"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to @MarkACleveland and his team at @ParallelEntrep for the opportunity to discuss Elevate Capital @pdxelevatevc and my journey about the importance of empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs. Engaging in meaningful conversations about the challenges and triumphs we face is vital to driving change and fostering growth for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors alike," says @NitinrRai, Elevate Capital Founder and Managing Partner. Check out the podcast at

RT @ParallelEntrep: Nitin Rai @NitinRRai shares why failure wasn’t an option for him and why resilience is a defining trait of the entrepre…

RT @ParallelEntrep: On the Parallel Entrepreneur Podcast, Nitin Rai, Founder & Managing Partner, Elevate Capital shared that many women fou…

Elevate Capital, Oregon's first inclusive venture capital fund supporting diversity and inclusion, has been selected by Business Oregon @BusinessOregon to manage the SSBCI (State Small Business Credit Initiative) Venture Direct program. This selection marks a significant advancement for Oregon’s early-stage startups. This Fund will allocate up to $15M to invest in Oregon startups over the next four to six years. Read News Release: “The honor of managing the SSBCI Venture Direct program follows a highly competitive selection process with Business Oregon and reflects Elevate Capital's reputation and effectiveness in fostering innovation and growth in Oregon's startup community with investment. We are thrilled to receive the continued trust and confidence from the State of Oregon,” says Nitin Rai, Elevate Capital’s Founder and Managing Partner. @NitinrRai

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. #MLK #MLKDay #MartinLutherKingJr

📢 Check out Elevate Capital's January newsletter highlighting the latest achievements of Elevate Capital portfolio companies:

As we welcome the new year, may 2025 bring you abundant success. To our team of Elevate Capital investors, mentors and partners: Thank you for believing in great possibilities for entrepreneurs to reach their highest potential and positive impact during challenging times. To our Elevate Capital portfolio companies: Your diligence, commitment, enthusiasm, and drive to succeed (no matter the challenges) are why you are part of the Elevate Capital portfolio team. Let 2025 be a canvas for your dreams, where every day offers a fresh start and new potential. Embrace each moment as a unique opportunity to grow and evolve, discovering your strength to overcome challenges and seize the possibilities. Here’s to a new year filled with optimism, purpose, and the courage to chase after your aspirations. #HappyNewYear2025

Wishing everyone a joyous and festive holiday season filled with peace, laughter, and wonderful memories. –Elevate Capital Team #HappyHolidays #HappyHanukkah #MerryChristmas #HappyKwanzaa #HappyNewYear2025

Elevate Capital is grateful to our partners, investors, portfolio companies and the community. Your unwavering support has been the cornerstone of Elevate's success. May this Thanksgiving bring you abundance, joy and prosperity. #HappyThanksgiving

📢 The Elevate Capital November newsletter is out: Check out the latest portfolio milestones, mergers, funding, awards, partnerships and more. #EntrepreneurLife #StartupSuccess #VentureCapital #VentureFund #Entrepreneurship

🚀 Join us in Miami this Wednesday 11/13 and learn more about Elevate and our fund’s history 🚀 ​Performance of Fund I & II: ​ 🥇 Fund I: With a 17% net IRR and 18% annualized cash return, Elevate Capital Fund I has outperformed the industry norm. Seven successful exits and a 4x average exit multiple have driven the creation of $60M in realized generational wealth, with another $200M in unrealized wealth. Elevate Fund I is in the upper mid quartile for DPI and has a MOIC of 2.61x. ​ 🥈 Fund II: Continuing the trend, Fund II’s companies have already generated over $100M in revenue, with a current combined market cap of $837M, solidifying Elevate’s reputation for delivering superior returns through an inclusive investment strategy​​​. ​Through these funds, Elevate Capital has deployed more than $50M to 61 startups, creating not just financial success but multi-generational wealth for the founders and their communities. 🥉 After a successful Fund I and Fund II, we are raising Fund III to continue investing in talented founders leading early stage technology and healthcare companies that happen to be led by diverse entrepreneurs. Join us at our Miami event: "Unlocking Human Potential: Why Elevate Capital Invests in Underestimated Entrepreneurs" along with @MiamiAngelsVC and @Holland_Knight : 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) ✉️ RSVP here for the in-person event: 💻 RSVP here for the livestream event: ⚠️ Investing in venture capital funds is inherently risky and illiquid. It involves a high degree of risk and is suitable only for sophisticated and qualified accredited investors. 📷

