Lightship Capital
Lightship Capital is a Cincinnati-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders across AI, healthtech, e-commerce, CPG, and sustainability, supplemented by a fund-of-funds and Foundation programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Lightship Capital does
Lightship Capital is a Cincinnati-based venture capital firm founded in 2017 (with the affiliated Lightship Foundation established the same year) that invests in early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders, specifically Founders of Color, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, women, and innovators with disabilities. The firm's investment platform centers on the Lightship Capital Fund, which executes direct seed-to-Series A investments across AI, healthtech, e-commerce, sustainability, and consumer packaged goods, with geographic focus on the Midwest and South United States (particularly Ohio, Tulsa, and Arkansas) and explicit exclusion of New York, Boston, and San Francisco. A complementary Anchor Fund is positioned as a multi-billion dollar fund-of-funds designed to back venture fund managers and selectively co-invest across the Americas, Africa, and Europe, with reporting standards targeting institutional LP expectations.
The business model follows standard venture capital economics: revenue is generated through management fees on assets under management and carried interest on successful portfolio exits, with a $50 million fund raised for the Midwest underrepresented-founder thesis and a portfolio that includes Boddle Learning (AI-driven K-12 math gaming), Vyrill (AI video analytics), Arbit (AI sneaker pricing), Proov (at-home PdG fertility testing), Kare Mobile (mobile dental services), Femi Secrets, FreshFry, Allergy Amulet, Healthy Roots Dolls, BootUp, and Brevity. Surrounding the investment vehicles, Lightship Foundation operates an integrated ecosystem comprising the Tulsa Accelerator and Bootcamp programs, the Black Tech Week festival acquired in 2022 and relocated from Miami to Cincinnati, and strategic partnerships with Ford Motor Company Fund, Delta Dental, the Cincinnati Innovation District, InnovateOhio, and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. Since 2017, the Foundation has guided over 200 companies to more than $120 million in venture funding.
Distribution and deal sourcing combine community-led outreach, event-driven engagement (Black Tech Week, SXSW panels, TwitchPitch competitions), and direct office-hours scheduling. General Partners Candice Matthews Brackeen and Brian Brackeen lead the firm, with Brian Brackeen contributing prior executive experience at Apple and IBM and a background as founder of a facial recognition company. The Anchor Fund adds institutional capability through Managing Partner Ollen Douglass (ex-CFO of The Motley Fool Holdings, where he scaled Motley Fool Ventures to $250M AUM with five unicorn outcomes), Partner Vernon Lee Jr. (ex-PwC, Marathon Fund), Operating Partner Jennell Lynch (ex-NAIC VP), Partner Alexis Alston, and Engineering Director Marlon Avery.
Lightship Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lightship Capital
- Legal name
- Lightship Capital
- Website
- https://lightship.capital
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Lightship Capital is a Cincinnati-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders across AI, healthtech, e-commerce, CPG, and sustainability, supplemented by a fund-of-funds and Foundation programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lightship Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Financial Vehicles (52599)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds (FSANAGAC), Institutional Capital Introduction (LP/Family Office/Endowment Matching) (FSAEALAI)
Keywords
Where Lightship Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Lightship Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees: Lightship Capital generates revenue through management fees charged on funds under management, typical for venture capital firms.
- Carried Interest (Carry): VC firms typically earn carried interest on successful portfolio company exits, aligning investor and manager interests.
- Investment Returns: Lightship Capital LLC holds 375,420 shares in V2X as a shareholder, representing direct investment holdings.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Lightship Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lightship Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders (Founders of Color, LGBTQ+, women, and innovators with disabilities) across AI, health tech, e-commerce, sustainability, and CPG sectors. The firm deploys capital through its Lightship Capital Fund (pre-seed to Series A direct investments) and the Anchor Fund (a multi-billion dollar fund-of-funds targeting institutional LPs), supported by accelerator programs and ecosystem-building initiatives.
Product overview
Lightship Capital operates as a venture capital firm with a unified investment platform focused on underrepresented founders. The core offering consists of the Lightship Capital Fund (direct investments in early-stage companies) and the Anchor Fund (fund-of-funds strategy). Supporting these investment vehicles are accelerator and bootcamp programs, including the Lightship Accelerator and Lightship Bootcamp based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which provide portfolio companies with resources and network access. The firm also acquired Black Tech Week to build ecosystem engagement in the Midwest region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Anchor Fund: A multi-billion dollar fund-of-funds designed to scale access to exceptional managers and markets across the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Targets high-caliber venture fund managers and selectively co-invests in compelling opportunities.
Products and services
- Lightship Capital Fund Venture capital fund providing direct pre-seed to Series A equity investments in early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders (Founders of Color, LGBTQ+, Women, and Innovators with Disabilities) across healthcare, consumer products, e-commerce, sustainability, and artificial intelligence sectors. The fund focuses on post-revenue companies in the Midwest and South United States.
- Anchor Fund Multi-billion dollar fund-of-funds vehicle investing in high-caliber venture fund managers and selectively co-investing in their most compelling opportunities across the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Designed for institutional investors (LPs) seeking exposure to emerging managers and underserved markets with institutional-grade reporting standards.
