Chukwudi N. Kanu

Diversity VC is an international nonprofit operating in the VC Ecosystem. Our mission is for every venture fund to have the understanding, tools, and resources to promote diversity and inclusion in both their firms and the companies they fund. Our ultimate objective is for the venture capital industry to represent the rich tapestry of society, which we in turn believe will generate better decision making and higher returns. Our work includes: • NETWORK: A community of more than 100 funds worldwide committed to increasing diversity & inclusion in the venture capital ecosystem • TOOLS: The Diversity VC Standard, a diagnostic tool and resource library for funds with guidance for how to improve internal operations, deal flow, and portfolio management • TALENT: Future VC (futurevc.com), an internship program giving underrepresented talent on-the-job experience in the industry and a lifelong network for support • DATA: Investigation and data reports on diversity in the VC industry in order to educate those within and outside the industry on this topic and make recommendations on how to tackle the issues Diversity VC is sponsored by Morgan Stanley, Amazon Web Services, Cooley, and HSBC Innovation Banking.

The Passion for Impact Scholarship is an award that will be given to two talented, highly motivated undergraduates from Binghamton University who demonstrate a need for financial and logistical support in order to pursue a self-designed project that will serve the community and contribute to their intellectual and personal growth. Projects may be for-profit or not-for-profit. The scholarship will enable students to pursue an interest they are passionate about that they otherwise not been able to through their regular academic program. Our goal is to promote self-directed project development on the Binghamton campus among students of color. Projects help students develop transferable skills and have marketable experience they can use to obtain future opportunities. This helps solve the age old problem of “needing a job for experience, and needing experience to get a job”. This is your experience. All applicants will have accomplished something by writing a proposal and can continue to work on them for their own benefit.

STRIDE Ventures is a national platform for breakthrough innovation, launched by the U.S. National Science Foundation and Start2 Group. It supports bold, milestone-driven efforts to translate emerging technologies into real-world capabilities that advance U.S. competitiveness and resilience. By minimizing bureaucracy and maximizing momentum, STRIDE empowers teams to move fast, take risks, and deliver impact where it matters most.

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform founded in Silicon Valley in 2006. We connect the people and organizations that drive technology forward, and turn those connections into real business outcomes. We run accelerator programs, facilitate corporate-startup pilots, invest in early-stage companies, and help governments and institutions build innovation ecosystems. Our network includes corporations, startups, investors, universities, and mentors across more than 20 industries and 60 locations worldwide. Since inception, weve accelerated thousands of startups and invested in over 2,500 companies. Our portfolio includes PayPal, Dropbox, LendingClub, Honey, and N26. Industries we work in: Advanced Manufacturing · Aerospace & Defense · Agtech · Animal Health · Brand & Retail · Crypto & Digital Assets · Deeptech · Energy · Enterprise & AI · Fintech · Food & Beverage · Health · Insurtech · Lifetech · Maritime · Media & Advertising · Medtech · Mobility & Physical AI · New Materials & Packaging · Real Estate & Construction · Semiconductors · Smart Cities · Sportstech · Supply Chain · Sustainability · Travel & Hospitality Where we operate: Americas: Silicon Valley · New York · Los Angeles · Washington D.C. · Detroit · Seattle · São Paulo · Alberta Europe: London · Munich · Stuttgart · Paris · Amsterdam · Barcelona · Madrid · Milan · Turin · Gothenburg · Vienna · Istanbul · Antwerp · Vilnius · Tirana · Yerevan · Tbilisi · Limassol · Tashkent Middle East & Africa: Riyadh · Abu Dhabi · Cairo Asia-Pacific: Tokyo · Osaka · Kyoto · Singapore · Seoul · Shanghai · Beijing · Shenzhen · Jakarta · Kuala Lumpur · Phnom Penh · GIFT City

AITX Community is a community for AI Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and Explorers across Texas. At AITX Community, were passionate about fostering a diverse and thriving AI community where like-minded individuals can connect with each other, share ideas, and inspire innovation. ​Each month, we bring together a dynamic mix of people to explore the latest advancements in AI technology, real-world applications, and the future of this rapidly growing field. Whether youre an AI veteran or a curious newcomer, AITX offers something for everyone. ​Our Meetup is hosted in Capital Factorys ACL room on the 16th floor. Elevator doors will unlock 15 minutes before the beginning of the meetup each month. When you arrive on 16 and exit the elevator room, turn immediately to your right and youll see us inside the ACL room. ​Thank you to Capital Factory for sponsoring the AITX Meetup. Capital Factory is the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas. They meet the best entrepreneurs in Texas and introduce them to their first investors, employees, mentors, and customers.

Republic is a financial technology firm specializing in private market investment services. Republic operates a marketplace platform for community finance, accredited investment opportunities, full-service tokenization, digital asset management, blockchain advisory, and private institutional capital. Republic has deployed over $2.6 billion in investments, supported over 2,500 ventures, with a community of over 3M users across 150 countries. Republic is backed by dozens of leading investment firms and financial institutions and has co-invested with the best names in venture and private equity. Founded in 2016, Republic is headquartered in New York City with offices worldwide. For additional information, visit republic.com or @joinrepublic on X. Worth building™

After letting go of the Assure Syndicates team - Assure has discontinued this division. The goal of Assure Syndicates is to demonstrate how to execute SPV's. Our mission is to connect the right investors with the right businesses. We are a one-of-a-kind hybrid between an aligned co-investor and a founder’s advocate. We provide fundraising guidance to founders, then commit our own capital to the deal. In contrast to conventional finders, who hold their hands out to collect finder’s fees from cash-strapped entrepreneurs or wary investors, we charge no brokerage or management fees. Instead, we align our interests with both investors and founders by co-investing alongside the lead investor and participating in the carry. We have a goal to build up the ecosystem by supporting founders, teaching angels and working alongside venture capital partners. Here to help with questions about fundraising strategy, SPV's, sidecar vehicles and transparency.