University of Utah

The Inclusive Impact Program is explicitly focused on the development of solutions to barriers that disproportionately affect people from historically underserved communities. These solutions include world-class training and educational opportunities for students from colleges and universities that historically lack these kinds of programs; investment capital for startups led by founders that receive disproportionately low percentages of investment; and, products and services designed to mitigate and address issues in areas like healthcare, education, and financial services, which disproportionately impact historically underserved communities. The Sorenson Impact Center (SIC) at the University of Utah employs a team of professional investment leaders who train and oversee a student investment team who facilitate investment deals ($250,000-$500,000) in early-stage companies and receive world-class direct training, network access and experience in venture capital to launch their careers. SIC can implement this training virtually and will recruit from colleges and universities with diverse populations that are currently underrepresented in the venture capital field. SIC will build new relationships with organizations that have strong relationships with diverse entrepreneurs in order to source companies underrepresented in venture capital investment and support the deployment of its $15 million investment fund developed for this purpose. SIC will also develop at least two new capital vehicles totaling at least $30 million to ramp up investment in targeted industries with positive social impact. Ultimately, this project aims to diversify the investment ecosystem to create stronger, more inclusive paths to growth for entrepreneurs.