Black founders hit $643M in early 2026 funding, but systemic gaps persist
U.S. Black‑founder startups raised $643 million in the first quarter of 2026, the most since 2022 and about 70% of last year’s total despite accounting for just 0.32% of all venture capital. The surge is driven by a handful of big deals, yet Crunchbase notes funding remains minuscule relative to the market and limited access to networks continues to hinder progress.