Entrepreneurs, We Believe in You

You’ve been building—with hustle, heart, and vision. You’ve carried community, created jobs, and poured everything into your business.

What if the capital and support you needed met you with the same care and intention?

Through our trusted referral network, you’ll be connected to advisors and support systems that understand the journey you’re on—because they’ve walked it too.

Learn more about accessing funding in your area

RUNWAY Rooted Fund

Our in-house integrated capital fund

Greater Boston, MA
Greater Chicago Area, IL
Lower Alabama, AL
Hampton Roads Region, VA

REAL People’s Fund

Our co-designed community-powered fund

San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Uptima

Our long-standing referral partner

Greater Boston, MA
Greater Chicago Area, IL
San Francisco Bay Area, CA


How it works


Access to funding begins with a referral from one of our community partners.

We collaborate closely with community-rooted partners to ensure every entrepreneur who enters our reparative capital ecosystem is seen, supported, and positioned for long-term success.

Want to plug into our community and be seen?

Check out our Fertile Ground events to build relationships with our team and community partners.

Meet Our Entrepreneur Community

Meet Our Entrepreneur Community

From food justice and conscious fashion to wearable tech and wellness—RUNWAY Roots entrepreneurs are culture shapers who are building bold, thriving businesses that reflect the future we all deserve. We’re proud to walk alongside them.

  • Eman Desouky

    Super Juiced

    Artisan Juice Retailer | Oakland

    Organic juice bar in downtown Oakland with a vision to empower our people and their families to make better food choices.

  • April Fenall

    Piikup

    Delivery | Oakland

    A socially responsible delivery service for food and retail businesses that provides holistic workforce development for disadvantaged and for formerly incarcerated community members.

  • Candice Cox

    Candid Art

    Fashion & Apparel | Oakland

    Candid Art is an artisanal jewelry, home décor and kids lifestyle brand influenced by the modern African Diaspora and cosmic geometry.

  • Ariana Marbley

    Esscents of Flowers

    Florist | Oakland

    A mobile flower shop that is committed to nurturing the Oakland community to blossom.

  • Marcus Johnson-Smith

    KUSH GROOVE

    Smoke Shop & Apparel | Boston

    Kush Groove is a smoke shop and apparel brand focused on urban style, culture, longevity and wisdom. 

  • Fredrika Newton + Rachel Konte

    All Power to the People

    Fashion & Apparel | Oakland

    Apparel line and brand preserving and promoting the legacy of the Black Panther Party and its founder Dr. Huey P. Newton, since 1993.

  • Jessica Moncada

    Alkali Rye

    Food and Beverage | Oakland

    A specialty beverage shop and tasting room in Oakland, California that offers an exciting selection of craft spirits, wines, beers, teas, and coffee.

  • Traci Bartlow

    B-Love’s Guest House

    Hospitality | Oakland

    A lodging and event space in a lovely victorian home for the visiting artist or professional centrally located in the California, Bay Area.

  • Malaka Wilson-Greene + Erica Freeman

    Two Chics in the Mix

    Food and Beverage | Oakland + LA

    Artisan bake shop with locally sourced and organic ingredients transformed into gorgeous delicious wedding cakes, pies, cookies, and so much more.

  • GW Chew

    Something Better Foods

    Food and Beverage | Oakland

    A vegan meat company that has developed its own unique recipe of plant-based proteins that you can try at your local whole foods or their shop, Veg Hub, in East Oakland. 

  • Nicole Middleton

    Strategy Squad

    Wealth Management | Oakland

    A wealth management firm for women that secures their financial future through values-driven investments and guidance.

  • Stevonne Ratliff

    Beija Flor Naturals

    Beauty and Wellness | Oakland

    An organic skin and hair care company made with fair trade, nutrient rich botanicals ingredients from Brazil.

  • Marisol Catchings

    Azteca Negra

    Fashion & Apparel | Hayward, CA

    Azteca Negra is a culturally-conscious line of textile, handmade jewelry, accessories, and novelty pieces where indigenous, modern art, fashion, and culture intersect.

  • Nubian Flunder

    Healing Place Apothecary

    Beauty and Wellness | Oakland

    Rooted in holistic principals from Asia, Africa, and the Americas, handmade locally, in small batches, Healing Place Apothecary commits to bring you premium natural skin care and hair care that target the needs of diverse melanin-rich skin.

  • Aaron Joseph

    Identafire

    Design / Marketing | Oakland

    A design firm rooted in social impact that provides daily design support to marketing teams.

  • Jaynelle St. Jean

    Pietisserie

    Food and Beverage | Oakland

    Artisan pie maker based in the heart of Oakland with unique flavors like chocolate cream, lime, and strawberry rhubarb with pick up and delivery options across the nation.

  • Ivellisse Morales

    Bombilla

    Marketing / Branding | Oakland

    A branding & design agency on a mission to spark change through creativity, collaboration, & community.