🌟 Diversity Drives Outperformance. Generational Wealth Fuels Impact. 🌟 At Elevate Capital, we’re proving that investing in diverse founders is both the right choice and smart business. Studies show that ethnically diverse teams are 35% more likely to have above-average profits, while gender-diverse teams outperform non-diverse teams by up to 25%. McKinsey research consistently highlights how diversity can boost returns, with diverse teams delivering 25-30% higher returns than their non-diverse peers. Our mission is to back underrepresented founders who bring fresh ideas to underserved markets. While diversity is our focus, returns, cash management, and revenue growth come first. We believe these fundamentals are often overlooked in founders who don’t fit the typical mold, yet underrepresented founders represent untapped markets with enormous potential. Elevate goes beyond funding by offering mentorship capital from over 150 exited founders and executives, providing hands-on support to help our portfolio companies thrive. We’re dedicated to building generational wealth by creating a cycle of wealth and opportunity that benefits entire communities. Our core competencies drive success at every stage: team development through mentorship, timely exits for early liquidity, and capital partnerships with angel groups, micro funds, corporate VCs, and more. Diversity isn’t just a checkbox — it’s a driver of innovation, profitability, and economic growth. Together, let’s unlock the power of diversity in venture capital and build a more inclusive ecosystem. Join us at our Miami event: "Unlocking Human Potential: Why Elevate Capital Invests in Underestimated Entrepreneurs" along with @MiamiAngelsVC and Holland & Knight LLP: 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) ✉️ RSVP here for the in-person event: 🖥️ RSVP here for the virtual live stream event: ⚠️ Investing in venture capital funds is inherently risky and illiquid. It involves a high degree of risk and is suitable only for sophisticated and qualified accredited investors.

✨ "Unlocking Human Potential" Miami Event Partner Spotlight: @MiamiAngelsVC ✨ ​​ Miami Angels is an largest angel investor syndicate that unites exceptional entrepreneurs with accomplished accredited investors to foster success. The group comprises over 100 angel investors, many of whom have vast entrepreneurial backgrounds, and extends beyond capital provision to include access to talent and future funding. Miami Angels primarily invests in post-launch SaaS-enabled companies across multiple industry sectors. The group is committed to supporting founders from diverse backgrounds and encourages direct communication from entrepreneurs, eliminating the need for warm introductions or formal applications​​. Join us & Miami Angels' Managing Director, @JaredSchwitzke, at the event: 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) 📩 RSVP here:

✨ "Unlocking Human Potential" Miami Event Partner Spotlight: @Holland_Knight ✨ Holland & Knight's South Florida Venture Capital Team advises VC firms, corporate strategic investors, angel investors, and family offices on all aspects of formation, investment, operations, and liquidity issues. They calibrate their guidance with fluctuating market conditions and their clients' goals throughout the life of their investments. The team understands the regional realities of the marketplace and takes a measured approach when discussing potential terms, options, and expectations. The South Florida team represents institutional VC investors of all sizes, including corporate venture capital (CVC) groups and market leaders with extensive assets under management. They provide practical advice and holistic guidance on a full range of formation, operational, investment, and liquidity issues. Additionally, the South Florida team advises entrepreneurs throughout their companies' full life cycles—from structuring formations and facilitating capital raises to supporting launches, negotiating sales, arranging initial public offerings (IPOs), and crafting alternative exit strategies. They draw on the experience of the firm's 2,200 attorneys to protect intellectual property (IP), conduct technology transfers and transactions, ensure data security, and perform other critical legal functions for startups and maturing enterprises across various industries. Holland & Knight’s South Florida attorneys possess the expertise to advise beyond traditional corporate structures and venture capital routes. They help companies grow by tailoring their services to meet the unique needs of each client, having advised emerging companies across sectors such as healthcare technology, artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrency/FinTech, ocean cleanup, fantasy sports, beverages, health and wellness, hotels, Internet of Things (IoT), carbon capture, and energy storage. We are grateful to Holland & Knight for hosting this event and supporting the VC and startup industry! Join us and Holland & Knight LLP partners Danielle Price and Enrique Conde at the event: 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) 📩 RSVP here:

