Chicago startups raised a total of $2.2 billion in venture capital funding last year, yet less than 1% went to Black entrepreneurs, according to a study conducted by RateMyInvestor.

Chicago's tech ecosystem is clearly facing a diversity problem. Most notable is the systematic racism that exists in funding practices of institutional venture capital firms. The exclusion of diverse founders trickles into many areas of the tech industry and is creating a dangerous domino effect.

How can we, as a community, fight structural racism and increase the number of successful black entrepreneurs in Chicago's tech industry?

During this candid conversation, Black founders will share insights on what it's like being a Black entrepreneur in tech, the challenges of raising venture capital, and how Chicago’s tech community can address its diversity problem.