Times of Entrepreneurship Stories
Businesses Have Been Fighting Tennessee’s Anti-Drag Law. A Federal Judge Temporarily Halted It.
The stakes are higher than you might think, thanks to thriving drag scenes in Nashville and Memphis, as this story by Nina Roberts makes clear.
Venture Spotlight: VEST Her Ventures In Oklahoma Focuses on Future of Work, Care Economy
The latest Venture Capital Spotlight by Ellen Chang focuses on the work of Erika Lucas in Oklahoma.
On Silicon Valley Bank And The Tyranny Of The Commons
Seth Levine on the behavior that led to the run on SVB bank. “It is important to look at our industry as a whole and ask why, in a world so interconnected, so tied together, and with communication so fast, that so many acted in their own (perceived) self-interest vs what was an equally clear path to collective action (or inaction, in this case).”
What You May Have Missed
Surprising Economists, Small Businesses Surge Across America
Elizabeth MacBride on the ways the pandemic is reshaping the economy.
Living Cities Is Raising A $100M Fund of Funds To Help Close The Capital Gap
Joe Scantlebury, Living Cities CEO, said the fund – which is seeking investments first from the foundations and institutions the nonprofit collaborative typically works with – will aim to produce market-rate returns.
The Voices of Entrepreneurs From Appalachia to Arkansas
Previous reporting from 2021 offers some perspective on Asa Hutchinson, former Republican governor of Arkansas, who announced his candidacy for the presidential nomination.
News With A Future Spin 📖
This story from The New Yorker’s Jill Lepore is a celebration of spring and the diversity of gardens. Read it here.
Small businesses working on Meta’s platforms (including Instagram) are vulnerable to scams in part because of the company’s ineffective customer support. In this piece, Pro Publica investigates one notorious scammer. Read the story here.
The anti-woke campaign is having more success. Bloomberg reported on the more than $10 billion drop in assets in iShares ESG Aware, one of the funds targeted by state officials who politicized the investing strategy known as Environmental, Social and Governmental. Funds using this strategy believe that companies that care about doing well by their communities and the planet will eventually have higher returns. It’s an interesting and reasonable strategy that had gained ground over the last 20 years – until right-wing American politicians started passing laws to forbid state money from going into these funds. The political maelstrom has put real pressure on some big asset managers and institutional investors; that’s probably one of the reasons for the big drop in this particular fund. Meanwhile groups pushing the anti-ESG legislation — and backing the Republican governors — are tied to fossil fuel companies.
Living the dream💭
Buzzworthy: Two Choices For An AI Economy
Italy banned ChatGPT, and a growing number of small companies and web sites are forbidding AI tools from using their data. Meanwhile, an article by David Rotman in MIT Tech Review asks what we want an AI-driven economy to look like. He says either it will increase productivity for all workers, or it will replace workers with automation. The day-to-day decisions that decide our economic future are in the hands of founders, executives, venture capitalists and asset managers. There will be some people who decide to maximize profits in the short-term at the expense of employment, and there will be others who seek to maximize long-term value. Read the story here.
Best Practices: Lay Off The Severance Paperwork
It’s now illegal for companies even to offer, much less require, non-disparagement clauses as part of severance packages, and people who signed them in the past don’t need to worry. A ruling by the National Labor Relations Board (which also covers non-union employees) has shut down this mechanism for controlling former employees. Read more here.
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Upcoming Opportunities ⭐
To list an opportunity in our newsletter that reaches 13,000 influencers and entrepreneurs, email [email protected]. We charge $200 per listing.
Link: https://bit.ly/TimesofEOpportunities
1. Halcyon House Fellowships
Washington, D.C.-based Halcyon House is accepting applications for its Halcyon Opportunity Intensive Fellowship in Fall 2023, its Climate Resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean Intensive Fellowship and Halcyon Food & Agtech in Africa Intensive Fellowship. The accelerators don’t take equity stakes.
Where: Some programming is in person in Washington, D.C.
Deadline: April 28
2. Robotics Factory Launches
Pittsburgh-based Innovation Works is launching the Robotics Factory to create, accelerate and scale startups and manufacturers. The Robotics Factory’s program lasts seven-months and is designed for pre- and early- stage startups. Companies will locate in the Pittsburgh facility and will receive an investment of $100,000, mentorship and resources. Entrepreneurs developing robotic and related technologies are encouraged to apply when the application cycle opens Feb 1, 2023.
Location: Pittsburgh
Application opens: Feb. 1, 2023
Deadline to apply: May 20, 2023
Link to apply: https://www.roboticsfactory.org/
4. BK-XL
A new accelerator launched by Clara Wu Tsai invests as much as $500,000 in founders of color. Entrepreneurs from around the world are eligible and asked to move to Brooklyn for mentoring.
Applications opened: https://bk-xl.com/
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This story and others on Times of E are made possible by a sponsorship from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Kansas City, Mo.-based foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect with www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn.
