Mendoza Ventures, a female and Latinx-founded Fintech, AI, and Cybersecurity Venture Capital firm, has achieved a first close on its third fund. The $100M fund will invest in early growth-stage startups with a focus on diverse teams. The initial close was led by Bank of America, including Grasshopper Bank and other investors.
“As a female and Latinx founded and led venture fund, we are uniquely positioned to fund the series A to B for diverse or female-led founders,” says Adrian Mendoza, General Partner of Mendoza Ventures. “This is one of the very few diverse-led VC funds that are funding at this stage. Especially in a market where capital is shrinking for diverse founders.”
Fund II’s capital allocation of 80 percent goes to underrepresented founders (defined as female, immigrant, person of color, or LBGTQ). These commitments have ripple effects from diverse founders to impacting diverse communities through fintech. Fund III breaks the $100M glass ceiling. They fill in the early growth capital gap for diverse and female-led startups.
Bank of America’s partnership with Mendoza Ventures
“Bank of America’s investment into Mendoza Ventures underscores our ongoing efforts to address the persistent gap in access to growth capital for minority- and women-led businesses,” says Renee Nalbandyan, Director in Global Corporate Strategy at Bank of America. “Mendoza Ventures is at the forefront of supporting innovation and driving diversity. Not only within Venture Capital, but also across the fintech industry. Our investment is a step towards creating positive change and more economic opportunities across the country.”
The anchor funding comes from Bank of America as part of their commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity. Over $400 million is allocated to investments in mission-focused venture funds.
About Mendoza Ventures
Mendoza Ventures is a fintech, AI, and cybersecurity venture fund based in Boston and San Francisco. Husband and wife Adrian and Senofer Mendoza, prior entrepreneurs and veterans of the startup ecosystem, run the firm. Their focus is on diversity, playing an important role in their investment decisions. Started in 2016 with the launch of its pilot fund, the firm launched its Fund II in 2019. Mendoza Ventures is the first LatinX-owned venture fund on the East Coast. Learn more at www.mendozaventures.com.
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