Cinematica Labs

What Cinematica Labs does

Cinematica Labs is a privately held, founder-led organization incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Los Angeles that builds entrepreneurial ecosystems supporting underestimated founders through mentorship, capital connectivity, and community programming. The company operates a portfolio of interconnected programs designed in partnership with ecosystem builders, for-profit investors, and non-profit organizations, with flagship engagements including the Black Ambitionist Mentorship Program (in partnership with Black Ambition, founded by Pharrell Williams), the PledgeLA VC Fellowship for emerging venture investors, and MECO: Media Capital for New Majority media publishers. Core offerings are human-centered mentorship services rather than technology products: Cinematica Labs maintains a curated network of 100+ mentors comprising serial entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, fund managers, angel investors, board directors, and corporate innovators who deliver culturally adaptive mentorship to founders from Black, Latine, and other underserved communities with intersectional identities. The model centers founder well-being alongside company growth, and aggregate outcomes reported include 800+ founders uplifted, 6,000+ hours of mentorship provided, and an 89 Net Promoter Score in the 2023 Black Ambition cohort.

There is no proprietary software platform; programs are delivered through partner referrals, structured cohorts, and conference convenings at Afrotech and SxSW. Distribution runs on a community-led go-to-market motion that activates the mentor network and high-profile partner organizations (Black Ambition, PledgeLA, Black Future House, Building Utopia, New Media Ventures). The revenue model is based on professional services delivered through partnership arrangements rather than direct customer payments, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. Cinematica Labs is a small team (1-10 employees, with four named leaders: Founder & CEO Shane Kelly, Director Marcia Chong Rosado, Program & Community Manager Trivia Edwards, and Interim General Counsel & Platform Operations Manager Yolanda Sheffield) and does not disclose funding rounds, revenue, or valuation. Operations are currently focused on the United States, with no disclosed international expansion.

Name

Cinematica Labs

Legal name

Cinematica Labs Inc

Website

https://cinematicalabs.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cinematica Labs is a Los Angeles-based mentorship and ecosystem-building organization that pairs a curated network of 100+ serial entrepreneurs and investors with Black, Latine, and other underestimated founders through partnership-driven programs with Black Ambition, PledgeLA, and MECO: Media Capital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurial Mentorship and Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Management & Creator Community Building (MPAAAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Finance & Investment Conferences (MPAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Founder mentorship programs
• Venture ecosystem building
• Investor training services
• Diversity-focused accelerators
• Media publisher support

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Program Services: Cinematica Labs provides mentorship programs and training services in partnership with investors, accelerators, ecosystem builders, and movement organizers. The company appears to operate through partnerships and sponsorships rather than direct customer revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cinematica Labs designs and delivers culturally adaptive mentorship programs that connect underrepresented (Black, Latine, and intersectional) founders with a network of 100+ serial entrepreneurs and investors. The company also provides investor training (including the PledgeLA VC Fellowship), media publisher support through MECO: Media Capital, and convenes diverse investors via roundtables such as Cultivating Capital, operating primarily through partnerships with ecosystem builders, accelerators, and movement organizers.

Product overview

Cinematica Labs operates as a mentorship and entrepreneurial ecosystem builder, offering a platform of interconnected programs designed to support underestimated founders. The core offering consists of mentorship programs connecting founders with a network of 100+ culturally adaptive mentors and investors. The portfolio includes the Black Ambitionist Mentorship Program (in partnership with Black Ambition), the PledgeLA VC Fellowship for investor training, and MECO: Media Capital for media publisher support. Additional offerings include new capital stacks innovation sharing for mentors, investor training programs, and the Cultivating Capital Investor Roundtable series. Together, these programs have supported over 800 founders, engaged 100+ mentors, and provided 6000+ hours of mentorship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MECO: Media Capital: Investment initiative for digital media publishers of the new majority, providing resources, team, and infrastructure to support media publishers in revenue and growth.

