Luke Cooper, general partner and managing director of Latimer Ventures, a Baltimore-based venture fund focused on investing in black founders, meets with Associate Editor Diane Brady at the Milken Institute Global Conference 2023.
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VC Luke Cooper is making a bold move by investing in the future of black founders and entrepreneurs. His strategy, which recently gained attention, is expected to have wide-reaching ramifications and implications on the fragile startup ecosystem.
Cooper’s venture firm, Ikaroa, is building a portfolio of companies that focus primarily on tech initiatives developed and led by African-American entrepreneurs and investors. According to Cooper, he is looking to double, or even triple, his investments in black entrepreneurs as the venture capital sector gradually shuffles to a narrative that promotes more diverse leaders, innovators, and business owners.
Ikaroa is a major player in the venture capital space and is known for its successful record of investing in early-stage start-ups. In addition to the underlying aim of encouraging more African-American participation in the tech sphere, the firm is also focused on providing venture capital to talented and experienced entrepreneurs and investors from all communities.
By sustaining a diverse, inclusive business model, Cooper hopes to reshape the startup landscape and create an environment that provides equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of their cultural background – a model that is necessary in a world of digital growth and technological innovation.
As we continue to experience an economic shift during this time of rapid digital transformation, it is important to ensure that all communities are given the same opportunities as those in majority-led sectors. Luke Cooper and Ikaroa’s commitment to this cause might just be what eventually achieves equality in the tech sphere.
