Richelieu Dennis

Richelieu Dennis is the Managing Partner of New Voices Fund, a $100 million venture capital firm focused on women of color entrepreneurs. He previously founded Sundial Brands in 1991 shortly after graduating from Babson College, serving as the company's Chair and Chief Executive Officer until December 2019. Under his leadership, Sundial developed prominent personal care lines like SheaMoisture before being acquired by Unilever in November 2017 in a major consumer products transaction. Following this sale, he established Essence Ventures and launched his current fund to provide capital and support to underrepresented business owners. Through the New Voices Fund, Dennis has deployed over $30 million into consumer startups, achieving notable exits with portfolio companies such as Mielle Organics and The Honey Pot Company. His ongoing focus remains on scaling consumer brands, food enterprises, and commerce infrastructure led by diverse founders.