Products and services

• Mentorship Programs for Founders Provides culturally adaptive mentorship experiences connecting founders from underserved communities with a network of 100+ serial entrepreneurs and investors, centering founder well-being and intersectional cultural competency.
• Black Ambitionist Mentorship Program Partnership with Black Ambition providing culturally adaptive mentorship to Black and Latine founders; supports over 750 founders and 130 culturally adaptive mentors annually and achieved an 89 Net Promoter Score in 2023.
• PledgeLA VC Fellowship A 4-month investment pre-training and due diligence program for Southern California graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in venture capital, with fellows receiving access to a 10-week paid internship at a VC firm or accelerator.
• MECO: Media Capital (Media Ecosystem) Provides culturally adaptive mentorship to digital media publishers representing the New Majority, combining resources, mentorship, monetization training, growth support, and tech infrastructure guidance for financial sustainability and independence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89 Net Promoter Score from Black Ambition program participants in 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• PledgeLAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Cinematica Labs collaborated with PledgeLA in 2024 and 2025 to design a training program for 10 VC Fellowship fellows, providing investment pre-training and due diligence experience for Southern California graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Black Future HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Cinematica Labs partnered with Black Future House and Building Utopia at Afrotech and SxSW to host curated roundtables for diverse investors exploring new models for venture investing in people and the planet.
• Building UtopiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-hosted Cultivating Capital Investor Roundtables at major tech conferences focusing on sustainable funding mechanisms for underestimated entrepreneurs.
• New Media Ventures (Carlissia Graham)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in MECO program providing culturally adaptive mentorship to 14 entrepreneurs in brand, media, and marketing fields, with focus on supporting New Majority media publishers.
• Black Enterprise (Alfred Edmond Jr.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner mentor in MECO program bringing brand, media, and marketing expertise to support media publishers.
• Expectant Media (Michele Ghee)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in MECO program supporting media publishers in revenue and growth.
• Black AmbitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCinematica Labs has partnered with Black Ambition (founded by Pharrell Williams) for three years to design and execute mentorship programs supporting Black and Latine founders. The partnership has supported over 750 founders and 130 culturally adaptive mentors annually, achieving an 89 Net Promoter Score in 2023.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Black Girl Ventures: Non-profit supporting Black and Brown women founders through fellowship programming and pitch competitions. Comparable in mentorship-driven, community-led programming for underserved founders.
• NewMe Accelerator: Accelerator serving underrepresented founders with mentorship, capital, and community programming. Comparable in mission targeting and fellowship-style delivery model.
• Visible Hands: Fellowship and fund for first-time, underestimated founders, especially Black and Latine. Closely comparable in mission and programmatic structure to Cinematica Labs' mentorship offering.
• gener8tor: Operator of multiple accelerator programs on behalf of corporate, university, and investor partners. Directly comparable program-as-a-service model to how Cinematica Labs delivers programs for Black Ambition and PledgeLA.
• Backstage Capital: Venture fund and accelerator exclusively backing underrepresented founders. Overlaps with Cinematica Labs' mission and founder-support services, though Backstage pairs capital with programming.
• Camelback Ventures: New Orleans-based accelerator and fellowship for underestimated BIPOC entrepreneurs. Most directly comparable to Cinematica Labs' founder mentorship programming with similar underserved-founder targeting.
• Black Ambition: Founded by Pharrell Williams, Black Ambition runs prize/mentorship programming for Black and Latine founders. Cinematica Labs' flagship partner and most direct functional peer in serving the same founder cohort.

Emerging players

• Echoing Green: Fellowship and leadership network for emerging social-impact leaders and entrepreneurs. Comparable in fellowship-style programming and mission-aligned founder support.
• PledgeLA: LA-based funder collaborative focused on equity in tech and venture. Cinematica Labs' PledgeLA VC Fellowship partner and a peer in the Southern California VC diversity ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Village Capital: Global venture firm and accelerator running cohort-based programs for impact-oriented and underestimated founders. Broader incumbent in the same founder-support category, with deeper capital and program infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cinematica-labs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cinematica Labs