  • Vicktor Stevenson

    Gourmanade

    Food and Beverage | Oakland

    Delicious quality lemonade made with fresh ingredients sold year round - no matter the season. 

  • Asara Tsehai

    Ancient Treasures

    Beauty and Wellness | Oakland

    A natural skincare company with a beauty formula created by an African Medicine Woman using ancient wisdom for ageless skin. 

  • Tosca Hillman

    Glo Girl Cosmetics

    Beauty and Wellness | Oakland

    A new age beauty brand that celebrates and empowers the diverse beauty of women across the globe.

  • Lamont Andrews

    HOX Sports

    Sports Apparel | Oakland

    A sports uniform company where your school, team or organization can get the high-quality customizable uniforms seen in professional and collegiate sports.

  • Shahidah Zareef + Aliyah Muhammad

    Bossmom Nation

    Fashion & Apparel | Lithonia, GA

    A motherhood lifestyle and apparel brand that seeks to build a nation that takes care of mothers. 

  • Dianne Austin

    Coils to Locs

    Health Care | Boston

    A medical wig company for women of color searching for kinky, coily, braided, or locked wig styles at cancer center hospitals.

  • Alicia Kidd

    Coco Noir Wine

    Food and Beverage | Oakland

    Coco Noir provides the ultimate wine experience, paired with the beauty of local arts in an intimate space to sip, converse, reflect and enjoy exquisite rare varietals.

  • Precious Stroud

    PJS Consultants

    Marketing / Communications | Oakland

    A marketing and communications firm that increases the awareness and market leadership of community-minded organizations through values driven campaigns.

  • Christian Drackett

    C. Joy Boutique

    Fashion & Apparel | Pittsburg, CA

    A boutique to accentuate natural beauty with quality accessories and clothing that complements and highlights one’s personality.

  • Courtney Smith

    Courtsmith

    Athletic Apparel | Oakland

    Athletic apparel and uniforms that are designed to help improve your athletic performance infusing confidence & inspiration with cutting edge technology.

  • Victor Sandifer

    Run The World

    Fashion & Apparel | Oakland

    Run the World is a community empowerment apparel brand founded in Oakland, California that seeks to improve the spiritual, social, and intellectual conditions of communities.

  • Aaron Wright

    Solomon Consulting Group, LLC

    Data Technology Company | Boston

    Solomon Group, created a platform to collect and synthesize data which is use to improve communication and outreach to those individuals around programs, campaigns and overall opportunities available to them.

  • Tiffany Goffer-Fitz

    As I Am Learning

    Intellectual Disability Services | Boston

    As I Am Learning is an interactive curriculum based application for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their service providers that teaches them how to build healthy relationships.

  • Mieko Scott + Kamari Quinones

    Hella Nuts

    Food and Beverage | Oakland

    A late night plant-based eatery with its own unique nut based vegan meat for vegan eaters after hours.

  • Bosko Kante + Maya Kante

    Electrospit

    Music Electronics | Oakland

    Creator of the only lightweight, portable, talkbox that allows music creators to easily and creatively invent their own kind of music.

  • Toriano Gordon

    Vegan Mob

    Food and Beverage | Oakland + SF

    Vegan BBQ and soul food with a mission to provide nutritious and healthy food with plant-based ingredients.

  • Kiki Jordan

    Birthland

    Health Care | Oakland

    An Oakland based women of color owned midwifery practice that provides home birth services and support to clients identifying the best birth option for them.

  • Joelle Fontaine

    Kréyol

    Fashion & Apparel | Boston

    High fashion brand w/ a mission to empower women through art & fashion.

  • Bria Hutson

    Tha MF’n vegan

    Food & Beverage | Oakland

    A fresh plant-based food, drink, &  snack product line that offers access to sustainable raw, vegan, and alkaline food to communities that have historically been denied access. 

  • Joseph Elahi

    FAMILY FUNDED VENDING

    Food & Beverage | Boston

    Family funded vending machine business to create multi-generational wealth.

  • Carolina Salinas

    Carolicious

    Food & Beverage | Boston

    Restaurant born in Venezuela and raised in New England dedicated to serving traditional venezuelan arepas with the addition of local flavors.

  • Tony Johnson

    Krio

    Beauty & Wellness | Boston

    A plant-based African inspired skincare line.

  • Ifafunke Oladigbolu

    LOLA’S AFRICAN APPAREL

    Fashion & Apparel | Berkeley, CA

    Handmade garments authentically made in Nigeria, reflecting the artistry of the culture, and advancing the African Economy and the Diaspora.

  • Imani Greer

    Roasted & Raw

    Food & Beverage | Oakland

    Providing healthy food to our people to empower them to live healthier lives.

  • Efiya Asabi

    Iyoba

    Beauty & Wellness | Oakland

    A beauty company that handcrafts organic products for the natural care of hair, body, and home.

  • Myron Moncur

    Swap Station

    Fashion & Apparel | Oakland, CA

    Providing a safe platform tailored for sneaker enthusiasts & streetwear collectors who desire to build their collection and update their closet.