Already investing?
Exchange perspectives on impact, business models and finding the right capital. Explore prepared businesses beyond your usual networks and assess opportunities on their evidence.
Black Capital Exchange
Put your commitment to impact into practice.
Right business. Right capital.
Already investing for impact, or exploring your first steps?
Black Capital Exchange brings purpose driven backers together with diverse founders building businesses across consumer goods, services, the creative economy and technology.
Our proposed pilot that prepares both sides prepares founders to make credible asks and helps backers assess how they could respond through finance, expertise or access.
MELLA Supply × Strategic Disruption ConsultingPlanned for Q1 2027
Explore your role02
What could you help move forward?
Bringing expertise or connections?
Your operating experience, customer relationships or specialist knowledge could help a business move forward. Explore a contribution with a clear scope and realistic expectations.
Considering your first investment?
Build a practical understanding of business assessment, risk and different funding options before deciding whether financial participation is right for you.
There is more than one way to back a business.
Financial capital
Appropriate investment, lending or other funding.
Access capital
Customers, contracts, distribution and market relationships.
Intellectual capital
Specialist knowledge, strategic guidance and operational support.
You do not need to make a financial investment to participate. Expertise and access are valuable contributions in their own right, not financial investments by another name.
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Two sides. Better prepared decisions.
Founders prepare the ask.
1. Diagnose the business.
Understand the model, customers, traction, finances and operating capacity.
2. Identify the right resources.
Develop a practical 12 month strategy for what the business needs next.
3. Build the case.
Explain the opportunity, the evidence behind it and what a specific contribution would enable.
The goal is a credible case for the actual business, not a pitch shaped to imitate another model.
Backers prepare the response.
1. Clarify your role.
Identify your resources, experience, interests and capacity.
2. Explore the opportunity.
Consider commercial evidence, intended impact, risk and whether your contribution fits.
3. Define a realistic offer.
Understand what you could contribute, on what terms and with which expectations.
The proposed learning approach combines foundations for newer participants with peer exchange and specialist contributions from experienced participants.
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The Exchange, and what follows.
Prepared founders make specific asks. Backers explore whether they can respond.
This is not a winner takes all pitch competition. Different businesses have different needs, and participants are free to decide whether an opportunity fits.
A conversation may lead to further assessment, an introduction, an advisory commitment or a financial discussion. It may also establish that there is no suitable fit.
The proposed pilot includes structured follow through, with agreed actions, named owners and progress reviews at 30 and 90 days.
The presentation is a starting point, not the finish line.
The team and programme partner
Who is behind it
Black Capital Exchange is jointly developed by MELLA Supply and Strategic Disruption Consulting. MELLA contributes ecosystem mapping, community relationships and convening. SDC contributes experience in fundraising, investment, strategy and leadership development.
Ana Martins
Founder and President · MELLA Supply
Ana Martins
Cape Verdean Portuguese entrepreneur and ecosystem builder in Lisbon, and co founder of The Fam Kitchen Group. She brings a practical understanding of the customers, decisions and relationships businesses need to move forward.
Danielle Taylor
CEO · Strategic Disruption Consulting
Danielle Taylor
SDC is a social impact agency supporting Black and brown leaders and organisations through fundraising, investment, strategy and leadership development.
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Explore your role.
What could your next contribution look like?
Tell us about your interests, experience and the resources you might bring. We are collecting expressions of interest as the proposed pilot takes shape.
Express backer interest
Investors, professionals, business owners and companies with finance, expertise or access to offer.
Express backer interest
Prefer to meet first?
Join the Black Capital Exchange evening on Tuesday 10 November in Lisbon. Attendance is subject to approval.
Request an invitationExpress founder interest
For operating businesses ready to understand their next need and make a clear ask. Five short, confidential questions.
Express founder interestNo financial pledge is required. An expression of interest is not an application or a confirmed place. Final eligibility, dates, format and participation terms will be published once confirmed.
Important information
Black Capital Exchange is not an investment fund and does not guarantee funding, returns, customers, partnerships or matches. Financial investment involves risk, including possible loss. Participation does not confer an investment qualification or authorisation. Any transaction requires appropriate assessment and compliance with applicable legal requirements.