✨ Panelists Spotlight Post: @NitinrRai ✨ Nitin Rai is the Founder and Managing Partner of Elevate Capital Fund, a fund dedicated to investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs. With a background as a successful software technology leader, Nitin transitioned to venture capital to drive meaningful change in the startup ecosystem. Before founding Elevate in 2016, Nitin began his career in Silicon Valley as an engineer at two startups, where he experienced the challenges of exclusion firsthand. This inspired him to forge his own path, leading to the establishment of First Insight Corporation in 1994, which under his leadership became a key player in the optometry and ophthalmology software industry with its flagship product, MaximEyes. He also founded Fast Pay Health, a revenue cycle management service that continues to support eye care professionals. Nitin’s entrepreneurial journey laid the foundation for Elevate Capital, where he is committed to funding exceptional companies, building new ecosystems, and creating generational wealth for founders. Under his guidance, Elevate Capital has invested in 88 startups, creating over 700 jobs. Fund I has achieved remarkable results, including a 22% net IRR, 18% annualized cash return, and seven successful exits, resulting in $60M in realized generational wealth and another $200M in unrealized wealth. Elevate Fund I ranks in the upper mid-quartile for DPI, reflecting the fund's strong performance in the VC landscape. Nitin's dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion continues to drive Elevate's mission and impact in the startup ecosystem. Join us & @MiamiAngelsVC to hear from Nitin and other panelists: 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) 📩 RSVP here: 📷

@JourneytrackCJM

✨ Panelists Spotlight Post- Moderator: Craig Edelstein, MBA, MPA✨ As a dynamic and strategic investor and turnaround executive, Craig brings extensive investment and operational expertise to the table. Currently, he has been advising Elevate Capital Fund and assisting other emerging managers as well as novel technology companies. Previously, Craig served as Acting President of Infinium, and before that, he was with The Frost Group, a family office where he managed a diverse portfolio of direct investments across seed stage, growth stage, and M&A. Craig also remains actively involved in his family’s commercial real estate business. His board experience includes positions with Uriel Solar, Infinium Metals, and the MIT Sloan Alumni Board, as well as representing The Frost Group on the Board of Morgan Solar. Passionate about wealth creation, delivering business value, and developing talent, Craig excels in both startup and mature environments. Join us & @MiamiAngelsVC to hear from Craig and the panelists: 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) 📩 RSVP here:

✨ Panelist Spotlight Post: Obi Omile✨ Obi Omile Jr. is a distinguished member of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 List and a proud alum of Techstars ‘18. As the co-founder and CEO of theCut, he leads the largest technology platform modernizing the barbershop experience for both barbers and their clients. TheCut is a key part of Elevate's Fund II portfolio, where we were a lead investor in their early-stage funding round. Since that investment, theCut has achieved an impressive nearly 55% year-over-year growth. With over 170,000 barbers and 7 million users having downloaded the app, they’ve collectively booked more than 85 million appointments nationwide, significantly disrupting the $20B+ barbershop industry. Join us & @MiamiAngelsVC to hear from Obi and other panelists: 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 13th ⏰ Time: 5-8pm ET 📍 Location: Brickell- Miami, FL (exact location disclosed upon registration) 📩 RSVP here: