Welcome to the BFVC Founder Series✨

Hi Everyone! ✨

I can’t believe it’s almost the end of February—time is FLYING! I hope you all have been having a great month so far. Things have been a bit busy on my end, but as mentioned in my last two newsletters, I’m starting a Founder and Investor Series, and today, I’m thrilled to share the first founder of the series!

But first, here's a personal update:

I had the pleasure of working with two members of the BFVC community, Kwame Boler and Lance T. Mason, for a few months last year on a passion project about imbalances in capital allocation in venture capital. I’m excited to announce that Kwame and Lance will be presenting our work at SxSW this year with a panel discussion titled:
“To Seed or Not to Seed: Exploring Inefficiencies in VC”
The panel will take place on March 8th! If you’re in Austin, TX, and attending SxSW, check it out! 😁

Now, on to our Founder Series!

I’m pleased to kick off this series with an incredible founder: Zenda Walker.

If you’d like to have your venture featured in future newsletters for our BFVC community of founders and investors, fill out the form here 😁!

Founder Spotlight: Zenda Walker 🌟

Venture: Know Your Hairitage
Location: New York

About:
Know Your Hairitage is a New York-based publishing and education consulting company dedicated to supporting school districts with strength-based, culturally responsive programming—specifically those revolving around hair.

Q: What inspired you to start your venture?
As a hairstylist and history enthusiast, I wanted to show my daughter, Zara, what makes our Afro-coily hair so special. Due to bullying, she developed insecurities about her appearance. On our hair wash days, we began talking about how our hair connects us to a bigger story—an African ancestry we could be proud of.

After only six months, I noticed Zara’s confidence increase. She dealt with conflict better, and her grades improved. I shared this experience in my children's books, Zara's Wash Day and Zion's Crown. These books laid the foundation for the mission of Know Your Hairitage LLC.

Q: What are some of your biggest accomplishments since starting your venture?
I became a multi-award-winning author and secured a two-book deal with one of the top five publishers in the world. I am also a MWBE-certified NYC Department of Education vendor.

Q: What do you need help doing? What would help take you to the next level?
Securing funding to scale will help me take this business to the next level.

Q: What is your ask from the BFVC community?
My ask is to network with entrepreneurs and gain assistance in building awareness about my brand.

Q: How can we reach you?
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.knowyourhairitage.com

Investors and Founders: If you can help with Zenda’s asks, contact her via the information provided above!

Resources, Resources, Resources 🪄

Ally Investor Shout-Out:
Name: Adeola Fadeyi 🌟
Fund: Evvolve & Partners
Title: Venture Scout
Investment Sectors: AI, Robotics, Dual-Use, Energy Efficiency, CPG, Entertainment, Consumer
Stage: Series A and beyond (may make exceptions for rockstar Pre-seed and Seed)
Actively Deploying Capital: Yes

How are you willing to help the BFVC community?
I’m a venture scout. I source great deals and make referrals to Evvolve & Partners with the founder’s consent. To do that, I need at least a pitch deck from the founder and confirmation that they are looking to raise funds. Founders can also engage directly with Evvolve & Partners if they prefer. I’d be happy to connect both parties.

How can founders contact you?
📧 [email protected]

Investors: If you’d like to be featured/mentioned, please fill out the form here! Our founders need you, and we know you need them 😊

Opportunities 🔥

• Caltech | Rocket Fund 2025
  Up to $100,000 in grant funding for clean-tech and sustainability startups.
  Deadline: March 3, 2025
  🌐 Learn more

• Hello Alice x DoorDash | Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund
  $10,000 in grant funding for restaurants impacted by natural disasters, severe weather events, or major infrastructure failures.
  Deadline: March 3, 2025
  🌐 Learn more

Thank you all so much for reading! Until next time 😇 !

Want to chat or collaborate? Shoot me an email at [email protected]! 💖