Short, But Full Week
This week started with the Labor Day holiday in the U.S. Normally, I work through U.S. holidays and lean into Danish ones when the kids are home from school, but this time I took a day off and enjoyed a good run. It was also a short week with one day of travel to San Francisco. 

Shaping the Future of HBCUvc
I’ve been reflecting on what building a fund for HBCUvc could look like. My initial thoughts leaned toward a fund-of-funds strategy, as it aligns well with our mission and can serve as a stepping stone for our fellows who might one day launch their own funds. However, I’m also considering a Hybrid fund or even utilizing SPVs alongside the fund of funds to invest directly in startups.

Evolving Our Investment Thesis
The guiding question is: What is the intersection of investing in the world we want vs what we believe the world will look like?

We’re looking at the growing industries and trends that will shape the next 10 to 15 years and aligning our investments with leaders in these spaces who have the highest probability of hiring or employing talent from the HBCU community. This could look like focusing on founders or GPs with demonstrated connections to HBCUs or those whose companies are headquartered near HBCUs. Essentially, our investment thesis would be investing in those who are creating equitable future job opportunities at scale. Although the founders are not HBCU-affiliated, ChargerHelp would be a good example of an ideal investment.

Personal Meditation:
Spent time reflecting on Ecclesiastes 2:24 this week. I’m working on embracing the small joys in life and in my work. Also, I walked/ran 3 miles every day this week.

Podcasts:
Continuing to dive into podcasts to extend my learning on developing a fund. Here’s what I listened to, as well as my notes and inspired thoughts. 

Superclusters Interview with Ben Ehrlich

• How does your deal flow map to how the world is going to look in the future?
• Investing in What the world will look like vs What you want the world to look like
• Building a firm vs looking at an economic opportunity
• Do I want to write 1 check in a person vs Do I want to invest in a person for a long time?

Superclusters Interview with Felipe Valencia

• The first iteration of the fund served as a combined CVC that helped Columbian corporations invest strategically in USA startups.
• Capital can be used as a connecter or relationship builder
• Allocation into Established Firms, Emerging Firms, and Frontier Firms. Noted difference in Emerging Firm vs Emerging Manager. 

Filed in the randomness of me

• Attended a Middle Ages Fair in Denmark last weekend
• And on Friday, attended Culture Shift Weekend in San Francisco

Upcoming Next Week
In San Francisco next week hosting 5 incredible HBCU Faculty Members.