Build Tech Stack Equity

Staying in the Game: Redefining Venture Capital Through Inclusion and Impact | Austin Clements, Slauson & Co.

Episode Description: In this episode of the Build Tech Stack Equity podcast, host Darius Gant sits down with Austin Clements, Managing Partner at Slauson & Co., an LA-based early-stage venture capital firm rooted in economic inclusion. Austin shares his journey from building websites as a teen in South LA to managing multimillion-dollar venture funds designed to empower underrepresented founders. He discusses how Slauson & Co. was born from a vision to democratize access to capital, what it really takes to raise a first fund, and the lessons learned along the way, including how timing, persistence, and purpose shaped their $75M debut fund. Austin also explores the evolving venture landscape, founder-market fit, and why authentic storytelling is now critical for entrepreneurs. Later in the episode, he dives into Slauson's Friends & Family Accelerator, a six-month program investing $300K in early founders with bold ideas shaping the future of human experience. If you're interested in venture capital, founder stories, or building inclusive pathways to tech innovation, this episode offers both wisdom and inspiration. Founder Bio: Austin Clements is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Slauson & Co., a Los Angeles–based early-stage venture capital firm committed to driving economic inclusion by investing in technology that empowers small business owners and overlooked founders. At Slauson, Austin leads investments across sectors where innovation meets accessibility, bridging opportunity gaps and redefining what success in venture capital looks like. Prior to launching Slauson & Co., Austin honed his investment acumen at TenOneTen Ventures, where he supported some of LA's most promising early-stage startups, and began his career in investment management at AllianceBernstein. He also founded Pi Digital Media, a web and mobile development firm serving small businesses nationwide, an experience that deeply informs his perspective on entrepreneurship and technology. Beyond venture, Austin has long been an advocate for equity in tech and entrepreneurship. He was the founding Chair of PledgeLA, a groundbreaking collaboration between the Annenberg Foundation and the Los Angeles Mayor's Office designed to increase diversity, equity, and community engagement within LA's tech ecosystem. He currently serves as a Trustee for the Knight Foundation, where he helps shape investments in media innovation and community development, and has served on the boards of Library Foundation of Los Angeles and HBCUvc, contributing to pathways for underrepresented professionals in venture capital. A Kauffman Fellow, Austin earned his MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and his BA in Business Administration from Morehouse College. His career reflects a deep belief that inclusive investing not only fuels innovation but strengthens communities and builds generational wealth. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: From South LA to Venture Capital 01:10 – Early Passion for Technology and Web Development 03:07 – Discovering Venture Capital Through Self-Education 05:20 – Partnering with AJ and Building the Vision for Slauson & Co. 06:00 – The Reality of Raising a First Fund 08:00 – Turning Points: COVID, George Floyd, and Industry Shifts 09:00 – Exceeding Expectations: From $15M Goal to $75M Fund 11:00 – The "Enroll, Don't Convince" Philosophy for Fundraising 13:00 – Lessons from 300 LP Calls and Building Credibility 14:00 – Slauson's Investment Thesis: Small Business Tech & Human Experience 16:00 – Founder-Market Fit and the Power of Lived Experience 17:00 – The Pattern Breakers Framework: Inflection, Insight, Idea 19:00 – How Founder Storytelling Has Changed in the AI Era 21:00 – Authenticity and Identity in Brand Building 23:00 – AI's Role in Startups and Investing: Finding the Right Layer 25:00 – The Case for Purpose-Built AI (Abby, the AI Therapy App) 29:00 – AI's Societal Impacts and the Future of Work 33:00 – One-Person Startups and the Limits of Context 37:00 – Launching the Friends & Family Accelerator 39:00 – Building Bridges for Underrepresented Founders 41:00 – Application Details and Call to Action Resources Follow Darius Gant LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/] Company – www.tesoroai.com [https://www.tesoroai.com/] Slauson & Co. Website – https://slauson.co [https://slauson.co/] LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/slausonandco/ Austin Clements LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinclements/

