Coming From the Outside, Looking In
Arlan Hamilton didn’t grow up in tech or finance. She had no Ivy League degree, no wealthy network, and no investment background. Before starting her company, she was living in airports and on friends’ couches, working gig jobs and managing indie bands. But she had something even more important than access—she had a sharp eye for overlooked talent, a belief that the venture capital world was broken, and the drive to change it.
Noticing Who Got Left Behind
As Arlan started learning about startups and venture capital, she noticed a clear pattern. The vast majority of VC funding went to white, male founders from privileged backgrounds. Women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ founders—especially those from working-class communities—were often shut out, regardless of the strength of their ideas. Arlan didn’t just find this unfair. She saw it as a massive business opportunity.
Sending the Tweet That Changed Her Life
In 2015, Arlan tweeted her vision for a new kind of venture fund. It would invest in founders who had been ignored by traditional investors—people who were underestimated because of how they looked, where they came from, or who they loved. The tweet was bold, clear, and simple. And it started getting attention. One of the first to respond was investor and Backstage Capital co-founder Susan Kimberlin, who became her first funder. With that initial support, Arlan was able to take the leap and launch her firm.
Building Backstage Capital From the Ground Up
Arlan named her fund Backstage Capital, inspired by the idea that great performers don’t always start in the spotlight. She began investing small checks in early-stage startups led by underrepresented founders. Even with limited resources, her strategy worked. She found founders building solid companies in markets others overlooked. As word spread, Backstage gained recognition—not just for its mission, but for proving that inclusion was good business.
Facing Doubts and Pushing Forward
Despite the buzz, Arlan’s path wasn’t easy. Some doubted her credentials. Others dismissed her fund as a side project or charity. She was often the only Black woman in the room, sometimes the only woman at all. But she kept showing up, pitching Backstage, and sharing her journey publicly. Her openness—about fundraising, rejections, and mistakes—made her relatable to founders and helped build trust in a space that often felt closed off.
Expanding the Mission Beyond Investing
As Backstage grew, Arlan didn’t stop at venture funding. She launched an accelerator program, wrote a book, and began speaking around the world about equity in tech. She also started investing in public platforms and health startups, staying committed to lifting up underrepresented talent. Her focus was never just on writing checks—it was about reshaping the system so that more people could win.
Showing What’s Possible Without Permission
Arlan Hamilton’s story proves that you don’t need a perfect résumé or a powerful last name to start something big. You need vision, persistence, and the courage to challenge the status quo. She didn’t wait for a gatekeeper to say yes. She used the internet to speak directly to people—and built a company from that spark. Her journey is a reminder that sometimes the most game-changing startups don’t start in boardrooms—they start with a single, unapologetic idea.
