Backstage Capital acquires The Door to boost funding for minority founders

13 Oct 2017

Arlan Hamilton speaking at Inspirefest 2017. Image: Conor McCabe Photography

Arlan Hamilton’s Backstage Capital continues to champion underrepresented founders.

With experience as a tour manager for Atlantic Records artist Janine, as well as in publishing with indie music magazine Interlude, Arlan Hamilton is also the founder of Backstage Capital.

To date, Backstage Capital has funded 54 companies and its second fund is approximately 80pc raised.

TechCrunch broke the news earlier this week that Backstage had acquired The Door, a company that focuses on helping underrepresented founders get funding to achieve their business goals.

Opening The Door for underrepresented founders

The Door is a company with a matching ethos to Backstage Capital, with representation of people of colour and LGBTQ founders emphasised. It develops software to “connect forward-looking investors to talented underrepresented start-up founders and to help enterprises source innovative solutions by partnering with start-ups”.

Yves Louis-Jacques, founder of The Door, will join Backstage Capital as a venture partner.

The exact amount of cash and equity laid down to acquire the company has not been made public.

Hamilton told TechCrunch that she wants to use The Door’s “elegant technology” to improve deal flow quality for underrepresented founders, and make good investment decisions.

Hamilton at Inspirefest

Hamilton spoke at Inspirefest 2017 about how things in Silicon Valley can be transformed for the better.

“I just think that we can effect change. 2012 to now has been about data collection, recognising the problem. The next five to 10 years will be amazing for all types of founders.

“Representation is the most important thing for me and that is why we started this thing.”

Companies that have been funded by Backstage Capital include Mahmee, a patient-centred childcare management platform that supports both mother and baby; Thesis Couture, a footwear company that is re-engineering the stiletto heel to be more comfortable; and Mars Reel, a sports video platform calling itself the ‘ESPN for Millennials’.

Inspirefest is Silicon Republic’s international event connecting sci-tech professionals passionate about the future of STEM. Super Early Bird Tickets for Inspirefest 2018 are on sale now!

Ellen Tannam was a journalist with Silicon Republic, covering all manner of business and tech subjects

editorial@siliconrepublic.com