- Tulsa Accelerator Program Accelerator program based in Tulsa, Oklahoma supporting companies led by underrepresented founders who are based in or willing to relocate to the Oklahoma/Arkansas region. Provides portfolio companies with network access, strategic support, mentorship, and investment resources to scale their businesses.
- Lightship Bootcamp Intensive startup bootcamp based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, offering entrepreneurial training and education for underrepresented founders. Supports early-stage companies through structured curriculum focused on company building and deal sourcing for the Lightship Capital fund.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200 companies guided to $120M+ in venture funding
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lightship Capital
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lightship Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Lightship Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.
- Build in Tulsa (ACT House Accelerator)minorBuild in Tulsa's ACT House Accelerator was part of Venita Cooper's founder journey before she participated in Lightship Bootcamp and Accelerator.
- Crest and Oral-BminorKare Mobile partnered with Crest and Oral-B along with CVS Pharmacy to provide free dental screenings in selected CVS Parking lots at events in Atlanta, GA, Miami, FL, and New York, NY.
- CVS PharmacyminorCVS Pharmacy hosted Kare Mobile's free dental screening events in parking lots across multiple cities for children in need.
- Cincinnati Innovation District (CID)majorLightship Foundation relocated Black Tech Week to Cincinnati leveraging local corporate partners and community networks including the Cincinnati Innovation District to bring remarkable business leaders to Ohio.
- Ohio Lieutenant Governor's Office / InnovateOhiomajorOhio Lt. Governor Jon Husted and InnovateOhio supported Black Tech Week's Cincinnati relocation as part of the mission to make Ohio the most innovative, entrepreneurial state in the Midwest.
- Cincinnati USA Regional ChamberminorCincinnati USA Regional Chamber supports Black Tech Week relocation and Lightship's minority entrepreneurship focused economic development work in Ohio.
- City of Cincinnati (Mayor Aftab Pureval)minorMayor of Cincinnati committed to making Cincinnati a place where remarkable entrepreneurs of color feel supported, partnering with Lightship for tech ecosystem development.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lightship Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kapor Capital: Oakland-based early-stage VC focused on underrepresented founders and tech gap-closing startups. Lightship co-invested alongside Kapor Capital in BootUp's $2.1M seed round, making it the closest comparable mission-aligned fund.
- Backstage Capital: Los Angeles-based VC that has backed 200+ companies led by underrepresented founders (women, people of color, LGBTQ+). Direct peer to Lightship with near-identical thesis and pre-seed/seed check sizing.
- Harlem Capital Partners: Early-stage VC with a stated goal to invest in 1,000 founders of color over 20 years. Highly comparable to Lightship's demographic thesis, though Harlem writes checks across broader geographies.
- BBG Ventures: New York-based seed-stage fund investing in female and diverse founders at the earliest stages. Comparable pre-seed check size and demographic focus to Lightship's direct fund.
- SoGal Ventures: Diversity-led global VC investing in female and minority founders across the US and Asia. Comparable thesis on diverse founders and similar pre-seed/seed stage focus to Lightship.
- Precursor Ventures: San Francisco-based pre-seed fund writing initial checks typically below $500K. Highly comparable check size and stage to Lightship's pre-seed/seed strategy, though broader sector focus.
Regional players
- Atento Capital: Tulsa-based VC with a $100M core fund focused on overlooked Heartland tech entrepreneurs. Co-invested with Lightship in Arbit and shares the Tulsa/Midwest regional anchor.
Emerging players
- Visible Hands: Early-stage fund backing underrepresented founders, particularly in non-coastal US cities. Closely comparable to Lightship's regional, demographic-focused thesis.
- Pipeline Angels: Network of angel investors focused on women and non-binary founders, often co-investing alongside funds like Lightship. Adjacent vehicle with overlapping LP/founder base.
Broad incumbents
- Sequoia Capital: Multi-stage global venture firm operating at vastly larger AUM. Relevant as a broad incumbent whose late-stage participation validates Lightship's portfolio companies and whose emerging diversity initiatives raise the competitive bar.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lightship Capital social profiles
Digital presenceLightship Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lightship Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Lightship Capital subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Lightship Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lightship Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments17 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lightship Capital
What does Lightship Capital do?
Lightship Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders (Founders of Color, LGBTQ+, women, and innovators with disabilities) across AI, health tech, e-commerce, sustainability, and CPG sectors. The firm deploys capital through its Lightship Capital Fund (pre-seed to Series A direct investments) and the Anchor Fund (a multi-billion dollar fund-of-funds targeting institutional LPs), supported by accelerator programs and ecosystem-building initiatives.
Is Lightship Capital a public or private company?
Lightship Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lightship Capital founded?
Lightship Capital was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Lightship Capital based?
Lightship Capital is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lightship Capital make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fund Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest (Carry) and investment Returns.
Who are Lightship Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kapor Capital, Backstage Capital, Harlem Capital Partners, BBG Ventures, SoGal Ventures and Precursor Ventures. Atento Capital is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Visible Hands and Pipeline Angels. Sequoia Capital is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Lightship Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lightship Capital.
What industry is Lightship Capital in?
Lightship Capital's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists), with a secondary code of FSANAGAC, Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds. Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.