Illumen Capital CEO: Professional Investors Let Racial Bias Cloud Their Judgment, Harm Their ROI

Daryn Dodson previously led the Special Equities Program as a consultant to the Board of the Calvert Funds, a $12 billion pioneer of the impact investing field. Through this vehicle, Calvert maintains a portfolio of more than 40 funds on five continents, representing over 350 underlying portfolio companies. Prior to serving as a consultant to Calvert, Daryn served as Director of University and Corporate Partnership for The Idea Village, where he created a platform engaging leading private equity firms, business schools, and Fortune 500 companies to invest in New Orleans entrepreneurs post-Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Dodson currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ben and Jerry’s. He earned his M.B.A. from Stanford, where he serves on the Dean’s Management Board, and his A.B. from Duke University.

Daryn Dodson sat down with Ali Jackson-Jolley to discuss how Black-led VC firms face more bias the higher they perform, how professional investors perceive “Blackness” as a risk, and why bias training is critical to closing the VC funding gap.

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