Kathryn Finney

Kathryn Finney
Born
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materYale University
Rutgers University
Occupation(s)Author, entrepreneur, investor
Years active2003–present
Known forFounder/CEO of Genius Guild
Notable workThe Doonie Fund, The Budget Fashionista, digitalundivided
Board member ofPRX, The Doonie Fund
HonoursHonorary Doctorate- Mount Holyoke College
Websitegeniusguild.co www.kathrynfinney.com

Kathryn A. Finney is an American author,[1] researcher,[2] investor,[3] entrepreneur,[4] and businesswoman. She is the founder of Genius Guild, a $20 million dollar venture fund & studio that invests in Black entrepreneurs building scalable businesses that serve Black communities and beyond. She is also founder and Board Chair of The Doonie Fund, a social platform that provides micro-investment to Black women entrepreneurs.[5] Finney first made her mark as a tech entrepreneur when she sold “The Budget Fashionista” after running the site-turned-media company for 11 years.[6]

Appointed by the Obama administration to the National Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), Finney is a former General Partner in the Harriet Fund, the first fund focused on women of color founders.[7]

Finney's pioneering leadership in creating diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystems has been recognized by press outlets including The Wall Street Journal,[8] Forbes,[9] USA Today,[10] Marie Claire,[11] and Vanity Fair.[12] She was named a recipient of PayPal’s inaugural Maggie Lena Walker Award,[13] which recognizes and celebrates women who have created opportunities for economic advancement in underserved communities. She is a Falk Marques Group “Rising Star Award” winner, an award that highlights investors and managers who are thriving in the private equity industry. She was named one of America's Top 50 Women in Tech by Forbes.[9] She is a 2016 Echoing Green Fellow[14] and the recipient of numerous other awards and recognition, including The White House Champion of Change Award (2013),[15][16] the Anita Borg Institute's Social Impact ABIE Award (2016),[17] EBONY Power 100 List of the Most Inspiring African-Americans (2013), and AOL's Top Ten Women in Money (2010).[18]

In 2015, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer honored Finney with "Kathryn Finney Appreciation Day."[19] In 2017, Finney received an honorary doctorate from Mount Holyoke College.[20]

  1. ^ Kathryn Finney Author Bookshelf – Random House – Books – Audiobooks – Ebooks Random House Author Page- Kathryn Finney
  2. ^ del Castillo, Michael. "Startup setback: Fewer than 1 percent of startups are founded by black women". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  3. ^ Massie, Victoria M. (March 14, 2016). "Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs. So where are the investors?". Vox. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  4. ^ Minorities Entering Tech Wall Street Journal
  5. ^ "About The Doonie Fund: Micro Investing in Black Women Entrepreneurs". The Doonie Fund. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  6. ^ del Castillo, Michael. "What the word 'entrepreneur' means in the black community, and why that needs to change". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Kathryn Finney". June 7, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  8. ^ Gage, Deborah (August 30, 2012). "More Women and Minority Entrepreneurs Entering Tech". WSJ. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Kathryn Finney". Forbes. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  10. ^ "Goodbye, Silicon Valley, hello, Atlanta: Black entrepreneurs part of new migration to South". USA Today. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  11. ^ Finney, Kathryn (March 27, 2018). "How I'm Celebrating and Investing in Black Brilliance". Marie Claire. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  12. ^ Shetterly, Margot Lee (March 27, 2018). "26 Women of Color Diversifying Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, Media, and Beyond". The Hive. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  13. ^ "Meet the Winners of PayPal's Maggie Lena Walker Award". PayPal Newsroom. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  14. ^ "Kathryn Finney". www.echoinggreen.org. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  15. ^ WhiteHouse.Gov WhiteHouse.gov
  16. ^ Black Enterprise: White House Recognizes Tech Leaders As ‘Champions of Change for Tech Inclusion’ Black Enterprise
  17. ^ Institute, Anita Borg (August 9, 2016). "Announcing the 2016 GHC ABIE Award Winners". GlobeNewswire News Room (Press release). Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  18. ^ Harris, Janelle (October 15, 2015). "Hey, How'd You Establish Yourself as The Budget Fashionista and founder of digitalundivided, Kathryn Finney?". mediabistro.com. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  19. ^ Silicon Harlem Network (February 26, 2015), Manhattan Borough President's Black History Month Reception, retrieved March 28, 2019
  20. ^ "Kathryn A. Finney, Doctor of Humane Letters". Mount Holyoke College. May 21, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.