Baltimore is becoming a magnet for startups, and investors like Techstars Equitech, W Ventures, Latimer Ventures, PTX Capital, Blackbird BioVentures and RareBreed Ventures are at the forefront of this trend. Over the last two years, we’ve helped attract Techstars Equitech portfolio companies like Azadi Health, Plainr, EQL Finance, and TechRow to name a few.
Last week, UpSurge was excited to attend RareBreed’s second Annual Summit. The event was a melting pot of LPs, VCs, and founders from across the country all gathered in Baltimore to learn more about the Fund’s progress and discuss trends in the VC space.
RareBreed showcased 46 innovative and diverse companies that make-up Fund 1 – all “Rare Breed” founders most of whom are living outside traditional tech hubs. For a number of these companies, RareBreed provided their first institutional check and continue to be impactful partners in their journey to success. In an VC environment rife with risk-aversion, Rarebreed Managing Partner Mac Conwell is making big bets!
From local Black female founders like Shawna Stepp-Jones (Divaneering Labs) and Hafeezah Muhammad (Backpack Healthcare) to founders from other cities like Marc Howland (Breadless) and Monica Williams (Reddrop), we saw the power of connecting networks near and far in Baltimore. Investors like Marlon C. Nichols (MaC Venture Capital), Trevor Loy (Flywheel Ventures), and David Hall (Rise of the Rest) shared insights and future predictions around Pre-Seed investing. Many agreed that Baltimore failed forward with Tech Hubs Phase II bid. While it may not have been the outcome we were hoping for, our confidence is unwavering and the Baltimore Tech Coalition is already executing on a winning strategy for the region.
Baltimoreans like Mac and other local investors are showing and not telling the world that Baltimore is a startup hub and the future of innovation will happen right here in Baltimore. RareBreed’s success is Baltimore’s success and vice versa…So here’s to being a Rare Breed in Baltimore and beyond!
