Turning Intention Into Action

Feb 3, 2021 8:40 AM ET

Can VCs Turn New Focus on Race and Inequality Into Long-Term Impact?

VCs are taking important initial steps to implement changes around increasing diversity and are discussing ways to make additional changes that will help close the funding gap.

Among those who consider diversity a top priority, nearly all respondents (92%) say that their VC firm has publicly disclosed diversity as an investment priority. But saying so publicly isn’t enough—acting on their promises starts with internal discussions on how to increase the diversity of the founders in their portfolios and implementing their strategy, which is exactly what VCs are reporting.

The number of VC firms saying that they internally share statistics on the number of women- or multicultural-founded companies they evaluate and invest in has sharply increased — to 64%, from 48% in 2019 — suggesting a higher level of self-accountability.

Read more in Morgan Stanley's report: Venture Capital and Racial Equality