Camelback Ventures

OUR MISSION & VISION

MISSION | Camelback Ventures increases access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women by investing in their ventures and leadership while advocating for fairness in their funding.

VISION | By seeking solutions in the genius of undervalued entrepreneurs, our vision is to create livable communities and wealth for future generations to inherit.

OUR WORK

GENIUS IS EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED, BUT OPPORTUNITY IS NOT.

We aim to create a more diverse social innovation ecosystem that leverages the genius of all people. We identify local leaders with promising ideas, and empower them to enact change within their communities through our initiatives where we provide an intentional blend of coaching, capital, connections, community, and curriculum.

> Read our manifesto, Ruthless for Good, and explore stories from our social entrepreneurs

OUR NAME

New Orleans is the home to Camelback Ventures, and is also said to be the origin of some of the first camelback style homes following the Civil War. Families of the Free Black population resourcefully added a second story to the rear of these shot-gun style houses, creating a structure reminiscent of a camel’s back. We took our name from this innovation, believing we could continue the tradition of using creativity and ingenuity to improve not only our communities, but also lift up and create opportunities for our underrepresented peers.

OUR STORY

Aaron T. Walker completed his Camelback Fellowship pilot for entrepreneurs of color out of his living room in Brooklyn, NY. In 2015, he officially founded Camelback Ventures in New Orleans. Since then, the organization has grown to encompass two entrepreneurial focused fellowship cycles per year, a second program focused on building more equitable + accessible funding practices in philanthropy, and our annual Guardian Summit convening bringing together members of Camelback Ventures’ diverse ecosystem.