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SHÁKA RASHEED JOINS OPEN OPPORTUNITY FUND AS GENERAL PARTNER TO LEAD CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

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Open Opportunity Fund, a venture capital firm focusing on diverse-founded software companies, has announced Sháka Rasheed as its new General Partner. Rasheed, with extensive experience in financial services and technology, will lead capital development and portfolio value creation. His background includes senior roles at Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce, and Microsoft.

The fund has invested $100 million in 75 Black- and Latino-led tech companies, achieving seven exits. It's now raising Fund 2 to continue this strategy, addressing the disparity in venture capital funding for Black and Latino founders, who received less than 3% of VC funding in 2022 despite comprising over 30% of the U.S. population.

Open Opportunity Fund, una società di venture capital focalizzata su aziende software fondate da diversità, ha annunciato Sháka Rasheed come nuovo Partner Generale. Rasheed, con una vasta esperienza nei servizi finanziari e nella tecnologia, guiderà lo sviluppo del capitale e la creazione di valore nel portafoglio. Il suo background include ruoli di alto livello presso Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce e Microsoft.

Il fondo ha investito 100 milioni di dollari in 75 aziende tecnologiche guidate da Black e Latino, ottenendo sette uscite. Ora sta raccogliendo il Fondo 2 per continuare questa strategia, affrontando la disparità nel finanziamento di venture capital per i fondatori Black e Latino, che hanno ricevuto meno del 3% del finanziamento VC nel 2022, nonostante rappresentino oltre il 30% della popolazione degli Stati Uniti.

Open Opportunity Fund, una firma de capital de riesgo enfocada en empresas de software fundadas por diversas comunidades, ha anunciado a Sháka Rasheed como su nuevo Socio General. Rasheed, con amplia experiencia en servicios financieros y tecnología, liderará el desarrollo de capital y la creación de valor en la cartera. Su trayectoria incluye roles senior en Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce y Microsoft.

El fondo ha invertido 100 millones de dólares en 75 empresas tecnológicas lideradas por Black y Latino, logrando siete salidas. Ahora está recaudando el Fondo 2 para continuar con esta estrategia, abordando la disparidad en el financiamiento de capital de riesgo para fundadores Black y Latino, quienes recibieron menos del 3% del financiamiento de VC en 2022 a pesar de representar más del 30% de la población de EE.UU.

Open Opportunity Fund는 다양한 창업자가 설립한 소프트웨어 회사에 중점을 두고 있는 벤처 캐피탈 회사로, Sháka Rasheed를 새로운 일반 파트너로 임명했다고 발표했습니다. Rasheed는 금융 서비스와 기술 분야에서 풍부한 경험을 가지고 있으며, 자본 개발 및 포트폴리오 가치 창출을 이끌게 됩니다. 그의 배경에는 Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce, Microsoft에서의 고위직이 포함되어 있습니다.

이 펀드는 흑인 및 라틴계가 이끄는 75개 기술 회사에 1억 달러를 투자했으며, 7건의 엑싯을 달성했습니다. 현재는 이러한 전략을 계속하기 위해 펀드 2를 모집하고 있으며, 이는 2022년에 3% 미만의 VC 자금을 받은 흑인 및 라틴계 창립자를 위한 벤처 캐피탈 자금의 불균형 문제를 다루고 있습니다. 이들은 미국 인구의 30% 이상을 차지하고 있습니다.

Open Opportunity Fund, une société de capital-risque axée sur des entreprises de logiciels fondées par des personnes issues de la diversité, a annoncé Sháka Rasheed comme son nouveau Partenaire Général. Rasheed, avec une vaste expérience dans les services financiers et la technologie, dirigera le développement du capital et la création de valeur du portefeuille. Son parcours comprend des postes de direction chez Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce et Microsoft.

Le fonds a investi 100 millions de dollars dans 75 entreprises technologiques dirigées par des personnes noires et latino, réalisant sept sorties. Il lève maintenant le Fonds 2 pour poursuivre cette stratégie, en s'attaquant à la disparité dans le financement en capital-risque pour les fondateurs noirs et latino, qui ont reçu moins de 3 % des financements en capital-risque en 2022, malgré le fait qu'ils représentent plus de 30 % de la population américaine.

Das Open Opportunity Fund, eine Risikokapitalgesellschaft, die sich auf von Diversität gegründete Softwareunternehmen fokussiert, hat Sháka Rasheed als neuen General Partner angekündigt. Rasheed, der umfassende Erfahrung in den Bereichen Finanzdienstleistungen und Technologie hat, wird die Kapitalentwicklung und Wertschöpfung im Portfolio leiten. Seine berufliche Laufbahn umfasst Führungspositionen bei Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce und Microsoft.

Der Fonds hat 100 Millionen Dollar in 75 von Black- und Latino-geführten Technologieunternehmen investiert und dabei sieben Exits erzielt. Nun wird der Fund 2 aufgelegt, um diese Strategie fortzusetzen und die Ungleichheit in der Risikokapitalfinanzierung für Black- und Latino-Gründer anzugehen, die im Jahr 2022 weniger als 3% der VC-Finanzierung erhielten, obwohl sie mehr als 30% der US-Bevölkerung ausmachen.

Positive
  • Appointment of Sháka Rasheed as General Partner, bringing extensive experience in capital formation and value creation
  • Successful investment of $100 million in 75 Black- and Latino-led tech companies
  • Achievement of seven exits from the portfolio
  • Initiation of Fund 2 to continue the successful investment strategy
Negative
  • None.

