Research conducted by the Kauffman Foundation found that $81\%$ of entrepreneurs do not access a bank loan or venture capital $($VC$)$ for their startups. After identifying three trends preventing entrepreneurs from accessing capital, it went on to conclude that very little capital flows to $$women and people of color,$$ and that $81\%$ of startup funding comes from personal wealth and connections $($p$.317).$ There has been a rise in VC initiatives specifically meant to offset this inequity. Read about one funded partially by Wells Fargo in the Ideas$42$ website which specifically seeks individuals with lived experience of poverty to create businesses that address issues of poverty. Discuss the following questions:

What are the tradeoffs an entrepreneur might make building their business in a VC program like this?

How does a program like this bring out the best in VC$,$ the entrepreneur, or the business? How might it create unique challenges?

How successfully do you think the use of VC can be in addressing funding inequities for marginalized entrepreneurs?