Pride Fund 1
Pride Fund 1 is a $10 million venture capital fund that invests at pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages in early-stage companies led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs, operating as a joint venture between LOUD Capital and Atlas Venture Partners out of Columbus, Ohio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersColumbus, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pride Fund 1 does
Pride Fund 1 is a $10 million venture capital fund that invests in early-stage companies led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages. The fund was established in 2020 as a joint venture between LOUD Capital and Atlas Venture Partners, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and led by CEO Densil R. Porteous. It targets a documented funding gap in which LGBTQI+ founders receive less than 1% of venture capital deal volume, despite the LGBTQ+ community representing an economic base of over 15 million Americans. The fund's portfolio spans media/entertainment (Revry, an LGBTQ+ streaming platform available in 250 million households), healthcare technology (OpticSurg's Vision Beyond AR telehealth platform), cannabis/beverage (W*nder), social/dating (S'More, acquired by Tawkify), education finance (CollegeCash), real estate (Casata), and other ventures (Rizse).
Pride Fund 1 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pride Fund 1
- Legal name
- Pride Fund I
- Website
- https://pride.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pride Fund 1 is a $10 million venture capital fund that invests at pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages in early-stage companies led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs, operating as a joint venture between LOUD Capital and Atlas Venture Partners out of Columbus, Ohio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pride Fund 1 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gender Lens / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Funds (FSANAJAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA), Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)
Keywords
Where Pride Fund 1 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pride Fund 1 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Venture Capital Fund Management: Pride Fund 1 operates as a venture capital fund generating returns through equity investments in early-stage LGBTQI+ led startups. The fund deploys capital into portfolio companies at pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages, seeking exits through acquisitions or IPOs. Returns are distributed to limited partners (accredited investors) upon portfolio company exits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | $100k minimum investment for accredited investors |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Pride Fund 1 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pride Fund 1 is a $10 million venture capital fund that invests equity capital into early-stage and growth-stage companies led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages. The fund provides portfolio companies with capital, mentorship, networks, and business-building resources, and distributes returns to its limited partners (accredited investors) upon portfolio company exits. It operates as a joint venture between LOUD Capital and Atlas Venture Partners, based in Columbus, Ohio.
Product overview
Pride Fund 1 is a single $10 million venture capital fund that invests in early-stage and growth companies led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs. The fund provides resources and capital to venture-ready businesses at the pre-seed, seed, and A stage. Pride Fund 1 is structured as a joint venture between LOUD Capital and Atlas Venture Partners. The portfolio includes Revry (LGBTQ+ streaming platform), OpticSurg (healthcare AR/AI telehealth), W*nder (cannabis beverages), S'More (acquired dating app), CollegeCash (education finance), Casata (micro home real estate), and Rizse.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Venture Out: Annual event bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and community supporters to celebrate LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations making changes in venture systems.
- Words of Pride
Products and services
- Pride Fund 1 (Fund Vehicle) A $10 million venture capital fund that invests equity capital into early-stage and growth-stage startups led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages. Open to accredited investors with a $100,000 minimum investment, via wire transfer from checking/savings accounts or IRA funds, with a multi-year commitment.
- Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Investment Access Investment access pathway that allows accredited investors to commit capital to Pride Fund 1 through Donor Advised Funds administered via nonprofit partner Inspire Access, addressing the investment gap to women, people of color, and the LGBTQI+ community.
Quantifiable outcome
- LGBTQI+ founders receive less than 1% of venture capital funding, creating an underserved market opportunity
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Pride Fund 1
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pride Fund 1 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pride Fund 1 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Inspire AccessminorInspire Access is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that allows Pride Fund to receive Donor Advised Fund (DAF) dollars from investors. This partnership enables donors to leverage DAFs to invest in LGBTQI+ companies through Pride Fund, addressing the investment gap where less than 3% goes to women, people of color, and LGBTQI+ community.
- Stonewall ColumbusminorStonewall Columbus, central Ohio's LGBTQ+ community center, serves as the venue partner for Pride Fund's Venture Out 2024 event. The partnership supports LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and investors in the Columbus venture ecosystem.
- Innovation WorksminorInnovation Works is a Pittsburgh-based organization that partners with Pride Fund for community outreach events. Pride Fund participated in 'Outside In' events in Pittsburgh with Innovation Works to engage with local entrepreneurs and the LGBTQ+ community.
- Grindr (NYSE: GRND)minorGrindr collaborated with Pride Fund for the Freedom: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride at NYSE event in June 2024. Pride Fund was a special thanks partner for this NYSE Pride-themed panel series featuring LGBTQ+ community leaders.
- Midwest HouseminorMidwest House is a platform elevating the Midwest startup ecosystem at SXSW. Pride Fund has partnered as co-host for Pride Brunch at Midwest House in 2023 and 2024, bringing together LGBTQI+ founders and investors.
