- Equity in CS Education
- Inclusive Pathways to Tech
- DEIB in the Tech Workforce
- Diversifying Entrepreneurship & VC
- Equitable Tech Policy
Equity in CS Education
To ensure a justice-centered, equitable computer science (CS) education for all students, we equip educators and leaders with funding, resources, and training to increase access, participation, and equity in K-12 CS education. We advocate for policy change and support CS education ecosystems in Oakland, Atlanta, and Detroit.
Through our commitments to resource development, programs, community organizations and schools, and research, we aim to:
1. Build awareness of challenges and opportunities to close racial equity gaps in CS education
2. Build the capacity of community organizations, schools, and educators to create equitable access and opportunities for Black, Latine, and Native student success in CS education
3. Ensure the adoption of policies and practices to promote equity and justice- centered CS education
4. Increase the number of Black, Latine, and Native students participating in culturally relevant, justice-centered CS education
Our Initiatives
Through the following initiatives, we work to ensure Black, Latine, and Native students have access to rigorous and culturally relevant CS education.
CSforDetroit
CSforDetroit
CSforDetroit is a multi-year, community-focused student-centered initiative, supported by the Kapor Foundation, Google.org, Song Foundation, and CSforALL’s Accelerator Program, to champion lasting transformation in Detroit through deep investment in K-12 CS education. Specifically, the initiative will help expand access to year-round CS learning opportunities for Detroit students that are high quality and culturally responsive, provide opportunities for professional learning for educators, engage the broader Detroit community in building a growth and development strategy informed by a deeply embedded sense of place that fuels a sense of belonging pride and purpose among Detroiters, and amplify opportunities to cultivate a diverse and robust pool of talent poised with knowledge and passion to design Detroit’s future.
CSforDetroit
Seeding Innovation
Seeding Innovation
Seeding Innovation is a collaboration between the Kapor Foundation and AISES, funded by the National Science Foundation under Project #2049023. Seeding Innovation offers Native serving schools high quality, tribe-specific, culturally revitalizing CS curricula and professional development, and is currently working in 6 high schools and Native communities.
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CSforOakland
CSforOakland
CSforOakland is a multi-year strategic approach supported by the Kapor Foundation to achieve collective impact through community partnership and engagement. CSforOakland is driven by the collective mission that Oakland youth must experience high-quality computer science instruction that is engaging, rigorous, relevant, and affords opportunities to develop and apply computing skills. This initiative will provide support, funding, and resources to the OUSD computer science department as well as other local youth computer science-centered organizations to afford all Oakland students the opportunity to actively participate in the tech-driven society.
CSforAtlanta
CSforAtlanta
CSforAtlanta is a multi-year strategic approach supported by the Kapor Center to create a thriving, diverse, and inclusive technology economy in the city of Atlanta, by developing and implementing comprehensive (P-16) computer science education pathways and programming across metro Atlanta. CSforAtlanta aims to increase access to rigorous and culturally responsive computer science education and increase the number of minoritized students in metro Atlanta participating in computer science programs both in school and out through teacher education, policy, and capacity-building support.
ECS Instructional Resources
Equitable CS Instructional Resources and Professional Learning
As a part of our three-year partnership with Google.org, the Equitable Computer Science Initiative was created to develop a framework and resources for culturally responsive-sustaining K12 computer science. This initiative aims to ensure CS educators, schools, and school districts are equipped with resources, professional learning, and support needed to create and develop engagement, relevance, identity, and persistence in K12 computing pathways for Black, Native, Latine students, girls, gender non-binary students, and students with disabilities.
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Inclusive Pathways to Tech
To address disparities in postsecondary computing education and create alternative inclusive pathways to tech jobs, we produce resources and toolkits, invest in organizations and initiatives expanding access to tech jobs, and advocate for new models of upskilling, reskilling, and hiring.
Through our investments in resource development, programs, partners, and research, we aim to:
1. Build awareness of challenges and opportunities to close racial equity gaps in postsecondary pathways
2. Increase adoption of policies & practices to create equitable pathways to tech careers
3. Increase the number of Black, Latine, and Native students earning tech degrees / certifications & entering tech careers
Our Initiatives
Equitable Tech Apprenticeship Toolkit
The Toolkit addresses six core practice areas impacting the apprentice experience.
Equitable Tech Apprenticeship Toolkit
Equitable Tech Apprenticeship Toolkit
Co-designed with equity champions in tech, the Equitable Tech Apprenticeship Toolkit is a one-stop resource offering tech workers, leaders, and policy professionals actionable guidance on how to increase racial and educational inclusion through the design and implementation of tech apprenticeship programs. It addresses six core practice areas impacting the apprentice experience: (1) gaining program buy-in, (2) sourcing talent, (3) assessing talent, (4) structuring the learning journey, (5) creating a culture of mentorship and support, and (6) converting talent & sustaining future equity work. Each module includes templates, tools, and tips to explore.
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Airbnb Connect Software Engineering Apprenticeship
Kapor’s collaboration with Airbnb helps provide a pathway to entry-level software engineering roles for individuals with nontraditional technical backgrounds.
