Black Futures Month: 8 Black Entrepreneurs To Watch
As we near the end of what has been traditionally known as Black History Month, it’s a good opportunity to talk about the people shaping Black Futures. The Movement for Black Lives defines Black Futures Month as “a visionary, forward-looking spin on celebrations of Blackness in February… using this time to both consider and celebrate our Black radical history, and to dream and imagine a world in which we are free and self-determined.”
As an impact investor, the very nature of my role is to constantly be evaluating talent — in 2020 alone, my firm Candide Group supported close to $50M of investments into companies and funds. The majority of these are led by women and people of color — with over $20M to Black and Indigenous-led organizations. And yet, as a white woman, I didn’t feel comfortable that I would be the right person to select a best-of list of entrepreneurs who are building Black Futures. So, I asked eight Black experts in their respective fields — entrepreneurs, investors, creatives and activists — to name an entrepreneur they would like to honor for Black Futures Month. From sustainability to culture to business, their list highlights the great diversity of Black contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
4. Marlon Nichols, Founding Partner at CrossCulture Ventures and MaC Venture Capital, named Zuleyka Strasner, founder of Zero Grocery.
Founder of Zero Grocery / ZULEYKA STRASNER
“Zuleyka Strasner is the Founder and CEO of the world’s first zero waste online grocery store. Zero Grocery has been able to offer the same SKUs that are found on other online grocery platforms, in most cases at lower prices, while eliminating the need for packaging that cannot be reused. They are essentially reducing the negative effects that food packaging has on the health of the planet without sacrificing selection or quality of service. “ Zuleyka is one of those rare founders that have equal parts of passion for what they’re building, charisma to attract and retain top talent, deep knowledge of their industry, and tenacity to see the vision through. I have no doubt that Zero will become a multi-billion dollar company that positively affects our planet in a significant way.”
Check out the full list from Forbes.
Image: Top row, left to right: Sabrina Hersi Issa, Tai Beauchamp, Ashley Edwards, Eda Henries. (Bottom row,