NATIONWIDE IMPACT
ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR EVERYONE
Lightship directly challenges the narrative that identifies women, founders and communities of color as being “high risk” and “underperforming”. We acknowledge that lack of meaningful access to mentorship, network and capital put minority entrepreneurs and ecosystems at a considerable disadvantage, so we empower them with the resources they need to thrive.
6,479
SERVED
$465M
RAISED BY OUR FOUNDERS
$500,000
AVERAGE ANNUAL REVENUE
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
CANDICE MATTHEWS BRACKEEN
TOTAL IMPACT
6,479
FOUNDERS SERVED
52%
WOMEN FOUNDERS SERVED
71%
BLACK FOUNERS SERVED
492+
JOBS CREATED SINCE 2021
KEY FIGURES FROM 2023
5,074
SERVED ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS
2,840
ATTENDED BLACK TECH WEEK
804
ATTENDED BLACK TECH WEEKEND
563
ATTENDED BLACK TECH WEEK MEETUPS
493
ATTENDED
STARTUP TRAIN
503
ATTENDED WORKFLOW WEDNESDAY SERIES
124
ATTENDED
LIGHTSHIP BOOTCAMP
120
ATTENDED
LIGHTSHIP SHOWCASE
LEARN ABOUT OUR IMPACT
Read about how Lightship Foundation's programming affected the lives of founders and innovators in Florida, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Michigan and Ohio.
Download our 2023 Lightship Impact Report
16 CITIES SERVED
To date, we have impacted innovation ecosystems in Cincinnati, OH, Detroit, MI, Tulsa, OK, Miami, FL, Kansas City, MO, Columbus, OH, Cleveland, OH, Youngstown, OH, Athens, OH, Toledo, OH, North Miami, FL, Madison, WI, New York, NY, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Philedelphia, PA.
HOW WE DO IT
Our purpose is to revolutionize the entrepreneurial landscape by providing women and founders of color with unprecedented access to information, resources and funding, granting them an unparalleled advantage to thrive, expand, and ultimately achieve successful exits.
Lightship aims to increase the number of diverse entrepreneurs in the Midwest Region
• Amplify Innovators, CEO’s, and Investors of Color on a global stage.
• Provide access to venture funding.
• Close the technology education gap for diverse communities in the region.
BOOTCAMP
Lightship Bootcamp is a comprehensive early stage business advancement program offering tailored educational content and extensive networking opportunities for Women and Founders
of Color. Through a 2.5 day intensive coursework, participants gain a profound understanding of product development, fundraising, and business models.
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ACCELERATOR
Lightship Accelerator is a 12-week program fostering inclusive acceleration, education, and opportunities for women and Founders of Color in the tech space, featuring investment from Lightship Capital.
The program comprises six weeks of tailored curriculum and six weeks of focused "work sprints," covering areas such as Branding, Messaging, Corporate Partnerships, and Customer Development.
LIGHTWORK
Lightwork serves as a gathering space for founders, creators, and innovators to connect and foster community, offering a platform to address individual entrepreneurial challenges and collaboratively generate solutions.
SHOWCASE
Lightship Showcase shines a spotlight on program participants, offering valuable insights into the success of startups within their thriving ecosystem. This event encourages the community
to discover the growth stories of entrepreneurs and understanding the compelling reasons behind their choice to nurture their ventures in their city.
WHO WE SERVE
KIM LEWIS
CURL MIX
ALCIA WILLIAMS
ABLOOM
XAVIER GRAY
TECH AND FLOW
PATRICK BOATENG II
CEYLOB BY ANM LABS
2023 RECAP
Read about how Lightship Foundation's programming affected the lives of founders and innovators in Florida, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Michigan and Ohio.
Download our 2023 Lightship Yearbook
HOW WE HELP
Lightship Foundation is dedicated to joining the work to foster a thriving entrepreneurial landscape in cities across the US. Our mission revolves around empowering remarkable entrepreneurs and innovators in often overlooked geographies, by offering invaluable guidance, unwavering support, and access to a robust network that is essential for the growth and sustainability of their businesses.
At Lightship we share a deep commitment to improving the prospects of remarkable founders and their enterprises. We believe in the transformative power of partners to bridge the gap between minority-led high-growth startups and the wealth of meaningful opportunities that exist. Through talent development initiatives and specialized programming, we strive to cultivate a truly inclusive ecosystem that fosters innovation and prosperity within all the communities we serve.
© 2024 LIGHTSHIP FOUNDATION