Powered 500 · 2026POWEREDS. 189 of 500
Building Backstage Capital from scratch while homeless — with no experience, wealth, or connections — Hamilton has deployed capital into more than 200 companies led by founders who receive less than 3 percent of all venture funding.
Arlan Hamilton is Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a venture firm investing in startups led by underrepresented founders, specifically women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.
She founded Backstage while experiencing homelessness and has since invested in over 200 companies. She is the bestselling author of It's About Damn Time. Less than 2 percent of venture capital goes to Black founders, and less than 3 percent to women.
Interview · In Pipeline
Sponsored placement
An invitation, extended to Powered readers.
Drive the Continental GT S.
Request a test driveBentley T&Cs apply
