From $1.42 in the Bank to a $700K+ Raise, with Malik McCray (Simpliworks) and Shila Nieves Burney (Zane Venture Fund)

Raising capital is never easy, regardless of race, gender, or age.  But for Simpliworks co-founder Malik McCray, as a Black man in his early 20's, he faced an uphill battle in convincing VCs to invest - until he presented to Zane Venture Fund's Shila Nieves Burney.

Malik McCray is the co-founder and CEO of Simpliworks, a startup that launches winning Amazon Advertising campaigns in 1-Click.

Shila Nieves Burney is the General Partner at Zane Venture Fund and the Founder of Zane Access.

Equity Raise is hosted by Naya Fela Powell, presented by American Underground, sponsored by The Diversity Movement, and produced by Earfluence.

This episode is brought to you by DEI Navigator from The Diversity Movement, a new, monthly membership service designed exclusively for small- to medium-sized businesses who are committed to DEI action and results.  It’s everything you need all in one place - access to proven business leaders and certified diversity executives, expert curated content, how-to guides, training, and a community of peers sharing their ideas and lessons learned — all at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-service DEI consultancy. 

What is Equity Raise?

Welcome to Equity Raise: Leveling the Landscape for Diverse Founders and their VCs. Each year, less than 3% of venture capital funding is invested in startups led by founders of color and women.

On this podcast from the American Underground, we’ll learn from some of these entrepreneurs who have successfully raised venture capital, despite the struggles and systemic barriers they’ve faced.