Black Army Vet Turned VC Starts New Capital Fund For Veterans And Businesses In Underserved Communities

A Black army vet has started a new capital fund for veterans and businesses in underserved communities. The intiative was started by Alicia Hanf nine years after she left the military in 2012.

She founded the Dear Mama Fund to raise $1 billion in capital for investments in Black, brown, female and veteran-led companies.

Alicia returned to civilian life to lead the way for veterans to become startup founders, so alongside Dear Mama Fund she also launched the LA chapter of Bunker Labs, helping scale the organization from 10-35 locations in 15 months.

Her perseverance through her military training, as well as overcoming a major loss in her life, has helped her to be a successful adviser today for fast-paced startups and international celebrities.

“Our call to action is time to reimagine everything, Hanf said during a recent interview with We Are The Mighty, adding, “My hopes are that people will see me as a woman of color and a veteran, and when they see a veteran, see a woman of color, or see people of color, they’ll think of people who are changing the world, who are the most innovative, investable and who, above all, are worthy of pursuing their dreams.”

The fund’s diverse leadership team is composed of women, veterans, and multicultural leaders with deep experience building ecosystems, ventures, raising capital, and designing solutions for marginalized and underserved communities. 

Throughout 2022, Dear Mama will host dinners across the country to introduce their team, share their vision, and highlight innovative founders who are creating solutions for the world in an inclusive fashion.

Other funds are working toward the same goal and are allying themselves with Hanf and The Dear Mama Fund. LG Nova’s Capital Alliance Group took on Dear Mama Fund as a founding member, next to Cleveland Avenue, founded by former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson and 19 other major funds.