PIV Founders Featured in the Los Angeles Business Journal Article – AI Is Crowding Out Startups
A recent article in the Los Angeles Business Journal highlights a reality many founders are experiencing firsthand: venture capital is increasingly concentrating around a small number of artificial intelligence companies. Last year, AI accounted for more than 65% of total venture deal value, with a massive share of capital flowing into a handful of companies […]
Plug In Ventures Joins NBA All-Star Pitch Competition to Rally Behind High-Growth Founders
As part of NBA All-Star Weekend, Plug In Ventures was proud to participate in the NBA All-Star Pitch Competition—an energizing showcase of high-potential founders building innovative solutions across sectors. The event brought together leading voices from business, entertainment, and technology to spotlight companies advancing meaningful impact and scalable growth. Judges for the competition included Bozoma […]
SVB: State of the Markets — What Founders Need to Know (H1 2026)
In New York last week, we had the opportunity to join a State of the Markets conversation with leaders shaping today’s innovation economy — including Jessica Kaden, Partner at Union Square Ventures, Ben Lerer, Managing Partner at Lerer Ventures, and the team from Silicon Valley Bank, among others. A few takeaways that feel especially relevant […]
Plug In Ventures Marks 10 Years of Innovation and Impact in South Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — Nov. 20, 2025 — This year, Plug In Ventures is celebrating a decade of accelerating innovation, empowering diverse founders, and driving economic growth in South Los Angeles. Founded in 2015, the venture accelerator has become a leading force in expanding access to entrepreneurship and venture capital for Black, Latinx, and underrepresented founders. […]
Innovation Isn’t Just About Technology — It’s About Who Gets the Chance to Create It
Why underestimated entrepreneurs are critical to America’s competitiveness Ten years ago, Plug In Ventures began with a simple but urgent belief: innovation cannot thrive if entire communities are locked out of the process. At the time, venture capital funding was already inequitable — with less than 2% of dollars reaching Black and Latinx founders — and today, that number […]
FAQ for AI Apps Pre-Seed Accelerator
FAQ for AI Apps Pre-Seed Accelerator Program Overview Q: What is the AI Apps Pre-Seed Accelerator? A: The AI Apps Pre-Seed Accelerator is a self-paced, virtual program for early-stage founders. The program blends learning modules with moderated sessions over a two-month period, designed to help founders gain foundational business knowledge. Participants receive priority consideration for […]
ChargerHelp Co-Founder Kameale Terry, an Alum of Cohort 3, Secures Impressive $17.5 Million in Series A Funding Post Accelerator
ChargerHelp! Continues to Lead the Way with Technology Solutions Focused on Increasing EV Charger Uptime Los Angeles, CA – ChargerHelp! a leader in operations, maintenance and workforce development for the EV industry, announced today that it raised $17.5M in Series A financing. The round was led by Blue Bear Capital with investments from Aligned Climate […]
Plug In South LA Announces Third Tech Accelerator Program To Benefit Black And Latinx Communities
Plug In South LA has announced its third tech accelerator program focused on Black and Latinx communities. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that they are looking for startup founders focused on healthcare tech, climate and sustainability, digital media, and educational technology. The benefits of the tech accelerator will include potential grants of up to $40,000 as […]
We need more talented Black VCs.
In the venture capital community, things are changing. Two Black celebrities have become venture capitalists, partly to make the industry more inclusive. Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, The Roots’ lead rapper, joined VC firm Impellent Ventures earlier this year and spoke with Forbes about his approach there. And, from the archives, here’s a 2019 cover story about […]
Ally Financial Celebrates Black Business Month with $30M investment to support black entrepreneurship
Did you know that Black Founders begin their startup journey with at least $72,000 less than their white counterparts on average? Aside from receiving less capital, Black businesses are three times more likely to experience lower profits as a result of less funding. Many more issues have been addressed by Black founders in recent years. […]