DEI Accelerator Award 2024
Diversity, equity and inclusion – DEI for short – are not only values of an open society, but also a clear success factor for companies. With the DEI Accelerator Award, Handelsblatt and McKinsey recognize initiatives from the tech sector that show how things can be done differently. Their work makes structures fairer, opens doors – and inspires others to follow their lead.
Winners and finalists 2024
Winner 2024
The BackBone Ventures 5502 Fund is the first and only private investment fund in continental Europe that invests specifically in underrepresented founders. These are primarily 1st and 2nd generation migrants, but also women in technology environments or what are commonly referred to as ‘working-class children’. General Partner Dr Jan Claudio Muñoz grew up in Frankfurt as the son of a refugee, influenced by the work ethic of migrants in his family and environment. He is convinced that migrant founders do not need the charity of the majority society, but rather have greater founding potential than non-migrant founders. Together with his partners, Jan Claudio has raised a EUR20m VC fund with which they will finance 30 teams.
Finalist 2024
ADAN Impact GmbH is the first company to promote career equality for Black and People of Color (BPoC) in the EU labour market and enables companies and organizations to attract, retain and develop BPoC talent. This is because black specialists and managers face hurdles in recruiting and in everyday working life that people from the majority society do not perceive. Alhaji Allie Bangura and Jonas Tesfai, the founders of ADAN Impact, established the company in 2021 from the ADAN e.V. association, which they set up during their studies. In addition to the first digital career platform for BPoC, ADAN.Careers, the network also includes the largest career fair exclusively for BPoC. The ADAN Career Day now attracts around 1,000 participants to Frankfurt.
Finalist 2024
Founderland is a community-powered platform with a mission to advance equity for women of colour founders in Europe. The organization is special because they bridge a critical gap by centering voices and experiences that are often marginalised in entrepreneurial ecosystems. Founderland provides a space for knowledge sharing, mentorship and access to funding, specifically tailored to the unique needs of women of colour-led startups (receiving less than 0.5% of venture capital in Europe). The aim is to accelerate the success of these female founders through community programs and to redefine inclusive entrepreneurship.
DEI Accelerator Award
