Backstage Capital
Seed–Series A · 2 people tracked
Investment thesis
Backstage Capital invests across a diverse portfolio of companies founded by underrepresented entrepreneurs. The fund demonstrates sector agnosticism, supporting ventures spanning fintech, healthtech, consumer, edtech, climate, and other sectors. Portfolio companies address critical gaps in access to capital, talent, and markets for founders who have historically been excluded from venture funding, with particular focus on creating economic opportunity and social impact.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 19, 2026.
Team · 2 people
from the firm's website
Arlan Hamilton founded Backstage Capital in 2015 while she was homeless, building it into a fund that has backed roughly 200 startups led by women, people of color and LGBTQ+ founders. She has become one of venture's most visible advocates for underestimated founders through her podcast and two books on wealth-building. Backstage has deployed close to $30 million across its portfolio since inception.
Brittany has extensive experience in early-stage venture sourcing and investment evaluation. Her background includes roles at #ANGELS, Village Capital (analyzing opportunities across fintech, education, health, food/agriculture, and energy), Techstars, and Startup Jamaica, as well as founding an ecommerce startup and spending five years in finance at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
What they invest in
from 28 of 225 portfolio companiesConsumer ×6Fintech ×6Wellness & Fitness ×6Healthtech ×3PropTech ×3Direct to Consumer ×2E-commerce ×2InsurTech ×2
HQs:United States×24Canada×1
Investments · showing 60 of 225
founders shown can be your intro pathPropTechWellness & FitnessNew York City, US
A tech-enabled brick-and-mortar community space offering personalized wellness products and curated self-care for Black women and people with afros.
A platform that lets travelers purchase airline tickets by putting down an initial deposit and spreading the remaining cost into installment payments due before their flight departs.
FintechChicago, US
A company developing high-bandwidth, efficient communications equipment for satellites using advanced composite materials.
Wellness & FitnessLos Angeles, US
An online beauty retailer curating products for Black women and other consumers of color, emphasizing underserved demographics.
A producer of wireless, cable-free professional loudspeaker systems with patent-pending technology reducing setup time and location constraints.
A luxury handbag brand founded by Swedish entrepreneurs emphasizing ethical production and sustainable design.
A platform showcasing diverse career paths and stories through courses in industries including music, beauty, entertainment, and business.
A global community celebrating non-traditional beauty standards through digital content and in-person festival experiences.
A sustainable personal care line made with bamboo fibers offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional toilet paper.
A tech ecosystem in underserved cities that teaches people to code, builds companies to solve major challenges, and develops infrastructure for talent and opportunity.
Wellness & FitnessMarina del Rey, US
A platform connecting readers and authors through reader-to-reader communities, dynamic content, live events, and videos.
A life management tool helping users collect, complete, and track tasks with community support and personalized insights.
An AI-powered photography service making professional photography affordable and fast by automating time-consuming editing processes.
An app and community matching job seekers with coding bootcamps and providing ongoing mentorship and career support.
A corporate fertility solution expanding access to comprehensive fertility services and coverage for all employees.
Carrot provides comprehensive fertility care and family-building support to members across 195+ countries through a global network of providers, offering alternatives to IVF and personalized pregnancy support.
FemTechHealthtechSan Francisco, US
LegalTechMounds View, US
A production company creating diverse, premium film, TV, and digital content featuring underrepresented talent and voices.
A D2C coffee brand demystifying specialty coffee and celebrating queer communities and local creatives through limited-edition products.
A holistic programming language and infrastructure platform designed to simplify backend web service development and make coding more accessible.
A digital platform connecting informal transit operators and riders in transit deserts while collecting data on ridership and emissions.
A platform offering machine learning voicebots for small to mid-sized businesses to automate customer interactions and workflows.
A support platform offering mentorship, group tutoring, and study tools to help college and adult learners succeed in STEM courses.
An e-learning platform using cognitive gaming to help student-athletes understand their position and improve preparation through virtual practice.
AI compliance management software that runs enterprise-scale governance, risk, and control protocols integrated into engineering workflows.
An industrial IoT company enabling secure communications and private exchanges between devices through distributed network technology.
A commercial fleet management company providing labor supply and goods movement with a technology-driven platform for efficiency.
An app and community founded by musician Kehlani making mindfulness accessible and enjoyable through challenges and community engagement.
A platform helping individuals and organizations achieve wellness goals through team challenges and behavior change support.
An investment app providing personalized wealth journeys and comprehensive wealth management through subscription-based financial planning.
FintechCharlotte, US
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Backstage Capital invest at?
- Backstage Capital invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does Backstage Capital focus on?
- Backstage Capital focuses on Sector Agnostic.
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