99+Years
Industry Experience
Diamond Ventures, formed to be a $200MM (MM=Millions) racial justice and equity fund. Once green lighted to become a SBIC, we have extended our thesis for the broader needs for lending, equity, surety bonding, and financial advisory services. Diamond Ventures (DV) is a venture capital firm organized to invest in and lend to highly qualified entrepreneurs, many of which may be primarily veteran, minority or women-owned or managed businesses. We are interested in finance and relationship opportunities with firms that are involved in government contracting, and diversity suppliers to the Fortune 500. We look for companies that have high growth opportunities with these two drivers as actual or potential key customers.
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- We assisted Exelon and PEPCO in the structuring, advising, development, potential measurements, impacts, and criteria for this racial justice and equity fund. The press release is here: https://www.exeloncorp.com/
newsroom/exelon-announces-$36- million-equity-fund-to- support-minority-owned- business-growth - Engaged by a major Multi-Billion Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to originate and advise on capital deployments for Black and Minority led firms via its $300 Million Loan and Debt Fund.
- Invited to advise and manage multiple states multi-million dollar allocations from the United States Treasury State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) allocations.
- Signed a Memorandum of Understanding Partnership, via GETWIREDAMERICA, with a leading Midwest broadband and telecom firm for rural broadband deployments.
- Approved to be a certified minority firm via is Certified Public Accounting Affiliate, PEEK, LLC with the National Minority Supplier Development Company, Metro Washington Airports, District of Columbia, and other other state and national agencies.
- Selected by Trident Ventures as an Independent Sponsor: https://www.trident.co/trident-takes-aim-at-widening-access-to-the-private-equity-and-small-business-acquisition-landscape/
- Venture Capital Advisor to the National Urban League Urban Empowerment Fund’s Minority Business Development Agency’s Capital Readiness Program
DV expects to balance financial and social returns with its investors in the following socially underserved areas.
Minority Entrepreneurs
Minority Entrepreneurs
DV will assist highly qualified minority and women entrepreneurs gain access to capital, government contracts, and corporate preferred purchase programs.
Veterans
Veterans
DV will assist highly qualified veteran managed businesses. DV believes that veterans have a unique training, discipline, and leadership potential indicative of the leadership needed to grow entrepreneurial companies.
Low-Income
Jobs in Low-Income Areas
DV plans to lead the push to serve underserved markets in the U.S. by finding, coordinating and financing businesses that create jobs in areas such low-income areas and inner cities. Our track record proves our commitment.
Corporate Purchasing
Corporate Purchasing Conduit for Stronger Minority-Owned Businesses
DV will work with procurement offices of large U.S. corporations and contracting officers of government agencies to strengthen their supply chain with businesses we invest in that are important to corporations.
Diamond also plans to work strategically and collaboratively with the National Minority Supplier Development Council and its local affiliates, which have as its members over 3,500 large corporations and over 15,000 businesses owned by minorities who are America’s fastest growing sector.
We also look to work with firms that are customers of the Billion Dollar Roundtable®, the National Urban League’s Urban Empowerment Fund, CDFIs, Community Banks, Minority Depository Institutions that are members of the National Bankers Association and like entities.
The Diamond Ventures team is comprised of experienced professionals with a breadth of knowledge and experience in various industries.
Financed over 200 companies in his career. He is a former banker with a track record of at least 40 financing.
Earl Peek, CPA
FOUNDER & MANAGING PRINCIPAL
Funded over 600 businesses. Leveraged more than $500 million in financing and to create over 10,000 jobs.
LONNIE SABOOR
PRINCIPAL
Over $700MM in AUM. Created more than 20 funds in Europe, Asia, Africa, and other global regions.
HUBERTUS J. VAN DER VAART
PRINCIPAL
Served as the CEO or CTO in half a dozen startups and senior executive in two multi-billion-dollar companies.
MARK E. SWANSON
SPECIAL LIMITED PARTNER, ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE