by Jameelah Mullen
November 16, 2025
In 2022, the healthcare enterprise capital agency secured $55 million to take a position completely in Black-founded healthcare firms.
Jumpstart Well being Buyers, America’s first Black healthcare enterprise capital agency, continues to succeed regardless of anti-DEI initiatives that pressured it to stop completely supporting Black-owned companies.
Based in 2020 by Marcus Whitney and Kathryne Cooper, the corporate aimed to assist Black-led well being firms “within the wake of America’s racial reckoning.” The corporate’s unique funding initiative, Jumpstart Nova Fund I, exceeded its $30 million goal and finally constructed a portfolio of 11 firms and a database of roughly 400 Black founder-led tasks.
Final yr, the corporate discovered itself at a crossroads. The group confronted growing political and authorized strain from conservative teams focusing on DEI-focused applications, grants, and funding autos. Whitney stated the corporate determined to maneuver away from an specific give attention to DEI initiatives as a result of mounting political and authorized strain.
“Our purpose is to construct an establishment, to not regularly fend off lawsuits,” Whitney instructed Enterprise Nashville Connections.
In November 2024, the corporate launched Jumpstart Nova Fund II. In contrast to its predecessor, it doesn’t think about DEI outcomes in its funding choices.
“With Jumpstart Nova Fund II, we construct on our basis and profitable basic partnership, now increasing our funding remit to all founders. Our efficiency has elevated us to now be the institutional, strategic seed fund of Jumpstart Well being Buyers,” the corporate says on its web site.
Nonetheless, regardless of its enlargement, the corporate continues to assist a number of Black-led organizations, together with Therify, a psychological well being company that primarily focuses on the Black neighborhood. Teamwork is a New York-based firm that provides Utilized Habits Evaluation (ABA) for kids with autism. Time Research, based by Kishau Rogers, conducts time research in hospitals to assist assess and enhance hospital efficiency and affected person care.
Additionally, a part of the Jumpstart Nova group is Alerje, a Detroit-based startup that manages meals allergy symptoms and goals to enhance the standard of life for folks with life-threatening allergy symptoms. Mae is a platform designed to satisfy the particular wants and cultural issues of underserved expectant moms.
Go to Jumpstart Well being Buyers’ web site to study extra about Jumpstart Nova and its different initiatives.
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