Black founders raise highest amount of quarterly funding since 2022, but there’s a catch

['Black founders in the US have raised $643 million in funding since the start of the year, according to Crunchbase’s latest data, marking the highest quarterly amount since 2022 when they raised $653 million. This influx of capital is a notable increase, with Black founders having already raised almost 70% of what they secured in all of last year, which totaled $942 million, or 0.32% of the $290 billion total venture dollars.', 'The surge in funding is largely attributed to a handful of substantial deals, with 34 transactions driving the bulk of the investment. Notable among these are the $350 million Series E raised by AI hardware company SambaNova, followed by a $75 million Series B for sports prediction startup Noviq and a $47 million raise for YC-backed AI insurance platform Harper.

Despite this being a record sum compared to recent years, it remains a relatively small fraction of the $252 billion raised by US startups overall in the same period.', 'However, experts caution that this uptick does not necessarily signal significant progress for Black founders. Crunchbase’s head of research, Gené Teare, notes that several factors continue to hinder many Black founders, including limited access to networks, relationships, and early introductions. These challenges persist even in the current AI-centric funding landscape of 2024.', "Teare highlights a concerning trend where funding to Black-founded companies has seen a decline that outpaces the overall downturn in startup funding, now in its eighth to ninth quarter.

The concentration of funding in a few large deals also raises questions about the sustainability of this momentum. As Teare remarks, 'One has to wonder if the abundance of caution that’s now prevalent in the industry has prevented investors from taking chances on first-time founders who are more likely to be diverse.'", 'The future trajectory of funding for Black founders remains uncertain, reflecting the broader market dynamics described as barbell or bifurcated. While there could be additional significant deals in the coming months, there is also the possibility of a slowdown.

This situation underscores the ongoing challenges and the need for more inclusive investment practices in the venture capital ecosystem.']