology RubyWell - Medicare reimbursement for family caregivers Rosarium Health - Home accessibility platform Olira - Remote patient monitoring Fintech: Conduiit - Film/TV production finance management BrightUp - Employee financial wellness Hive Wealth - Personal finance insights for community banks Goodfynd - Food truck operations platform EMTECH - Central bank digital currency technology Enterprise Software: Brevity - AI-powered sales training Welcome Tech - Essential services benefits platform EdTech: Afterschool HQ - K-12 program management IEP&Me - Digital IEP management for schools Emerging Tech: WEIR AI - NIL rights management platform Other Verticals: Lunchtable - Fan engagement platform The Folklore Group - African luxury goods wholesale Please Assist Me - Concierge services for apartments Kloopify - Supplier cost tracking and sustainability Firm Characteristics Lead Tendency: Leads - BTN.vc has demonstrated tendency to lead seed rounds and establish founder relationships early. They participate in follow-on rounds but are most active as lead investors at the seed stage. Decision Timeline: Typical seed-stage process: 2-4 weeks from pitch to decision. Fund partners maintain accessible pitch process. Ecosystem Role: Beyond just investing, BTN.vc is deeply embedded in the Black Tech Nation ecosystem: Sister organization to Black Tech Nation (non-profit community) Founder of Black Fund Managers Forum (BFMF) in 2022 - exclusive network of $3B+ in Black-owned venture funds Annual "Black Tech Unicorns" conference Monthly expert panels and workshops Bi-weekly founder meetups Mentorship and educational programming Investment Rationale & Philosophy BTN.vc's investment philosophy is grounded in data-driven diversity investing . The fund's conviction: Massive market opportunity: Black founders represent <1% of VC funding despite representing significant economic potential and innovation Return thesis: Diverse teams outperform; backing underrepresented founders creates both impact and financial returns Risk mitigation: Intense founder vetting, hands-on support, and network access reduce risk for early-stage companies Ecosystem building: Creating more Black tech leaders and successful exits drives a virtuous cycle of mentorship and capital availability