Kathryn Finney

Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist & Bestselling Author; Founder & Managing General Partner of Genius Child

Travels From Travels From:
Chicago, IL, USA
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Kathryn Finney Biography

Kathryn Finney is the founder and general managing partner of Genius Guild, a business creation platform that uses the venture studio model to invest in Black entrepreneurs building scalable businesses. As the General Partner of the Greenhouse Fund, a $20 million dollar venture fund, she has demonstrated a commitment to fostering Black entrepreneurship. Her groundbreaking work has been pivotal in shaping the foundation for generations of black entrepreneurs and investors.

In addition to her role at Genius Guild, Finney is also the founder and Board Chair of The Doonie Fund, which she established in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Originally kick-started with a $10,000 personal donation, the fund grew to over $150,000 within six weeks, providing micro-investments to over 2,000 Black women-owned businesses. This initiative reflects her commitment to encouraging and supporting Black women entrepreneurs in challenging times.

Finney is the founder of digitalundivided, a social enterprise dedicated to creating a world where women own their work. She established digitalundivided after selling her pioneering lifestyle media company, The Budget Fashionista, making her one of the first Black women to sell a startup. Her innovative research, “#ProjectDiane,” has disrupted the dialogue around women of color and tech entrepreneurship, garnering widespread recognition.

As a Yale-trained Epidemiologist, Finney's accomplishments have earned her numerous honors and awards. Among these are the inaugural Maggie Lena Walker Award from PayPal, recognition as one of America's Top 50 Women in Tech by Forbes, and an Honorary Doctorate from Mount Holyoke College. Her capacity as a leader and innovator was recognized by the Obama Administration, which appointed her a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE).

Finney's profound impact on the tech sector and her commitment to inclusion has been recognized with "Kathryn Finney Appreciation Day" in Manhattan, NY. Her second book, "Build The Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business if You're Not a Rich White Guy," launched in 2022, quickly making the Wall Street Journal bestsellers list and further establishing her as a thought leader in the field.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 03/01/2024.

Kathryn Finney Speaking Topics

  • Tech Needs Civic Leadership

    An engaging talk about the role of “civic” in Civic Tech and how government can be a positive force for diversifying tech.

  • Lean Startup Strategies For Small Business

    In this interactive keynote, Kathryn shares the strategies used by today’s innovative companies to rapidly develop and grow their businesses.

  • The New Normal: Reframing the Issue of Diversity in Tech

    You can’t innovative without diversity. Period. Yet most of the proposed solutions to increasing diversity in tech involve people of color moving to Silicon Valley (leaving their social and supports networks) or exposing black youth to coding (who then go back to techless homes and schools). So, what’s the solution? In this thought provoking presentation, learn about the very real cultural, technological, and historical barriers to increasing the number of blacks in tech and how digitalundivided is directly addressing those barriers and creating a “New Normal”.

Kathryn Finney Videos

  • Kathryn Finney | SXSW 2023
    Kathryn Finney shares her journey and storied career as an entrepreneur, inclusion champion, and investor to encourage Black founders and female...
  • Kim Scott & Kathryn Finney on How to Start a Successful Biz
    Kathryn Finney will discuss how to cut through the bias, prejudice and bullying too often disguised as "feedback" from entitled investors who pretend...
  • Typeform presents...Meaningful with Kathryn Finney
    Paul Campillo, Director of Brand at Typeform, visited Kathryn Finney, entrepreneur and activist investor. Going over the life-changing moments that...

Kathryn Finney Books

  • Build the Damn Thing
    Build the Damn Thing
  • How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less
    How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less

Speaker Lists Featuring Kathryn Finney

FAQs on booking Kathryn Finney

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  • What are the speaker fees for Kathryn Finney

    Speaking fees for Kathryn Finney, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kathryn Finney are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kathryn Finney, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Kathryn Finney speak about?

    Kathryn Finney is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Black Heritage, Diversity & Inclusion, Finance, Social Activism, Social Media, Technology, Venture Capital, Women in Tech.
  • Where does Kathryn Finney travel from?

    Kathryn Finney generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kathryn Finney for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kathryn Finney for your next private or corporate function.
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Kathryn Finney is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Tech Needs Civic Leadership, Lean Startup Strategies For Small Business and The New Normal: Reframing the Issue of Diversity in Tech. The estimated speaking fee range to book Kathryn Finney for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Kathryn Finney generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Arlan Hamilton, Viola Llewellyn, Joy Buolamwini, Cynthia Marshall and Cassandra Worthy. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kathryn Finney for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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