Valence Community

Valence Community operates as a professional networking platform with a mission to create pathways to success for Black professionals. The company was founded in 2019 by Kobie Fuller, Emily Slade, and LaMer Walker to address the underrepresentation of Black talent in high-paying industries like technology and finance. Fuller, a General Partner at venture capital firm Upfront Ventures, was motivated by his own experiences in the venture capital world and the frequent requests he received to help companies find Black talent. This led to the concept of creating a centralized network to connect companies with a pipeline of qualified Black professionals. Guy Primus, a seasoned technology and media executive with experience at companies like Microsoft and Starbucks, later joined as CEO.

The platform serves a dual-sided market. For its members, who are Black professionals, Valence offers a community for connection, mentorship, and career opportunities. This includes networking events, advice on entrepreneurship, and access to job openings. For its corporate clients, Valence provides a recruitment and professional development tool to help diversify their workforces, from early-career roles to the C-suite. The company's business model is centered on its two main products. "Pipeline" is a recruiting database that corporate partners use to source and hire Black talent. "BONDS" is a membership-based professional development program designed to accelerate the careers of emerging Black executives, sponsored by their employers.

A significant milestone for Valence was the launch of the Valence Funding Network in 2020. This initiative connects Black entrepreneurs with partners at prominent venture capital firms like Accel, Sequoia, and GGV Capital for mentorship and potential funding opportunities. In June 2022, Valence was acquired by Greenwood, a digital banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and business owners. The acquisition integrated Valence's network and recruitment tools into Greenwood's broader ecosystem, which aims to close the racial wealth gap by providing financial, career, and community-building resources. Following the acquisition, Guy Primus continued as CEO of Valence while also becoming a Vice President at Greenwood, and Kobie Fuller joined Greenwood's advisory board.

Keywords: Black professional network, diversity recruiting, career development for Black professionals, professional networking platform, corporate diversity solutions, Black talent pipeline, executive coaching, mentorship for Black professionals, Valence Community, Greenwood acquisition, Kobie Fuller, Guy Primus, minority professional community, Black entrepreneurship, venture capital access, professional development programs, diversity and inclusion technology, Black leadership development, career advancement, talent sourcing