# Black Ambition

> Black Ambition is a VC fund in Oakland backing Manufacturing and Software. See 23 investments, check sizes, portfolio and contact details. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Oakland, United States
- Total investments: 23
- Last investment: Feb 2026
- Lead investor: 61%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-ambition/
- Website: https://blackambitionprize.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackambitionprize/

Black Ambition is a non-profit initiative that will provide a bridge to success for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who are launching tech, design, healthcare, and consumer products/services start-ups.

## Contacts

5 contacts available for Black Ambition. Shizune tracks 3 team members at Black Ambition. Sign up free to unlock them: https://app.shizune.co/sign-up/investor-profiles/find-team-emails/black-ambition?utm_source=investor_profile

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 17% |
| Software | 3 | 13% |
| Cosmetics | 3 | 13% |
| Education | 2 | 9% |
| Health Care | 2 | 9% |

49 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Grant | 12 | 52% |
| Pre-Seed | 6 | 26% |
| Seed | 4 | 17% |
| Convertible Note | 1 | 4% |

## Team

| Name | Title | Investments | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Felecia Hatcher | Chief Executive Officer | 0 | — |
| Pharrell Williams | Founder | 13 | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/pharrell-williams |
| Shane Kelly | Lead Mentor -- Black Ambition Circles | 0 | — |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Braidiant | Braidiant is transforming hair care with automated braiding solutions for stylists and salons. Braidiant provides mechanical tools that improve the braiding process for individuals looking for quicker, more economical, and genuine braiding services. | $26K | Grant | Feb 04, 2026 |  |
| UfarmX | UfarmX is an AgTech firm connecting farmers with markets, financing, and resources to improve supply chain. | $100K | Grant | Nov 19, 2025 |  |
| SULA Labs | SULA LABS is a B2B beauty R&D lab that develops and tests skincare products and ingredients for brands targeting melanin-rich consumers. The company focuses on creating effective and safe products for dark-skinned individuals and Black-owned brands. SULA LABS collaborates with clients such as Sephora, Ulta, and Credo Beauty, and is featured invarious beauty publications. The lab also engages in research to fill gaps in personal care products, ensuring they cater to the specific needs of people of color. | $100K | Grant | Nov 18, 2025 |  |
| RedDrop | RedDrop is working to normalize tweens' and their families' periods and period preparation. | $1M | Grant | Nov 26, 2024 |  |
| TANTV | First News, Media Advertising & TV Streaming Platform Catering to the African and Black Multicultural Diaspora | $50K | Pre-Seed | Nov 21, 2024 |  |
| Katapulte | Katapulte provides financial services to small businesses in form of loans, funds, and finacial advices. | $85K | Pre-Seed | Feb 01, 2024 |  |
| SAINT MILES | Saint miles is a online market store. | $50K | Grant | Nov 11, 2023 |  |
| BarBella | BarBella is a nail polish brand. | $20K | Grant | Nov 11, 2023 |  |
| UnDelay | We provide mobile and web applications that utilize AI and data aggregation to improve airline and airport operations. The features in our platform are also available via APIs so customers can integrate our solutions within their own applications. | $75K | Grant | Nov 11, 2023 |  |
| Ecomspaces | Ecomspaces offers co-working space, warehouse, content creation solutions, loading docks, storage, pallet racking, & other similar services. | $250K | Grant | Nov 09, 2023 |  |

10 of 23 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [Techstars](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/techstars) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Atento Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/atento-capital) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Cortado Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/cortado-ventures) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [KCRise Fund](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/kcrise-fund) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Lightship Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/lightship-capital) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [500 Global](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/500-startups) — VC Fund, 1 deal together

## Similar investors

### Similar stage
- [Scottish Enterprise](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/scottish-enterprise) — VC Fund
- [Foundation for Innovation and Technology (FIT)](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/foundation-pour-l-innovation-technologique) — VC Fund
- [Business Finland](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/tekes) — VC Fund

## FAQ

### What does Black Ambition invest in?

Black Ambition invests primarily in Manufacturing, Software and Cosmetics startups, most often at Grant and Pre-Seed stage. Most of the 23 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### How do I contact Black Ambition?

Public channels for Black Ambition include LinkedIn, the website linked on this profile and Facebook. For a verified work email and phone number, create a free Shizune account — contact data is searched across 20+ sources and validated before delivery, so your outreach lands in the right inbox.

### Who are the partners at Black Ambition?

The team at Black Ambition includes Felecia Hatcher (Chief Executive Officer), Pharrell Williams (Founder) and Shane Kelly (Lead Mentor -- Black Ambition Circles). The Team section lists each member with their title, investment count and links.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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