Over the past several years, tech communities across the United States have attempted to make significant progress towards increasing diversity and inclusion in their industries. Although positive steps have been made, the headway appears to have stagnated or even worsened in some companies and cities. A systems-wide approach to operationalize diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the startup ecosystem is required and must be built from the ground by communities of color with the support and investment of all. Opportunity Hub is one of those communities forging the path towards true diversity, equity and inclusion. With a concentration on providing a more diverse workforce, Capital Factory and Opportunity Hub are partnering in 2019 to converge on the Austin tech scene this spring at SXSW.

Capital Factory is proud to join forces with Opportunity Hub (OHUB), the world’s leading inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment ecosystem building platform to ensure the equitable representation of people of color in the future of work in the 4th industrial revolution.

“Capital Factory is so excited to welcome the OHUB community to Austin during SXSW,” said Joshua Baer, founder & CEO. “Our mission is to create connections between entrepreneurs that move their ventures forward, and one of the key pillars they need is DIVERSE TALENT. I know that some of these incredible young people will land jobs where they can make a big impact and launch their careers.”

Opportunity Hub and the OHUB Foundation aim to advance the future of technology, skills, work, entrepreneurship, investment, multi-generational wealth creation and overall opportunity for all. At scale and with definitive focus and purpose, OHUB will reduce the global racial income, wealth and opportunity gap to ensure that all of our planet’s stakeholders access economic safeguards as a prerequisite for civil and human dignity.

Opportunity Hub’s Growth and Mission

Opportunity Hub was co-founded in 2013 in Atlanta, GA by Rodney Sampson. Prior to OHUB, Sampson built and sold two tech companies and published four books, including the best selling Kingonomics. OHUB grew to become the largest black-owned multi-campus entrepreneurship center and technology hub in the US focused on diversity and inclusion. Each year, 15,000 people walked through OHUB’s doors to learn, engage, build and work.

In 2016, OHUB pioneered HBCU@SXSW at SXSW. To date, over 275 of the nation’s top engineering jobs have gone to marketing and business college students that have had the opportunity to attend this immersive experience. They’re able to interview with technology companies and secure paid summer internships or full-time jobs upon graduation. Placement is 90%!

As it relates to increasing access to technology education, OHUB has enabled over 200 under-tapped African Americans from low-income communities to attend the nation’s leading programming schools where they were trained to code in an on-demand programming language and placed in paid internships, apprenticeships and/or full-time work as entry-level programmers creating an economic output of over $10,000,000 annually. Sampson states, “We’ve done good work, but we can do more. We must do more!”

Today, aspiring innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors apply for complimentary membership to OHUB to access their skills development programs, job opportunities, startup resources, funding and investment opportunities to build wealth.

The business model is simple.

Companies, foundations, municipalities, startup organizations, influencers and advocates desiring to increase their investment in authentic internal and external diversity, equity and inclusion can fund and sponsor the programs, career paths, and fund.

This also ensures that socially and economically disadvantaged communities pursue and gain high demand tech skills and careers. They can launch and grow high growth startups while accessing and investing in exclusive investment opportunities traditionally reserved for the rich. This is the path to the middle class, multi-generational wealth creation and beyond.

What You Can Expect This SXSW

HBCU@SXSW is Opportunity Hub’s signature annual university relations, young professionals, startup entrepreneurship and recruitment initiative. Each year, major corporations, tech companies, startups, ecosystem builders, influencers and foundations sponsor HBCU@SXSW. Here, top African American and Latinx technical and business talent from our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI’s), Tribal Colleges and Predominantly White Institutions (PWI’s) are selected to attend to gain the necessary immersive exposure, interactive learning opportunities and direct access to paid summer internships or early full time roles at the nation’s leading tech companies that are afforded by attending SXSW.

HBCU@SXSW is an official part of South by Southwest, the largest interactive technology conference and festival on the planet. In 2018, more than 500,000 attendees experienced amazing keynotes, hundreds of panels and exclusive networking opportunities that provide buzz-generating exposure and opportunities to engage with decision-makers in the innovation economy.

Hugh Forrest, the Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, says, “We are very excited that Opportunity Hub is returning to SXSW 2019. We continue to work hard to increase diversity and inclusion at SXSW because these are two of the key elements of a more creative environment. The efforts of OHUB have been a significant part of this ongoing diversity and inclusion initiative.”

