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| Out in Business | |
|---|---|
| Name | Out in Business |
| Formation | 2010 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
| Region served | United States |
| Leader title | CEO |
| Leader name | Jordan Rivera |
Out in Business
Out in Business is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, professionals, and small businesses through mentoring, networking, advocacy, and capital access. It operates programs linking startup incubation, corporate supplier diversity, and philanthropic initiatives across metropolitan hubs including San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The organization collaborates with public offices, private foundations, academic centers, and industry associations to advance market access and policy recognition for sexual minority and gender-diverse business owners.
Out in Business promotes entrepreneurship among LGBTQ+ communities by providing incubation, mentorship, and procurement pathways. It connects founders to accelerators, impact investors, and trade associations such as Y Combinator, Techstars, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Human Rights Campaign, and GLAAD. The organization facilitates partnerships with municipal offices like San Francisco Board of Supervisors, New York City Council, and federal entities including Small Business Administration and Department of Commerce. Core activities intersect with civic initiatives led by figures and institutions such as LGBTQ movement leaders and nonprofit funders including Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations.
Founded in 2010 amid rising visibility of LGBT entrepreneurship, Out in Business emerged as part of a broader movement that included contemporaries and influencers like National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, and startup networks around Silicon Valley. Early years featured collaborations with accelerators connected to Stanford University, Harvard Business School Rock Center for Entrepreneurship, and community organizations in cities anchored by landmarks such as Castro District and West Village. Over time the organization expanded programming following engagements with the Small Business Administration and policy dialogues influenced by cases and decisions involving entities like Obergefell v. Hodges and advocacy around Employment Non-Discrimination Act debates. Major milestones include establishing supplier diversity rosters used by corporations such as Walmart, Google, Microsoft, and Bank of America.
Out in Business operates a range of services: accelerator cohorts, mentorship networks, certification assistance, and procurement matchmaking. Accelerator and incubation work draws on curricula similar to 500 Startups and partnership models seen with Kiva microfinance and Acumen Fund impact investing. Mentorship rosters include entrepreneurs, angels, and executives from companies like Uber, Airbnb, Salesforce, and Intel who provide pro bono guidance. Certification services guide applicants through procedures used by agencies like Department of Veterans Affairs and standards referenced by National Minority Supplier Development Council. Procurement matchmaking connects certified suppliers to corporate buyers at events alongside trade shows such as SXSW, CES, and conferences hosted by American Express OPEN.
Out in Business is governed by a board of directors composed of leaders from finance, technology, law, and nonprofit sectors. Board members and advisors have affiliations with institutions such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Deloitte, McKinsey & Company, ACLU, Lambda Legal, and academic centers at Columbia University and University of California, Berkeley. Staff leadership includes a CEO, COO, and program directors who liaise with municipal procurement offices like San Francisco Office of Small Business and professional associations including National Association for the Self-Employed and American Chamber of Commerce. The organization maintains bylaws and compliance frameworks informed by statutes such as state nonprofit codes in California, New York (state), and Illinois.
Revenue streams include grant awards, corporate sponsorships, donor-advised funds, and earned income from certification and training services. Major philanthropic partners have included Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and community foundations such as San Francisco Foundation. Corporate partners and sponsors have included Google, Microsoft, Apple Inc., Accenture, and Bank of America as part of supplier diversity programs. Strategic partnerships involve legal clinics at institutions like Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and incubators affiliated with New York University and University of Pennsylvania.
Out in Business reports outcomes in business creation, job growth, and procurement contracts awarded to LGBTQ+-owned firms, highlighting client successes alongside awards and recognition from entities like Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, and trade publications such as Inc. (magazine) and Wired (magazine). The group has been cited in policy discussions at forums including panels convened by World Economic Forum, VentureBeat, and conferences hosted by Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Alumni entrepreneurs have founded ventures that achieved exits, funding rounds, and partnerships with companies such as Stripe, Square (company), Shopify, and social enterprises recognized by Skoll Foundation and Echoing Green.
Category:LGBT organizations in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in San Francisco