Lightship Capital proposes a partnership with Miami to support minority entrepreneurs and startups through specialized programming and capital investments. Lightship will invest $500,000 in 15 high-growth startups over 3 years, running accelerator cohorts from 2022-2024. They will partner with Miami universities, foundations, and corporations to implement bootcamps, accelerators, and pitch competitions to maximize impact. Lightship has successfully supported 8 companies through previous cohorts that raised over $100 million and created hundreds of jobs.

1. Lightship x Miami: Partnership Proposal
Miami Partnership Proposal
2021

2. Welcome to Miami.
Bienvenidos a Miami.
Miami is a dynamic city fueled by collaborative
diversity and explosive growth. The Magic City’s
historic ability to achieve accelerated success,
combined with the sensational efforts of Mayor Suarez
to attract startups and funding to the city, have
positioned Miami as a national leader in tech-driven
innovation and investment attraction--and we
acknowledge the wave.
As the nation’s 8th highest metro area for dollar value
of deals in 2020, you’re showing investors, founders,
and the world that Miami is on fire!

3. $2.27 billion dollars were invested in South Florida startups and late stage companies
across 156 deals in 2020 alone, with the metro area landing 73% of the state’s venture
capital investment dollars and more than half of the total number of deals. Yet,
although Miami leads the nation in minority business ownership, these businesses
struggle to earn and exit at the national average. Why?
As a matter
of fact...

4. Minority Entrepreneurs
Need Specialized Support
Lightship Capital directly challenges the narrative which
identifies underrepresented entrepreneurs and
communities as being “high risk” and “underperforming”
by confidently investing our time and capital into these
demographics.
We provide meaningful resources including highly
effective programming ranging from boot camps,
incubators and accelerator programs to pitch
competitions, in addition to the network access many
minority founders simply do not have access to in
traditional ecosystems.

5. Our Ecosystem is Rich
in Diversity. Let’s Make it
More Equitable...
Lightship positions high-growth, minority led tech startups
to scale through team focussed talent development,
effective entrepreneurship education programming, and a
minimum investment of $500k. This is the highest
investment amount at the seed stage in the country.
We are fully committed to supporting Miami’s minority
innovation economy through comprehensive educational
programming, capital investments and the ongoing
support these remarkable founders need to thrive!

6. Why?
Because we don’t just find arbitrage
opportunities, we develop arbitrage
opportunities by creating a long-term
sustainable growth plan for companies
who can handle it.
Our plan over the next several years is
to deploy capital investments into 15
growth-focused startups (5 per year);
all within the industries of technology,
e-commerce, CPG, sustainability,
artificial intelligence, and healthcare.

7. FOUNDATION
• MEETUPS
• BOOTCAMP
• ACCELERATOR
CAPITAL
• INVESTMENT

8. Stronger Together:
Miami x Lightship
Why partner with us? Because our strategies drive
growth. To date, we’ve successfully completed two
accelerator cohorts including eight minority-led
companies that have raised over $100 million in venture
capital investment and created hundreds of jobs.
Our investment model is built on our ability to provide
companies with the most comprehensive, dedicated
support possible. There’s no “one size fits all” solution to
scale high growth businesses--so we completely avoid
relying on one.
Lightship’s strategy is the exact opposite of the “cast a
wide net” method used by so many accelerators and
investors. We take a deliberate, comprehensive
approach to hand-selecting each cohort. And it works.

9. ● Founder Meetups
● Online Pitch Competition
● Lightship Bootcamp
● Lightship Accelerator
● Investment
We’ve found that ongoing guidance
enables founders to feel covered and
confident. As a result, we support them
with meaningful follow-on, including
access to our in-house operational
team, professional services (marketing,
product development, etc.), and valuable
corporate & government partnership
networks.
Our approach:
founder-focused

10. We Don’t Guess & Hope.
We use Data Science, AI,
Psychology, and World
Class Value Creation
Teams to Generate Exits.
Our selection process begins with a
quantitative model of assessment to
gauge a reliable projection of a
company’s potential return and plausible
growth; based on industry, founder
exceptionalism, and their current
position in terms of product
development, market readiness &
impact, and revenue.

11. Meet Our Stars Haute Hijab | Allergy Amulet | Undock | Proov
Visuwall | Kare Mobile | Healthy Roots Dolls | FreshFry

12. Partnerships are key to
Miami’s success
“Cities with fast-growing technology sectors tend to have a few things in common: They
have high-caliber universities that produce talented engineers; they have strong
economies with business-friendly regulations; and they have a few larger tech companies
headquartered nearby.” - Wired, 2021
To maximize reach and impact, we will partner with Miami-based universities,
foundations, and corporations to implement programming for local
entrepreneurs and rising talent, ranging from bootcamps, accelerator
programs, and pitch competitions.
We will invest $500,000 in 15 high growth startups over
the next 3 years in Miami. Lightship will run a 5 cohort
accelerator program from 2022 to 2024.

13. Our Partners in Progress
Private Advising Group
Juan Pablo Cappello
Founder - Partner
Miami-Dade Beacon Council
Matt Haggman
Executive Vice President
One Community One Goal
Miami Foundation
Rebecca Fishman Lipsey
President and Chief Executive Officer
aīre ventures
Leigh-Ann Buchanan
President and Executive Director
EY South Florida
Kim Griffin-Hunter
Managing Partner - Miami
Greenberg Traurig, P.A.
Jaret L. Davis
Co-Managing Shareholder
The following individuals and organizations strongly support Lightship launching
our programs in Miami, and have agreed to provide cash, in-kind services,
mentorship, or generally support our work.
Join The Movement,
Lend your support here:
https://airtable.com/shrtHc8qrPG9X8aif

14. Contact:
Candice Matthews Brackeen
Executive Director
Lightship Foundation
candice@lightship.foundation
Brian Brackeen
General Partner
Lightship Capital
brian@lightship.capital
Lightship x Miami: Partnership Proposal