In 2016, OHUB sponsored 50 college students to go to SXSW, and those numbers have grown since then. In 2019, they’re planning to sponsor up to 300 students to attend. 90% of the students that attend HBCU@SXSW are placed in paid summer internships or permanent jobs.

Rodney Sampson, the Executive Chairman & CEO of OHUB says that “in its 4th and largest annual activation, HBCU@SXSW continues to deliver definitive results as the leading racial equity program between Opportunity Hub, SXSW, and our recruiting partners. Joining forces with Capital Factory to serve as our host venue takes this experience to the next level and is a major step forward in our collective mission to ensure that students of color that desire career pathways in tech, entrepreneurship, and venture have equitable and accountable access.”

 

HBCU@SXSW 2019 Events

Mark your calendars, and check out the full House of OHUB schedule for all the events happening at HBCU@SXSW 2019.

Thursday, March 7

Opening reception and fireside chat with Priscilla Chan, Cofounder, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
4:00 PM — 8:00 PM
The Center for Social Innovation, 1023 Springdale Rd
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort + Guest Engineers

Friday, March 8 — OHUB Day at HBCU@SXSW

1 on 1 Interviews
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Opening Day — Block Party, Live Remote, Tech & Startup Popups, Food Trucks, SWAG & Giveaways
12:00 PM — 8:00 PM
Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St
Access: All

Opening General Plenary Session — Hacking Technical Interviews, Mastering Soft Skills & Navigating Corporate Culture, Identifying Sponsors & Mentors for Upward Mobility, The Startup Life, Fireside Chat with OHUB CEO, Rodney Sampson & Special Guest
2:00 PM — 5:00 PM
Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St
Access: All

SXSW Startup Crawl
4:00 PM — 8:00 PM
Downtown Austin
Access: RSVP required here

Student Recruitment Dinner Session with Twitter
8:00 PM — 10:00 PM
Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Saturday, March 9— Facebook + Oculus + Instagram Day at HBCU@SXSW

1 on 1 Interviews
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Student Recruitment Breakfast Session with Facebook, Oculus, and Instagram
8:00 AM — 9:15 AM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Find & Hire Black and Latinx Talent
9:30 AM — 10:30 AM
JW Marriott, Ballroom C, 110 E 2nd St
Access: SXSW Badge Required

The House of OHUB Lounge: AR/VR/Venture Lab
Powered by Facebook, Oculus and Instagram
10:00 AM — 4:00 PM
JW Marriott, Ballroom A & B, 110 E 2nd St
Access: SXSW Badge Required

Finding & Backing Venture Back-able Black Founders
11:00 AM — 12:00 PM
JW Marriott, Ballroom C, 110 E 2nd St
Access: SXSW Badge Required

Student Recruitment Lunch Session with MailChimp
12:00 PM — 1:30 PM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Funding Racial Equity In Entrepreneurship Ecosystems
12:30 PM — 1:30 PM
JW Marriott, Ballroom C, 110 E 2nd St
Access: SXSW Badge Required

Student Recruitment Event with Microsoft and LinkedIn
2:00 PM — 3:30 PM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

5th Annual Inclusive Innovators, Investors & Influencers Reception, Dinner & Awards
7:00 PM — 11:00 PM
JW Marriott, Ballroom A & B, 110 E 2nd St
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort + Invited Guests

Sunday, March 10 — Amazon Day at HBCU@SXSW

1 on 1 Interviews
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Student Recruitment Breakfast Session with Southwire
8:00 AM — 9:15 AM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Student Recruitment Lunch Session with Lyft
12:00 PM — 1:30 PM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Student Recruitment Session with Amazon
2:00 PM — 3:30 PM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

Student Recruitment Dinner Session with Google and YouTube
6:00 PM — 7:30 PM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Access: HBCU@SXSW Cohort Only

First Annual DEI Party
Powered by OHUB + Capital Factory
7:00 PM — 11:00 PM
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
To RSVP, guests must sign a pledge to do the following:
• Learn the systems and best practices to achieving racial equity in tech, startups & venture by participating in future webinars, workshops and programs
• Financially support Black ecosystem building organizations
• Hire Black talent for paid summer and full time roles
• Invest in Black co-founded startups (for everyone via equity crowdfunding and many family & friends rounds)
• Invest in Black co-founded venture funds (for accredited investors only)

We are serious about this work, and although we like a good party, we want to leverage this opportunity to advance this collective work.

Monday, March 11

1 on 1 Interviews
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street
Open Exploration

To attend House of OHUB events, you have to join the OHUB community for free & select the events you want to attend here.