Transforming Black Narratives with Streaming | DeShuna Spencer, Kweli TV

In this episode of the Build Tech Stack Equity Podcast, host Darius Gant interviews DeShuna Spencer, founder of Kweli TV, a streaming service dedicated to showcasing Black stories from around the world. DeShuna shares her journey from journalism to creating a tech platform, discussing her experiences with covering crime stories, the lack of diverse narratives in mainstream media, and her mission to provide authentic, impactful Black content. Kweli TV offers a wide range of content, including documentaries, dramas, comedies, and children's programming, aiming to celebrate and connect the global Black community. DeShuna also delves into the technical challenges she faced, including early funding struggles and platform development, and shares future plans for immersive content and gaming. If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com [http://www.tesoroai.com]). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: DeShuna Elisa Spencer is the Founder & CEO of kweliTV. She's a former radio host and producer of emPower Hour, a show that examined social justice issues affecting people of color, on Washington, DC's. Spencer graduated from Jackson State University where she studied communications and journalism. She has written for The Clarion-Ledger, The Oakland Tribune and the Crisis Magazine. She is a Halcyon Incubator Fellow, a Voqal Fellow and a Google NexGen Policy Leader. Spencer was first place winner of the 2017 Harvard Business School African Business Conference Pitch Competition. She is featured in the book, "How We Fight White Supremacy" as one of the more than 60+ black leading organizers, artists, journalists, entrepreneurs, etc., combating white supremacy through their work. In 2019, the Digital Diversity Network named Spencer the Innovation & Inclusion Social Entrepreneur of the Year. She's an advisory board member of Full Color Future and the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. Time Stamps: 00:34 From Journalism to Entrepreneurship 04:52 A Shift in Perspective: Empowering Through Storytelling 10:36 The Birth of Kweli TV: A Global Black Streaming Service 19:54 Content and Representation on Kweli TV 21:45 Acquiring Authentic Content for Kweli TV 23:32 The Birth of a Streaming Platform 24:04 Early Challenges and Learning Curves 27:17 The Developer Disappears 28:53 Releasing the Beta Version 30:27 Finding New Developers 34:06 Pitch Competitions and New Beginnings 38:37 Working with Third-Party Vendors 42:11 Future Plans and Innovations 43:34 How to Connect and Final Thoughts Resources Follow Darius Gant LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/] Company Website - www.tesoroai.com [http://www.tesoroai.com] Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uDVNgsK3iNeu7yU4Inu2n Subscribe on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104] Company website: https://www.kweli.tv/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azolla-ventures/https://www.linkedin.com/company/kwelitv-inc-/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/deshuna/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deshuna/] X (Twitter): https://x.com/kwelitv [https://x.com/kwelitv] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kwelitv/ [https://www.instagram.com/kwelitv/]

Transforming Diabetic Retinopathy Detection with AI | Cristina Campero, PROSPERiA Health

In this episode, we interview Christina Campero, an entrepreneurial force behind Prosperia, a tech startup focused on AI in healthcare. Christina discusses her professional journey, moving from a background in bioscience and healthcare consulting to co-founding Prosperia. The startup uses AI to scan retina images for early detection of diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases, a crucial service in Mexico due to a high prevalence of diabetes and limited access to ophthalmologists. The conversation covers the development process of their AI model, partnerships with primary healthcare touchpoints, and the advantages of operating in Mexico. They also explore the challenges and breakthroughs in fundraising for a Latin American AI healthcare startup, including securing a seed round from a Swedish fund. The episode ends with a look at Prosperia's future goals, including expanding their AI applications to detect other health conditions. If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com [http://www.tesoroai.com]). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Cristina Campero graduated from the Faculty of Chemistry of the UNAM with a Master's Degree in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She has dedicated her professional career to the transformation of ideas into commercial products with an impact on health, starting in her career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and in start-ups, first as an Associate in business development and strategy at Wren Therapeutics (in Cambridge UK ) where she was in charge of portfolio prioritization and funding (£18M Series A in Dec. 2018), and now as CEO of PROSPERiA. Time Stamps: 00:36 Christina's Professional Journey 04:00 Founding Prosperia and Developing Retinia 05:43 Addressing Diabetic Retinopathy with AI 07:10 Challenges in Diabetic Retinopathy Detection 09:32 AI's Role in Early Detection and Screening 13:33 How does the Retinia software diagnosis work 15:20 The role of AI versus human doctors 20:43 Building and Training AI Models 24:31 Balance between engineers and health care professionals 26:14 Creating a customer base that trusts AI diagnosis 32:53 Fundraising and Growth Strategies 40:45 Advantages of Fundraising in Latin America Compared to the U.S. 44:01 Future Plans and Innovations Resources Follow Darius Gant LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/] Company Website - www.tesoroai.com [http://www.tesoroai.com] Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uDVNgsK3iNeu7yU4Inu2n [https://open.spotify.com/show/4uDVNgsK3iNeu7yU4Inu2n] Subscribe on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104] Company website: https://www.prosperia.health/es LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prosperia/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/prosperia/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-campero-peredo-a87a15115/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-campero-peredo-a87a15115/]

