Founder Matt Joseph Reveals the Racial Biases People of Color Face in Silicon Valley

[MrScorpio]

By Jack Smith IV March 22, 2016




Matt Joseph has the kind of resume investors normally throw money at. His undergraduate degree is from Princeton University, he has a J.D. and an MBA, and his company was borne out of Y Combinator, the most prestigious tech accelerator in the world.

But lately, in the 40 to 50 meetings Joseph has had with investors for his company Locent — a tech startup he pitches as MailChimp for texts — he's been told he's not the right "technical fit" or that they "can't see [him] building this kind of business."

Matt Joseph is a black man in Silicon Valley, and for founders of color, the standards are set much higher than people who fit the classic (read: white, male) techie mold.

In the run-up to a new round of pitches to profit-driven venture capitalists, Joseph wanted to clear the air and talk about the ways he and other people of color face both unconscious bias and outright racism when speaking to potential investors.

"I didn't want to jeopardize our fundraising process by raising the alarm, but after more conversations with colleagues and other people of color, I knew we had an opportunity to shine a light on this," Joseph said in a phone interview.

With a new round of onstage demos only two days away, Joseph told his story Saturday night in a format that's classic Silicon Valley: a 30-part tweet storm.

http://mic.com/articles/138417/locent-founder-matt-joseph-tweetstorm-reveals-racial-biases-people-of-color-face-in-silicon-valley?utm_source=SonOfBaldwin&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=interest#.BmWi41AIs

[Downwinder]

1. He should be pitching it to the Medical Profession

for appointment reminders.

[Kind of Blue]

2. Thanks! Reminds me to watch this

documentary I've been meaning to forever.

https://vimeo.com/49293655

[Quayblue]

3. Thanks! Gonna check this out...

[Kind of Blue]

5. :)

You're welcome!

[Starry Messenger]

4. K&R