Paid Airbnb Apprenticeship
Paid Airbnb Connect Software Engineering Apprenticeship
Connect is a paid 6-month apprenticeship program at Airbnb that provides a pathway to entry-level software engineering roles for individuals with nontraditional technical backgrounds.
In the beginning you’ll learn from Airbnb’s Technical Engineering Instructor about the ins and outs of coding at Airbnb in a workshop environment. You’ll start to do some practical work before you eventually start coding with teams.
At the end of the apprenticeship, there’s potential to convert to a permanent, entry-level software engineering role making a real impact on Airbnb’s product.
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DEIB in the Tech Workforce
Our tech workplace initiatives support tech industry professionals in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace. This includes individuals in official DEIB roles, those who hold other positions and are committed to DEIB, and entrepreneurs working to build companies grounded in DEIB.
Through our support of tech industry professionals advancing DEIB in the workplace, we aim to:
1. Increase adoption of policies & practices to promote diversity in the tech workforce
2. Build awareness of challenges & opportunities to close racial equity gaps within the tech workplace
Our Initiatives
Kapor DEIB for Startups
DEIB for Startups helps pre-seed and seed-stage tech founders get started with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Kapor DEIB for Startups
Kapor DEIB for Startups
DEIB for Startups helps pre-seed and seed-stage tech founders get started with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. For a limited time, we are working with Kapor Center partners to offer this initiative to their stakeholders at no charge for those who commit to completing the entire offering.
This 3-course program spans 5 hours and helps participants understand the fundamentals of DEIB, how to get started with inclusive hiring practices, and how to create a culture where talent can thrive and advance your tech startup.
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Diversifying Entrepreneurship & VC
To address the lack of capital deployed to entrepreneurs and fund managers from underrepresented groups, we deploy venture capital to gap-closing entrepreneurs and funds, support organizations and programs expanding the pipeline of entrepreneurs and investors, conduct research, and advocate for policy change.
Through our programs and investments in the entrepreneurship landscape, we aim to:
1. Build awareness of racial disparities in entrepreneurship and VC and opportunities for closing gaps.
2. Increase capital deployed to Black, Latine, and Native entrepreneurs.
3. Expand the pipeline of Black, Latine, and Native tech VCs.
Our Initiatives
Kapor Fellows
The Kapor Fellows Program, founded in 2011, is designed to provide career pathways to underrepresented individuals in tech.
Direct Investment
We primarily focus on fund investments, targeting seed and Series A rounds. By doing so, we aim to prioritize a new outcome through venture capital: a more fair, just, and equitable society for low-income communities and underrepresented communities of color, exclusively investing in early-stage startups that close gaps of access for all.
Platform Support
As a team of investors and founders, we recognize that success extends beyond monetary support. Platform Teams are a growing function in venture, increasingly showing impressive returns (.5x TVPI compared to firms with no platform support). We believe offering Platform Support across all funds and their portfolio companies is a necessity.
Through feedback collected from our portfolio funds, we provide wraparound services, including sharing resources with pipeline prospects, helping first-time GPs strengthen their data rooms and prepare for institutional due diligence, supporting fundraising via serving as a frequent LP reference, encouraging collaboration across funds on co-investments, portfolio support, events, talent, and more.
Equitable Tech Policy
At this moment in our country, we believe technology is central to the fight for racial equity. And, we believe that policy change is critical to transforming systems and structures preventing the full participation and protection of Black, Latine, and Native communities across the technology ecosystem. We have developed a framework for systemic change that outlines a set of nine core technology policy areas that call for expanded access to technology pathways, increased tech accountability and worker protections, and greater investment in infrastructure and innovation.
Through our investments in research, programs, and partners, we aim to:
1. Build awareness about the need for equitable technology policies centering nine priorities
2. Build infrastructure and capacity for non-profit organizations, postsecondary institutions, researchers, and individuals to understand trends, develop solutions, and take action to advance equitable tech policy
3. Drive collective advocacy leading to policy change across federal, state, and local levels and within the private sector
Our Initiatives
Equitable Tech Policy
We invest in research, programs, and partnerships to broaden tech access, ensure accountability, enhance protections, and boost infrastructure and innovation.
Expand Access to Tech Pathways
This involves expanding access and participation in K-12 computer science (CS) education, closing racial equity gaps, and investing in new models of inclusive tech workforce development, including new models for upskilling, reskilling, and hiring.
Promote Tech Accountability & Protections
Expanding tech company workforce data collection, reporting, transparency, and accountability, while also expanding tech worker protections, including whistleblower protections, gig worker safety nets, and unions, to ensure equitable labor practices. We will work to ensure tech platforms are held accountable for harassment, violence, discrimination, mis/disinformation, and combat the harmful consequences of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and create standards for the future development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
Increase Tech Infrastructure and Innovation Investments
We do this by closing the digital divide through universal high-speed broadband access and adoption. We also aim to increase the deployment of capital to diverse startup entrepreneurs, fund managers, and ecosystem-building organizations to support diversity in tech innovation. Lastly, we’ll support progressive taxation policies that ensure the wealth created by technology companies is reinvested in communities of color historically excluded from the technology sector.