SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
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Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#2Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds.
I'm sick of the hypocrisy of people saying "Black people aren't more likely/less likely to x, it's their education/family/etc. that affects them" ... and then immediately turning around and giving help to people based on their skin color, rather than these other traits.
EDIT: What about somebody who is black, and comes from (yes, one of the rare unfortunately) a rich family or well off family? While not a majority, many POC work for FAANG companies. Are they eligible for this money purely because of their skin color, but disadvantaged people of any color are not?
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#3Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds. I'm sick of the hypocrisy o…
It's nice that they're doing this, but I think they could increase their funding for minorities. We've seen them have bigger funds for vaporware that didn't really pan out
I think we all know that all lives matter, but the point is that black lives are in danger thats why were saying black lives matter
Ignoring specific subsets of systematic issues are synonymous with tone deafness
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#4Trying to launder their reputation by using minorities as an excuse, shameful and transparent
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#5Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds. I'm sick of the hypocrisy o…
It's nice that they're doing this, but I think they could increase their funding for minorities. We've seen them have bigger funds for vaporware that didn't really pan out I think we all know that all lives matter, but the point is that black lives are in danger thats why were saying black lives matter Ignoring specific subsets of systematic issues are synonymous with tone deafness
This initiative isn't about the BLM movement (though probably inspired by it given recent events). It's about closing the gap in terms of business opportunity. And my point is that there are many people of all colors who are disadvantaged because of educational background, family situation etc. I never see VCs or Fortune 500s doing much for them. Doesn't have the same clout in terms of social justice points. Using minorities to boost their shitty reputation after the WeWork saga is pathetic.
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#6> SoftBank also runs the $100 billion Vision Fund, which is headed by Rajeev Misra and invests amounts larger than the entire new fund in startups around the world.
Neither Rajeev Misra nor Masayoshi Son sound like “white” names. I find it fascinating how Asians in general are excluded from the term “people of color”.
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#7Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds. I'm sick of the hypocrisy o…
> Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color.
Systematic racism is very much real in the United States, putting minorities at a disadvantage exactly because of the color of their skin - socioeconomic background and upbringing aside. Affirmative action, and presumably this effort by SoftBank, is intended to address that.
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#8Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds. I'm sick of the hypocrisy o…
Excellent points.
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#9Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds. I'm sick of the hypocrisy o…
I personally hate these initiatives because they don't deal with problem at the core.
They should have policies that address every fund they manage, not some 100m, which is peanuts for them.
I really like how YC does it. Yes, there are problems with YC, but their main program is really good at taking people from different economic/social/racial backgrounds.
Have tonnes of friends from disadvantaged backgrounds and developing countries that got in. I don't understand why every fund can't do it.
Re: SoftBank launches $100m minorities startup fund
#10Limiting initiatives like this based on skin color, implies that the reason for them needing help is their skin color. What about white people that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Broken families? Didn't finish high-school? Abused as a child/teenager? Single parent family? Aren't these the real reasons why people are disadvantaged? People of all colors come from these backgrounds. I'm sick of the hypocrisy o…
That's a valid stance. But reflect on why it matters to you. So what if someone is giving special opportunities to someone based on their skin color, or their gender? There are plenty of special opportunities to go around for all of us.
I think you'll get a lot of flak for this sentiment. But I used to feel the same way as you. What helped me change my mind was to realize that no one is taking away opportunities from me by giving them to someone else. "Opportunity" isn't a fixed pie. If we believe that wealth isn't a fixed pie, why not apply that same logic to opportunities and initiatives like this? It's worth thinking about, and deeply reflecting on.
And, you know, if someone was giving out special opportunities to certain people while denying them to us, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Parents have been doing that for their own children since people were people. It's their money; they can put it toward whatever causes they want.