Join the Venture Access Alliance

By joining the Venture Access Alliance, you will work alongside investors, founders, and industry leaders to build a more inclusive startup ecosystem. Click here to become a member of the Alliance.

Requirements to Join

• Active investor: Actively investing in tech and tech-enabled companies, with at least one such investment made in the last 12 months.
• NYC presence: Headquartered or have partner-level presence in NYC with active operations.
• Commitment: Agree to fulfill the annual Alliance Commitments

Core Commitments

1. Complete a brief annual survey to share measures taken to improve DEI in your firms and portfolio companies.
2. Regularly update your firm’s data on platforms such as PitchBook and Crunchbase to ensure NYC has up-to-date diversity metrics.
3. Introduce new VCs, LPs, angels, banks, and other startup investors to the Alliance.
4. Participate in the Alliance community by exchanging new ideas and best practices on improving diversity within NYC’s venture community.

Alliance members are strongly encouraged to pursue additional actions throughout each year of membership, including:

Programming Support

• Mentor/advise 1+ diverse founders from NYCEDC’s Founder Fellowship.
• Host 1+ participants from diversity-focused venture or tech workforce programs.
• Mentor 1+ diverse/small/emerging fund managers, including participants of diversity-focused venture programs.
• Sponsor/host 1+ Alliance events focused on improving DEI education, culture, and policies within venture firms and the industry at large.

Thought Leadership

• Advocate for industry actions and policy recommendations that can advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in NYC venture, including through authoring op-eds or hosting stakeholder discussions.
• Host 1+ forums to facilitate peer-to-peer information exchange, share best practices and lessons learned from your operations, and foster collaboration. 
• Contribute to an Alliance member newsletter—a clearinghouse of ways to engage in programs and support diverse founders/funders.

Growing the Alliance

• Host and attend 1+ dinner or other gatherings to convene existing and prospective members (including coordinating logistics, securing sponsorship as needed, etc.).
• Promote and amplify Alliance messaging across your networks and social channels.

Funding

• Fund the development or continuation of programs to improve DEI within NYC’s venture community, including but not limited to:
• Sponsor a diversity-focused venture or tech workforce program.
• Cover costs for diverse, emerging fund managers to access training program.
• Fund a student-managed fund.
• Co-invest with other Alliance members in diverse founders and/or small/diverse/emerging fund managers.

^Disclaimers

^{Thank you for joining the Alliance. By becoming a member, you:}

• ^{Agree to have your organization’s name recognized as a participant of the Venture Access Alliance on program digital channels and promotional materials.}
• ^{Agree to designate at least one senior employee as point person for communications and represent and warrant that you are duly authorized to participate in the Alliance on behalf of your organization.}
• ^{Agree to be contacted by NYCEDC Venture Access Alliance's consultant for further onboarding and engagement.}