If every firm commits to making this significant change in their deal-making process, the VC playing field will be more inclusive. This will also give diverse check writers (DCWs) exposure to networks they previously did not have access to, and it will benefit firms by bringing diverse thinking to the companies in which they are investing. Act One is holding itself accountable by including the Diversity Rider in every term sheet.

Venture firms that signed up for the Diversity Rider

Greycroft Partners, First Round Capital, Maveron, SVB Capital, Harlem Capital Partners, Fifth Wall, Plexo Capital, Precursor Ventures, Equal Ventures, Homebrew, Primary Venture Partners, Fika Ventures, Muse Capital, Worklife Ventures, igniteXL Ventures, The Venture Collective, Shrug Capital, Talis Capital, Uncork Capital, RP Labs, WestRiver Group, Lerer Hippeau, OpenView Partners, Manifold Holdings Group, Torch Capital, Fin VC, Bonfire, FAB Ventures, Vamos Ventures, Intel Capital, and Product Trust Investments

Industry partners helping to amplify the Diversity Rider

Silicon Valley Bank, Cooley*, Fenwick & West, Stradling, Gaingels, Aumni, and Crunchbase

*Cooley Go has included the rider in standard term sheet documents; such documents were used by investors 166,000 times over the past 5 years

Learn more

How and why the rider was created | Fortune
The importance of the rider | NPR Marketplace Tech
What the rider can do for the venture industry | Inside Venture Capital
Press release announcing the rider

L.A. Becomes Serious Tech Center