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Ebony Pope is a Managing Director at Village Capital, an early-stage investment firm. She is a prominent investor focused on impact-driven startups, particularly those led by diverse founders across the US and Africa.
Ebony Pope invests in early-stage, impact-focused companies across various sectors including fintech, health tech, education, the future of work, and sustainability. She prioritizes startups led by diverse founders and those addressing significant societal challenges.
Ebony Pope works at Village Capital, an organization dedicated to supporting and investing in early-stage entrepreneurs globally. She holds the position of Managing Director, overseeing investment strategies in the US and Africa.
Ebony Pope stands as a pivotal figure in the early-stage investment landscape, serving as a Managing Director at Village Capital. In this crucial role, she spearheads the organization's investment initiatives across both the United States and Africa, driving capital towards innovative startups that are poised to make a significant societal impact. Her leadership is instrumental in identifying and nurturing ventures that often operate outside traditional funding circles, bringing much-needed resources and mentorship to overlooked founders and regions.
At Village Capital, Ebony's investment focus is deeply rooted in impact. She champions pre-seed and seed-stage companies that are not only financially viable but also committed to solving pressing global challenges. Her portfolio interests are broad yet strategic, encompassing critical sectors such as fintech, health tech, education, the future of work, and sustainability. A core tenet of her investment philosophy is the belief in the power of diverse entrepreneurship. She actively seeks out and supports startups led by women, people of color, and founders from other underrepresented backgrounds, recognizing their potential for both innovation and equitable economic growth.
Ebony Pope's distinguished career path has equipped her with a unique blend of experience in venture capital, social impact, and ecosystem building. Prior to her impactful tenure at Village Capital, she held a significant position as a Director at Techstars, where she led their impact accelerator programs. This experience honed her expertise in scaling early-stage companies with a strong social mission. Her background also includes valuable time at The Bridgespan Group, a leading non-profit consulting firm, where she advised organizations on strategy and impact measurement. These diverse roles have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the social enterprise sector, allowing her to effectively guide and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.
While Village Capital operates as a collective investment entity, Ebony Pope's influence is evident in the numerous successful companies that have emerged from their programs under her guidance. Her work directly contributes to building robust entrepreneurial ecosystems in both developed and emerging markets, fostering an environment where innovative solutions can thrive. She is not just an investor; she is a builder of communities and a champion for inclusive economic development, consistently working to bridge the gap between promising startups and the capital they need to scale their impact. Her dedication ensures that capital flows to where it can create the most profound and lasting positive change.
Ebony Pope is a US-based venture capitalist currently serving as a Partner at Rethink Education, an impact investment firm specializing in education technology and workforce development. She joined the firm as a Principal in 2017 and focuses on funding early stage companies while expanding capital access for underrepresented founders within the broader technology ecosystem. Prior to her current position, Pope worked as the Director of US Ventures at Village Capital, where she managed the organization's education and health investment programs. Her academic credentials include a Master of Business Administration in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Howard University. Pope leverages her formal finance background to drive strategic growth across the impact investing, future of work, and startup sectors.
