Driving Innovation Through Diversity
Our Diversity Initiative is the largest venture capital resource ever created to focus on underrepresented tech entrepreneurs.
Our Commitment
We invest in teams with the vision and ability to bring breakthrough ideas to market. It is our strong belief that people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives enable teams to make better decisions and to create technology that addresses the breadth of opportunities and challenges we face worldwide.
In June 2015, Intel Capital announced a groundbreaking commitment in the venture industry. The Diversity and Inclusion Initiative started as a five-year goal to invest $125 million in technology companies led by women and underrepresented populations, which include Black, Latinx, and Native Americans.
In October 2016, the Intel Capital Diversity and Inclusion Investing Initiative was expanded to include startups led by entrepreneurs living with disabilities, U.S.-based entrepreneurs from the LGBTQ community and U.S. military veterans. This expansion also aligns with Intel’s supplier diversity program.
Intel Capital exceeded the initial $125 million investment target more than two years ahead of schedule, in early 2018.
In addition to rapidly exceeding the initial goal, this investment initiative has continued to grow. Last summer we published a five-year commitment that 15% of our total new deals will be led by Black founders.
Diversity Initiative Milestones:
- Since 2015, Intel Capital has committed more than $540 million in companies led by diverse teams.
- In 2020 approximately 25% of our new venture stage deals and more than 30% of our new venture stage dollars committed were made in startups led by diverse leaders.
- Currently, diverse teams comprise 16 percent of Intel Capital's total active investment portfolio.
- Since inception of the Diversity and Inclusion Investing Initiative in 2015, Intel Capital has committed more than $180 million in 16 founders who are Black or Latinx representing nearly 34% of the Initiative's total to date.
- At the end of 2020, 9% of our new venture deals and 15% of our venture dollars committed were in companies led by Black founders.
We are proud of our diversity and inclusion investment leadership to date and will pursue additional ways to have greater positive impact on the tech start-up and VC ecosystem.
“86% of all venture-funded businesses have no women in management positions.”
FAQs
What kinds of companies are you looking to invest in?
All Intel Capital investments cover a broad spectrum of innovative industries, including artificial intelligence, autonomous mobility, data center and cloud, 5G communications and next-generation compute. To learn more about our investment sectors, visit Intel Capital Portfolio.
What criteria do companies need to meet to qualify as “diverse”?
- Global companies: Women and entrepreneurs with disabilities
- U.S. companies: Underrepresented minorities (African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans), members of the LGBTQ community and/or U.S. military veterans
Which geographies does this initiative serve?
We are open to investments from all regions.
How many people are on your diversity investment team?
Every Intel Capital investor around the world is expected to bring forward diverse candidates for potential investment.
How do you decide which companies to fund?
All of Intel Capital’s potential investments are be judged both by anticipated financial return and by strategic fit with Intel’s global technology ecosystem. Potential Diversity Initiative investments are screened by the same Intel Capital committee as other investments; our goal is to widen the funnel, not lower the bar.
How much do you invest in these companies?
We are a stage-agnostic investor, working with companies of virtually every size.
What other benefits do selected companies receive besides equity?
Funded companies gain access to Intel Capital’s industry leading business development programs, global network, technology expertise, and brand capital.
Why is Intel making this diversity commitment? Is it good business strategy, or just good PR?
Without employees of diverse backgrounds and problem-solving skills, companies are ill- equipped to address the needs of the market. Diverse teams and companies create more opportunities for innovation, creativity, and strategic thinking. Unconscious bias – when people seek out people and ideas that are similar to their own – hinders decision-making and leadership.
Why is diversity important in venture capital?
Startups that have more women in senior positions are more successful than those that do not, according to several studies. And private firms led by women achieve a 35 percent greater return on investment. Meanwhile, the United States is expected to reach minority- majority status by 2043; that means the economy of tomorrow is likely to be driven by women and underrepresented minorities.
“The greater the number of diverse investors and entrepreneurs at the table, the greater capacity we have as a nation to innovate and bring the best ideas to bear.”
Learn More About Intel’s Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
The Diversity Initiative complements Intel’s $300M investment to encourage diversity at Intel and the technology industry at large.