Keynote Topics
Arlan Hamilton is a remarkable entrepreneur who built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT. Started in 2015, […]
Arlan Hamilton is a remarkable entrepreneur who built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT.
Started in 2015, Backstage has now invested over $15M into 175 startups led by underestimated founders and has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, CNN Money, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Quartz.
Arlan made history by making the cover of Fast Company as the first Black woman non-celebrity to do so, and her book “It’s About Damn Time” is out on Penguin Random House’s business imprint Currency. She and Backstage Studio were also the subjects of Season 7 of the popular Gimlet Media podcast, StartUp. Arlan now hosts Your First Million, a weekly podcast featuring in-depth conversations with how the world’s most successful people finessed their first million dollars, customers, or downloads.
Arlan Hamilton entered the venture investing world from an unconventional path. Before launching Backstage Capital, she authored the groundbreaking blog “Your Daily Lesbian Moment”, which she grew to a monthly readership of 50,000 fans worldwide. She has written for AOL, SuicideGirls, and Curve Magazine, and founded and published the internationally distributed indie magazine Interlude. Arlan Hamilton was also a live music production professional, having served as a tour coordinator to numerous international artists including Toni Braxton, and Jason Derulo. Most recently she worked with Atlantic Records recording artist Janine.
In 2018, Arlan co-founded, along with Investment Partner Christie Pitts, Backstage Studio, a new venture studio designed to build products, services, and initiatives that serve the mission of eliminating underrepresentation in tech by empowering founders and their teams to succeed.
Also in 2018, Backstage Studio announced the launch of four accelerator programs, in Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, and London, UK. Called the Backstage Accelerator, this three-month program is designed to give founders the support they need to reach their next critical milestone, through mentorship, investment capital, and access to resources and networks.
Arlan Hamilton was recently named on Fortune magazine’s 40 under 40 list, as well as,Vanity Fair magazine’s The 2018 New Establishment List.
In 2019, Arlan and her mother, Mrs. Earline Butler-Sims, announced their new scholarship program, which kicked off with Oxford University’s first-ever undergraduate scholarship for a Black student, as well as a full-ride scholarship for a Psychology student at Mrs. Sims’ alma mater, HBCU Dillard University.
Arlan’s company, Backstage Capital, produced and released ‘jOURney’, a documentary celebrating the five year anniversary of the firm, highlighting the people and companies who made it what it is today and released an impact report highlighting the strides Backstage has made in changing the venture capital scene. They also launched Backstage Crowd, a funding platform giving access to the best diverse deal flow in VC. Backstage ended 2020 having made over 30 investments in underestimated founders.
To cap the year, Arlan Hamilton Academy was launched. Arlan recruited experts from across the tech universe to teach and give insight into what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Now anyone can learn what was only available to those ‘in-the-know’ in Silicon Valley.
Contact us at Speakers Inc and subscribe to our YouTube channel
In order to view the below you must be logged in.
With a rich background in strategy and leadership, Kgadi Mmanakana brings a wealth of experience to the table. Having worked with diverse organizations across industries, she possesses a deep understanding of the dynamics of modern business landscapes. Kgadi’s expertise lies in crafting innovative strategies that not only adapt to change but thrive amidst it. Her […]
Palesa Mosiea epitomizes the essence of resilience and achievement. As a dynamic speaker, she delves into multifaceted topics including entrepreneurship, embracing change, the power of dreams, overcoming challenges, women empowerment, leadership, image and branding, confidence and assertiveness, as well as health and fitness. With a compelling narrative rooted in her personal journey, Palesa inspires audiences […]
Kurdt Greenwood is a young, dynamic naturalist, conservationist, survival expert, and animal behavior specialist with a passion for wildlife that knows no bounds. From an early age, Kurdt has been captivated by the natural world, particularly the most dangerous and deadly creatures that inhabit it. His enthusiasm for wildlife is infectious, leaving audiences both terrified […]
Ndumiso Lindi – Corporate Comedian the comedy Gentleman we know as the Roosta, is a brilliant and genuinely funny South Africa comedian. His intuition and intellect give him a firm grasp of his nation’s collective funny bone, and so he appeals to a huge spectrum of the population. From the first time you see Ndumiso, you […]
The founder of Divas on Decks DJ Lady Lea – Conference Entertainer is an icon in the local music scene. Passionate about making music, Lady Lea has been in the music and DJ industry for 17 years. Lady Lea, now playing on CD players, vinyl and laptop, started DJ’ing at the age of 14 years old. Since then, […]
Captain Londy Ngcobo is a distinguished figure in the maritime industry, acclaimed as a Global Ship Navigator and Africa’s First Female Dredge Master. Her unwavering passion for unlocking Africa’s oceanic potential has defined her illustrious career spanning over 13 years. With a robust educational background in Maritime Studies and extensive experience in International Merchant shipping, […]
Vibrant, vivacious, and unmistakably captivating, Cathy Del Mei is a powerhouse saxophonist and multi-instrumental entertainer who transforms every performance into an unforgettable experience. Whether she’s serenading guests in a luxury hotel lounge or energizing a full-house theatre crowd, Cathy brings a magnetic stage presence and soulful musicality that captivates from the very first note. With […]
Mark Berger is a dynamic and highly sought-after sales speaker from South Africa, renowned for his compelling ability to inspire, educate, and transform sales teams with actionable insights. With an electrifying stage presence and an engaging delivery style, Mark is a trusted name among sales professionals, business leaders, and event planners across multiple industries. His […]
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.
All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.
Our Mission
Our Mission:
© All rights reserved 2025. Designed using Voxel
