Appalachia Meets World Episode 59 - ”Venture Forward” Appalachia with Maryam Haque

In this episode Neil and Will sit down with Maryam Haque, the Executive Director of Venture Forward. Venture Forward is poised to "drive the human capital, culture, values and narrative of venture capital to promote a strong and inclusive community that will fuel the economy of tomorrow." As a follow to the conversation with 3 Roots Capital, they dive a little deeper into the significance of venture capital and advancing a more diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) ecosystem. Take a listen as Maryam describes what Venture Forward is doing in the DEI space and how that correlates with the rural landscape of Appalachia. The guys ultimately think it's equally important to think about geographical underserved areas when thinking about DEI in venture capital. You might even hear Neil's secret ingredient for pancakes and how once a year he tries to "light the woods on fire." Don't forget the #AppBiz of the week: The Sequoyah Fund!

Venture Forward: www.ventureforward.org/

National Venture Capital Association: www.nvca.org

Invest Appalachia: www.investappalachia.org/

Example VC Firms focusing on DEI

The Sequoyah Fund (#AppBiz): www.sequoyahfund.org/

Cross Culture Ventures: www.macventurecapital.com/

DiverseCity Ventures: www.diversecityv.com/

Kapor Capital: www.kaporcapital.com/

Backstage Capital: www.backstagecapital.com/

Pride Fund 1: www.pride.vc/

Chattanooga Renaissance Fund: www.chattanoogarenaissancefund.com/

Hatteras Ventures (Pisgah Fund): www.pisgahfund.com/fund/