- LOUD CapitalcoreLOUD Capital is the parent early-stage venture capital firm that co-founded Pride Fund 1 as a joint venture. LOUD Capital provides venture capital, entrepreneurship, and education to grow impactful companies worldwide. Navin Goyal is co-founder and CEO of LOUD Capital.
- Atlas Venture PartnerscoreAtlas Venture Partners is a connection engine focused on fostering innovation from the midwest to the coasts. T. Wolf Starr is CEO of Atlas Venture Partners and Managing Partner of Pride Fund 1. Atlas is the joint venture partner that brought the fund idea and initial partners.
- LEAP AcceleratorminorLEAP (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer) Accelerator is showcased through Pride Fund's Venture Out events. Pride Fund has featured LEAP Accelerator classes at Venture Out events to highlight LGBTQI+ startups and founders.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pride Fund 1 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gaingels: Gaingels is a venture network and fund investing in LGBTQ+ and ally-led startups, having deployed $800M+ into 800+ companies. It is the most direct peer to Pride Fund 1 given its shared LGBTQ+ investment focus and co-investment relationships on deals such as Revry and S'More.
- Backstage Capital: Backstage Capital is an LA-based VC firm founded by Arlan Hamilton that has invested $800M+ in 800+ companies led by underrepresented founders including LGBTQ+ founders. It is referenced as a partner and competitor in Pride Fund 1's investment activities and shares the same underinvested-founder thesis.
- Pipeline Angels: Pipeline Angels is a network of investors changing the face of angel investing and angel-fueled capital for trans and cis women, non-binary, and LGBTQIA+ founders. It pursues a directly overlapping thesis with Pride Fund 1 across pre-seed and seed-stage LGBTQ+ founders.
- Out Investors: Out Investors is a community of LGBTQ+ angel investors and allies deploying capital into early-stage startups. It overlaps with Pride Fund 1 on target founders and stage focus, serving as both a potential co-investor and competitor for deals.
- Chasing Rainbows: Chasing Rainbows is a Chicago-based venture fund and angel network investing in LGBTQ+ founders. Founding Partner Ben Stokes has co-paneled with Pride Fund 1 at NYSE events, and the firms pursue a directly overlapping thesis and LP base.
- Diversity VC: Diversity VC is a nonprofit that supports VCs investing in under-represented founders including LGBTQ+. While it operates more as a network/industry body, it competes for the same deal-flow attention and LP mindshare as Pride Fund 1.
Broad incumbents
- Atlas Venture Partners: Atlas Venture Partners is the joint venture partner that co-founded Pride Fund 1 with LOUD Capital. It operates as a broader connection engine for the midwest-to-coasts innovation ecosystem and is the operational base for Managing Partner T. Wolf Starr.
- LOUD Capital: LOUD Capital is the parent early-stage VC and co-founder of Pride Fund 1. It operates a broader portfolio across all founders but uses the Pride Fund vehicle specifically for LGBTQ+ theses, making it a sponsor/parent rather than a pure competitor.
Others
- StartOut: StartOut is a nonprofit accelerating LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and connects founders to investors. It serves as an ecosystem enabler for Pride Fund 1's deal flow rather than a direct capital competitor.
Emerging players
- LEAP (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer) Accelerator: LEAP is an LGBTQ+ focused accelerator housed at Stonewall Columbus, founded by Pride Fund Board Chair Michael J. Smithson. It is featured at Pride Fund's Venture Out events and addresses the same founder pipeline, though as an accelerator rather than a fund.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pride Fund 1 social profiles
Digital presencePride Fund 1 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pride Fund 1 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pride Fund 1 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pride Fund 1 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pride Fund 1
What does Pride Fund 1 do?
Pride Fund 1 is a $10 million venture capital fund that invests equity capital into early-stage and growth-stage companies led by LGBTQI+ entrepreneurs at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages. The fund provides portfolio companies with capital, mentorship, networks, and business-building resources, and distributes returns to its limited partners (accredited investors) upon portfolio company exits. It operates as a joint venture between LOUD Capital and Atlas Venture Partners, based in Columbus, Ohio.
Is Pride Fund 1 a public or private company?
Pride Fund 1 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Pride Fund 1 founded?
Pride Fund 1 was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pride Fund 1 based?
Pride Fund 1 is headquartered in Columbus, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pride Fund 1 make money?
One revenue line is on record: venture Capital Fund Management.
Who are Pride Fund 1's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gaingels, Backstage Capital, Pipeline Angels, Out Investors, Chasing Rainbows and Diversity VC. Broad incumbents are Atlas Venture Partners and LOUD Capital. StartOut is listed as an others. LEAP (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer) Accelerator is listed as an emerging player.
Does Pride Fund 1 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pride Fund 1.
What industry is Pride Fund 1 in?
Pride Fund 1's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAJAM, Gender Lens / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Funds, with a secondary code of FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.