Amazon announced yesterday the launch of Amazon Catalytic Capital, a $150 million commitment focused on investing in underrepresented builders in tech. The initiative, according to a release, will invest in funds that back pre-seed and seed-stage startups built by Black, Latino, Indigenous, women and LGBTQIA+ founders.
The goal is that the money will support more than 10 funds and, as a result, over 200 companies over the next year. So far, recipients include Techstar’s $8 million pre-seed vehicle, Collide Capital, Share Ventures and Energy Impact Partners; meaning there are six more slots open. In some ways, this is a continuation of Amazon’s investment in underrepresented founders, including the AWS Impact Accelerator, an initiative that is committing more than $30 million to back underrepresented founders over the next three years. Last year, Amazon committed $150 million to its Black B …
