We began this project in 2019 with a rush of hope and exhilarating energy amid what was supposed to be our “real work”—Erika was running her startup Kinhub (then Kami) and Johannes was writing an academic book on VCs. We saw a big opportunity to combine our knowledge and networks to raise awareness, elevate voices, and finally define the agenda for concrete action. The first interviews, focused on broadening the definition of diversity, were eye-opening for us. The problem was even bigger than we had thought, and so much of it was hidden behind the industry’s closed doors.
After the initial push, things began to slow down as interviewees were sourced and scheduled, and the pandemic brought new concerns and changes to the industry. A new series of wins were the wind behind our sails that we needed to make it through the dip; we were able to connect with people we thought would be out of reach, like Mitch Kapor, who we reached via Twitter, and who was incredibly kind and giving. Success usually reproduces itself, and the next phase of interviews flew by, propelling us through the VC world.
The second phase of interviews focused on people who had launched initiatives and taken action within the system’s predefined parameters. We heard from many of the people on the VC, LP, and operator sides, learning that much of what we thought had revolutionary potential from the outside turned out to be localized, small-scale, or merely cosmetic. To complete the interview series and meet the promise we had set out with—to create a handbook on how to fundamentally change an industry—we decided to cast a wider net. We reached out to people who we thought had less power and influence because of their position outside of the “power centers” of tech. We connected with people like the founders of Zebras Unite and the New Mittelstand; we spoke to investing organizations embedded within companies; accelerators who aren’t copying Y Combinator, such as Village Capital; and individuals who thought (and acted) fundamentally differently about what needed to be done, like Ed Zimmerman and Nicola Corzine. Looking back at these conversations, we believe that in the long run, they hold the biggest promise. Building new flywheels—being true disruptors and contrarians—holds a lot of hope. How quickly and in what way exactly this hope will materialize into systemic change remains to be seen.
For us as interviewers, co-authors, and now also great friends, the journey of researching and writing this book was a phenomenal one indeed. We started with almost opposite experiences—very practical from a founder’s perspective versus very abstract from a researcher’s point of view, and as a Black mother and entrepreneur versus a white male academic. But bringing these experiences together to work on this book can serve as an example of what we have learned the industry needs more of: starting with a diversity of viewpoints and integrating them inclusively into the design, process, and end product. Whether this is for a book or for an investment decision, weaving the tapestry together is what we need much more of.