Making Tech Inclusion a Thing for All

Wayne Sutton is dedicating his professional life to creating a diverse and inclusive technology culture. 

Wayne Sutton works in Silicon Valley. He is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Change Catalyst and its Tech Inclusion programs. Silicon Valley is in the San Francisco Bay area of California. It is also home to many startup and global technology companies. Wayne’s involvement with technology didn’t start there. In 2009, Wayne was the cofounder of TriOut, a mobile location-based startup in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wayne says he would stay current with technology news.

He remembers, “I would ignite events in North Carolina where 700 people would attend, do tweet-ups as well as community events.” However, he realized that success wasn’t happening for him like it was for others he was reading about.
“What’s different?” Wayne asked himself.
Several things became evident to him. Research showed that less than one percent of technology startups founded by blacks and Hispanics receive venture capital. Angel investors were also hard to find.

That was an awakening for Wayne. “I’m that one percent,” he said. “Now, what am I going to do about it?”