Despite being a critical force in the future of the U.S. economy, people of color are disproportionately hurt by lack of access to capital. While diversity and inclusion initiatives are en vogue in Silicon Valley, the reality is that access to funding remains a tightly-guarded gateway to success — and venture capitalists today are missing the mark when it comes to putting their money where their messaging is. The American entrepreneur is changing, and the time has come for investors to keep up.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the non-white population in the U.S. is expected to rise to 56% of the total population by the year 2060, and the world of tech will surely follow suit; the MBDA predicts that this demographic shift will position minority-owned businesses as a critical part of the national economy by 2044. Nonetheless, non-white CEOs still face immense barriers when entering the startup game.