Unlocking Venture Capital in Latin America | Claudio Barahona, Alaya Capital

In this episode of the Build Tech Stack Equity Podcast, we sit with Claudio Barahona, a venture capitalist with Alaya Capital, to explore his journey from an eSports entrepreneur to a prominent VC in Latin America. Claudio shares his background, including growing up in Germany and Chile, building a successful eSports company, and transitioning to the venture capital scene. He reflects on the unique challenges and opportunities in the Latin American startup ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of having an upside in one's career. Claudio discusses Alaya Capital's investment thesis, focusing on digital startups with proven market fit in Latin America. The episode also highlights trends and success factors for startups in the region, the importance of U.S. education and connections, as well as practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Claudio founded his first startup at 18 years old, which he sold six years later. He is a Civil Industrial Engineer from the Universidad de Chile and has devoted a large part of his career to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in Chile. In addition, he was director of the Chilean Venture Capital Association from 2018 to 2019. Diario Financiero, one of the main business media in his country, recognized him as one of the "Young Influencers 2017" for his outstanding career in the national innovation ecosystem. From 2011 to 2019 he was the Open Innovation Manager of Movistar Chile and leader of Wayra, the initiative of Telefónica that connects the company with startups and innovation ecosystems and invests as corporate venture capital in innovative technology companies with global scalability. In 2019 he founded the initiative Corporate Venturing Latam, which seeks to map and incentivize CVC in LatAm. In 2021 he founded ComoLevantarCapital.com to teach founders how to fundraise VC. He is currently a Managing Partner of Alaya Capital, a Latin American Venture Capital fund, and dedicates some of his time to promoting and teaching Venture Capital in LatAm and making angel investments in startups. Time Stamps: 00:25 Claudio's Early Life and Career 06:06 Transition to Angel Investing and Corporate Venture Capital 08:38 Corporate Venture Capital Journey 13:53 Difference between the two types of VCs 15:58 Joining Alaya Capital 20:45 Alaya Investment Philosophy and Criteria 24:49 Fund Sizes and Investment Strategies 27:15 Advantages of Delaware C Corps for Latin American Startups 30:00 Opportunities in the Latin American Market 33:36 Successful Business Models in Latin America 39:14 Challenges and Success Profiles of Latin American Founders 46:09 Challenges and Opportunities for New Founders 49:31 Encouragement and Final Thoughts Resources Follow Darius Gant LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/ Company Website - www.tesoroai.com Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uDVNgsK3iNeu7yU4Inu2n Subscribe on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104 Company website: https://alaya-capital.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alaya-capital/ Twitter (X): https://x.com/AlayaCapital

LATAM VC: Funding the Next Brazilian Unicorn | Eduardo Kupper, Airborne Ventures

In this episode of the Build Tech Stack Equity Podcast, Eduardo Kupper, the founder of Airborne Ventures, shares his unique professional journey from an Air Force pilot in Brazil to a Wharton MBA graduate and successful venture capitalist. The conversation delves into his diverse experiences in management consulting at McKinsey, tech entrepreneurship through Rocket Internet, and leading a venture capital arm in one of Brazil's biggest banks. Eduardo outlines the challenges and strategies in raising a $5 million fund in Brazil, emphasizing the importance of adding value to others. He discusses the focus of his first fund and plans for raising a $10 million second fund, highlighting the importance of investing in FinTech, healthcare, and B2B companies in Brazil. Eduardo also elaborates on the VC landscape in Brazil, the significance of productivity and efficiency, and the potential for Brazilian startups to compete on a global scale. Finally, Eduardo provides valuable insights for potential LPs and founders on navigating the Brasilian venture capital market. If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com [http://www.tesoroai.com]). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Eduardo is a seasoned VC with 17+ years of experience across various industries and sectors, including entrepreneurship, venture capital, management consulting, private equity, and investment banking. Previously, he served as the Head of VC at Bradesco Venture Capital arm, where he successfully managed two funds totaling R$ 800mm of invested capital and R$ 1.7 billion AUM. As an experienced VC investor, he has made 70+ deals across several stages and industries over the last decade, with successful exits, including a +1bi BRL sale and a Nasdaq IPO, and sat on the boards of several companies in different sectors and stages. As an entrepreneur, he founded and co-founded a few companies, including Remessa Online, Finpass, MAR Ventures, and the Wharton Alumni Angels. As an investor with a track record of successful deals, he has made marquee investments in companies including Beep Saúde, D1, Conexa, Jeitto, Asaas, and Skyone. Highly connected and well-networked within the venture capital industry, with close relationships and co-investments with several VC funds, angel investors, and internet & tech startups. He brings a wealth of expertise and strategic guidance and an eye for promising opportunities, helping to identify and invest in promising startups and drive returns for our investors on ESG-compliant/target companies, reflecting his commitment to responsible and sustainable investing. Time Stamps: 00:49 Eduardo's Unconventional Path to Venture Capital 05:44 Insights on Venture Building and Finding Founders 08:21 Corporate Venture Capital Experience 10:00 Launching Airborne Ventures 14:06 Investment Strategies and Fund Management 17:34 Reflections on Fund Performance 24:08 Navigating Investment Strategies 26:04 Investment Stages and Requirements 28:21 Leading vs. Following in Investments 30:07 Investment Structures in Brasil 34:18 B2B vs. B2C in Brasil 41:08 Challenges and Strategies for B2B Startups 47:15 Looking Ahead to 2025 Resources Follow Darius Gant LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-darius-gant-cpa-44650aa/] Company Website - www.tesoroai.com [http://www.tesoroai.com] Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uDVNgsK3iNeu7yU4Inu2n Subscribe on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/the-darius-gant-show/id1527996104] Company website: https://airborne.ventures/ [https://airborne.ventures/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airborne-ventures [https://www.linkedin.com/company/airborne-ventures]