Cutting Through the Noise

By Andy Ayim

💡Issue #236: Astia Ventures, Rihanna & Funds investing in Black Founders (UK)

#236・ Feb 15, 2021

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Andy Ayim

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This week is half term, so I will let emails pile up, let calls go to voicemail and say no to opportunities to protect time with family so I can be present. I never really feel as if I have work/life balance but I try my best to create boundaries that work for me.

Hope all the parents who read this can feel guilt free in creating boundaries that work for you too!

Aside from that, feeling content and grateful that The Angel Investing School’s April 2021 cohort has sold out almost 2 months early! Waiting list for September is now available.

Have a productive week.

FROM THE STARTUPS 🚀

Fundraiser for Uncle John’s Bakery former CEO: Honouring Samuel Mensah (R.I.P).

Rihanna’s Savage lingerie brand has landed $115 million in Series B funding.

53 Black founders and investors to watch in 2021.

Tristan Walker shares that companies need to serve people of colour with empathy.

Nigeria’s IROKO plans to go public on the London Stock Exchange AIM in 2022.

Content is Queen is offering micro-grants up to £1,000 for Podcasters in the UK.

Pre-money and post-money valuation Calculator for founders.

Gary Stewart publishes, ‘which funds are funding Black founders in the UK?’

FROM THE INVESTORS 💸

Troy Carter, former GP at Cross Culture Ventures (now named MaC Ventures) joins SoundCloud Board to boost indie acts.

Channel 4 announces The Profit, a new business-based reality series featuring Eric Collins, General Partner at Impact X Partners.

Meet the UK-based angel investors who invested in the most startups in 2020.

Astia has launched a $100m early-stage venture fund that will invest globally in high-growth companies that have at least one woman in an executive, equity-holding position.

Costco Wholesale commits $1 million to venture capital firm Fearless Fund to support women of colour founders.

Atlanta’s Panoramic Ventures adds a new partner, Paul Judge and plans $300 million new VC fund.

Comic Relief are providing funding for organisations in England led ‘by and for’ Black and minority women and providing frontline services responding to violence against women and girls.

Colin Kaepernick targets a socially-driven billion-dollar company with new SPAC.

SoGal Foundation has teamed up with Winky Lux, bluemercury, twelveNYC, and other sponsors to provide several $10K and $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs.

Arfah Farooq shares transparently 4 months so far into her angel investing journey.

EVENTS 🎟️

Out Of Hours presents How To Create Great Content: Q&A with Camille, Head of Marketing at Notion, Today.

Heartful Academy presents How can the world of startups and investing become inclusive & diverse? on Tuesday, March 9.

The Forward Founders Programme, is accepting applications onto its free programme to help early stage entrepreneurs.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES 💼

Andy Ayim is looking for a React developer and designer to work on an independent SaaS tool. Reply to get register interest.

Green Angel Syndicate is hiring for a Junior IT Assistant.