Introduction
Camelback Ventures is a United States-based nonprofit organization that supports historically overlooked entrepreneurs by investing in their leadership, ventures, and efforts to address systemic inequities.
History and Background
Camelback Ventures was founded and originally headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. The organization began supporting social-impact entrepreneurs through its fellowship in 2015 and has since developed a nationwide network of founders, investors, coaches, and community partners. It now operates through a hybrid remote model while maintaining its connection to New Orleans.
Camelback was created in response to the limited access to early-stage capital, professional networks, coaching, and other resources experienced by many entrepreneurs of color and women. Its work combines venture development with leadership support and advocacy for a fairer entrepreneurial funding environment.
Mission and Purpose
Camelback Ventures seeks to increase access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women by investing in their ventures and leadership while advocating for fairness in funding.
The organization supports founders developing solutions in education and conscious technology, including ventures working in education technology, health and wellness, workforce development, economic inclusion, financial inclusion, and systems change. Its approach recognizes entrepreneurs as community leaders capable of generating lasting social and economic value.
Governance and Structure
Camelback Ventures operates as a nonprofit organization led by a professional management team. Shawna Young has served as chief executive officer since spring 2024, when she joined the organization during its transition from founder-led management.
A board of directors provides oversight across governance, finance, organizational strategy, and programming. Board members include entrepreneurs, business professionals, investors, and former Camelback Fellows, bringing both operational and lived experience to the organization’s leadership.
Funding and Grants
Camelback Ventures is supported by foundations, corporations, and individual donors. These resources finance its programs and provide early-stage capital for social ventures established by participating entrepreneurs.
The organization describes its financing as “friends and family” stage support. Nonprofit ventures generally receive grants, while for-profit and hybrid ventures may receive financing through convertible notes accompanied by a nominal equity interest determined according to the venture’s development stage. Returns received from Fellows may be reinvested in future entrepreneurs.
For its 2026 Fellowship cohort, Camelback increased its investment from $40,000 to $50,000 per Fellow. This capital is combined with coaching, strategic connections, curriculum, and access to a national entrepreneurial community.
Major Programs and Initiatives
The Camelback Fellowship is the organization’s principal accelerator program. This 16-week experience supports both the founder and the venture through five areas known as the “5 Cs”: coaching, capital, connections, community, and curriculum.
Each Fellow receives individual coaching and participates in virtual sessions, in-person activities, workshops, peer learning, and independent venture development. Participants can also connect with investors, strategic partners, legal professionals, fundraising specialists, wellness coaches, and other advisers.
The Guardian Summit is Camelback Ventures’ annual gathering of entrepreneurs, donors, executives, investors, and social-impact leaders. It facilitates discussions and partnerships focused on entrepreneurship, investment, ownership, opportunity, and the development of more inclusive economies.
The Entrepreneurial Support Hub expands access to startup information and resources beyond Fellowship participants. Camelback also produces research, articles, workshops, and other educational materials addressing entrepreneurship, equitable investment, organizational development, and funding practices.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
Camelback Ventures reports that it has invested approximately $11 million in Fellows, supported more than 235 entrepreneurs, helped catalyse approximately $432 million in follow-on funding, and reached around six million beneficiaries through supported ventures.
The organization reports that 94% of its Fellows and alumni identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color, while 63% identify as women or non-binary. These figures reflect Camelback’s emphasis on entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers within conventional investment and startup ecosystems.
Supported ventures have worked on educational access, digital learning, workforce opportunity, community wellness, financial inclusion, justice-system reform, and other social challenges. Fellows have used Camelback capital to conduct pilot programs, develop applications, purchase equipment, hire personnel, attend industry events, and establish community spaces.
Examples in Camelback’s portfolio include technology platforms that help special-education professionals monitor academic and behavioural progress, financial tools serving people affected by the legal system, professional networks for Black students, and inclusive digital wellness services.
Conclusion
Camelback Ventures combines early-stage funding, personalized coaching, practical education, strategic connections, and long-term community support to help historically overlooked founders develop sustainable social-impact ventures. Through the Camelback Fellowship, Guardian Summit, Entrepreneurial Support Hub, and broader advocacy, the organization works to create a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem across the United States.
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