Black Operator Ventures

Black Ops Ventures, founded in 2020, is a trailblazing venture capital firm dedicated to investing in Black-led tech companies across the U.S. and Canada. With a mission to address the severe underfunding of Black founders, the firm focuses on seed-stage investments, writing checks of up to $1.5 million. While it leads most seed rounds, Black Ops may also co-invest in pre-seed or Series A rounds. The firm is sector-agnostic, primarily investing in software, tech, and tech-enabled companies but avoiding industries like retail, food and beverages, and cryptocurrencies​. Black Ops distinguishes itself by providing more than capital. Its all-Black leadership team, including Heather Hiles, James Norman, and Sean Green, brings decades of operational and entrepreneurial experience to guide founders through the complexities of scaling their businesses. The firm offers mentorship, strategic advice, and access to an extensive network of industry connections. By backing resilient founders with market expertise and conviction, Black Ops aims to create billion-dollar companies while helping to build generational Black wealth​. With an initial fund of $13 million, backed by top-tier investors like Union Square Ventures and Bank of America, Black Ops is committed to reshaping the tech landscape. It seeks to increase the number of Black-led startups that transition from seed to Series A funding, addressing the persistent funding gap that has long marginalized Black entrepreneurs.