WALL STREET VETERAN SHÁKA RASHEED JOINS MARCELO CLAURE AND PAUL JUDGE AS PART OF FIRM'S NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH

ATLANTA, Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Opportunity Fund, a venture capital firm focused on investing in software companies founded by diverse entrepreneurs, today announced that Sháka Rasheed, financial services and technology executive, has joined the firm as General Partner, leading capital development and portfolio value creation. Rasheed brings senior leadership experience in building and leading capital formation teams at some of the world's most premier alternative asset management firms including Bridgewater, Lazard, Citadel and J.P. Morgan, as well as scaling growth at global technology companies including Salesforce and Microsoft.

Throughout his career, Sháka has successfully raised billions in capital across various investor segments, including family offices, pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign governments, central banks, insurance companies and bank platforms, among others. Rasheed's deep financial services experience has spanned prominent leadership roles at some of the world's most premier asset management firms, including Head of Sales & Marketing at Bridgewater Associates; Managing Director and Head of Alternatives, Americas at Lazard Asset Management; Director, Global Distribution at Citadel Asset Management; and over 15 years at J.P. Morgan Chase, culminating as Managing Director within the Institutional Investment Management Division.

His proven ability to drive organizational growth through innovative go-to-market strategies has established him as a visionary leader across financial services and technology.

Most recently, Rasheed served as Senior Vice President at Salesforce, where he managed the company's billion-dollar Strategic Banking & Wealth Management business. Prior to Salesforce, Rasheed was Managing Director and General Manager of the U.S. Capital Markets business at Microsoft, where he played a crucial role in scaling it into the fastest growing sub-vertical within the Financial Services division. While at Microsoft, Sháka also served as an Expert Network Member and Advisor for M12 (Microsoft's Corporate venture capital business), where he guided portfolio companies, founders, and senior management teams on their strategic goals and go-to-market approach for market expansion and growth. Shaka is currently an Independent Director on the Board of DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG), a global firm that owns, operates, and invests in businesses such as data centers, cell towers, fiber networks, small cells, and edge infrastructure, managing more than $80 billion on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. Rasheed holds a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College and earned an MBA from Harvard University.

Opportunity Fund 1 has invested $100 million into 75 Black- and Latino-led tech companies. Its diverse portfolio includes companies such as Atomic, Brex, Career Karma, Cityblock Health, Eight Sleep, Esusu, Lumu, Paystand, QuickNode, Squire, and Subject. The fund has successfully achieved seven exits, demonstrating its commitment to fostering innovation and driving impactful growth in underrepresented communities. As the firm looks to the future, it is now raising Fund 2 to continue executing this strategy.

In 2022, Black and Latino founders received less than 3% of venture capital funding, despite comprising over 30% of the United States population. Research has consistently shown that diverse companies yield greater results, producing higher profits and exit multiples.

"I am excited to join Open Opportunity Fund, a firm that stands at the forefront of innovation in the venture capital space," said Sháka Rasheed. "With a strong foundation and a clear focus on making impactful investments, the potential to scale the firm into a major player in the industry is immense. I am eager to bring my experience in capital formation and value creation to the team, and to help drive the continued success and growth of our firm."

"Sháka's appointment is a key move in our strategy to strengthen our leadership team," said Paul Judge, Managing Partner of Open Opportunity Fund. "His deep expertise in financial services and proven track record in driving growth will be instrumental as we continue to scale our organization and expand our investment capabilities."

"We are thrilled to welcome Sháka to our team," said Marcelo Claure, Vice Chairman and General Partner, Open Opportunity Fund. "His capital development expertise, honed at some of the world's most respected alternative asset managers and technology companies, aligns perfectly with our mission. Sháka will be instrumental as we continue to scale the firm."

For more information, visit http://TheOpportunityFund.com and follow @OpportunityFund on X and Instagram.

For media and interview requests, please contact
media@theopportunityfund.com 

About Open Opportunity Fund

Open Opportunity Fund is a technology venture capital firm focused on investing in software companies founded by outstanding diverse founders. Open Opportunity Fund's portfolio spans enterprise IT, artificial intelligence, fintech, and digital health sectors. Opportunity Fund 1 is a $100 million fund with SoftBank as an anchor LP. The firm has invested in 75 Black- and Latino-led tech companies including Atomic, Brex, Career Karma, Cityblock Health, Eight Sleep, Esusu, Lumu, Paystand, QuickNode, Squire, and Subject. The fund has achieved seven portfolio company exits. In 2023, the team led by Paul Judge and Marcelo Claure acquired the Fund from SoftBank and announced Fund 2 to continue to execute the thesis.

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SOURCE Open Opportunity Fund

FAQ

Who is Sháka Rasheed and what is his new role at Open Opportunity Fund?

Sháka Rasheed is a financial services and technology executive who has joined Open Opportunity Fund as General Partner, leading capital development and portfolio value creation.

How much has Open Opportunity Fund invested in diverse-led tech companies?

Open Opportunity Fund has invested $100 million in 75 Black- and Latino-led tech companies through its Opportunity Fund 1.

What is the focus of Open Opportunity Fund's investments?

Open Opportunity Fund focuses on investing in software companies founded by diverse entrepreneurs, particularly Black and Latino founders.

How many exits has Open Opportunity Fund achieved from its portfolio?

Open Opportunity Fund has successfully achieved seven exits from its portfolio of investments.

What percentage of venture capital funding did Black and Latino founders receive in 2022?

In 2022, Black and Latino founders received less than 3% of venture capital funding, despite comprising over 30% of the United States population.

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