gener8tor and Bronze Valley Announce Managing Director for New Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator
Concepción, previously of VU Venture Partners, joins gener8tor as Bronze Valley accelerator director
Birmingham, Ala. - Christine Concepción has been selected as the inaugural managing director of the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator. The startup accelerator program, a partnership between venture capital platforms Bronze Valley and gener8tor, is located in Birmingham, Alabama and supports high-growth, innovative and technology-enabled companies created by diverse, underrepresented and underestimated founders.
As managing director, Concepción will lead the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator in cultivating startups that have the opportunity for significant and scalable economic impact. gener8tor’s network and expertise in sales, marketing and go-to-market strategies support startups that are primed to achieve their growth and fundraising goals.
“Christine is the ideal person for this role,” said Neill S. Wright, president and CEO of Bronze Valley. “She has the knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm to meet the demands and opportunities it presents. We look forward to her successes in continuing to build a strong track record for the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator.”
gener8tor is a nationally ranked accelerator that invests in high-growth startups and supports the growth of these startups through its network of experienced mentors, technologists, corporate partners, angel investors and venture capitalists in more than 35 communities. The Bronze Valley Accelerator is operated in partnership with Bronze Valley, a Birmingham-based non-profit, CDFI (“Community Development Financial Institution”) early stage venture capital fund.
Christine brings a wealth of previous startup and financial industry knowledge and insight to the gener8tor team. Prior to joining gener8tor, she was a principal at VU Venture Partners on the FinTech team, investing and expertly guiding startups into successful exits. Christine’s career also includes founding and building a FinTech gaming platform for Gen Z, and she holds the distinction of being one of fewer than 100 Latina entrepreneurs ever to raise more than seven figures in capital. Christine’s prior experience includes a background in consulting and investment banking. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School with a focus on entrepreneurship and a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Media Studies with a minor in Economics, Magna Cum Laude.
“Democratizing access to venture capital for underrepresented founders has been not only a professional goal but a deeply personal endeavor,” Concepción said. “A more equitable landscape is not only morally driven, but financially advantageous to local economies and the national economy. Now more than ever, in times of economic uncertainty, providing capital and offering resources to the companies selected for gener8tor’s Bronze Valley accelerator will bring jobs to the community and invigorate the great American entrepreneurial spirit. I am excited to undertake this challenge as gener8tor’s new Managing Director for the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator.”
The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is offered in Birmingham, Alabama due to the generous support of Bronze Valley, as well as the Alabama Department of Commerce, Alabama Power, Regions and Spire. The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is held once per year, with just five diverse and/or female-led companies accepted per year to ensure a high level of individualized attention.
The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is currently accepting applications. The 12-week program will launch Jan. 26 and conclude on April 27 with a Startup Showcase. Startups, mentors and investors can sign up to meet with Christine and learn more or get involved.
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About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate programs and conferences in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About Bronze Valley
Bronze Valley is a nonprofit, early stage venture investment platform that supports high growth, innovation and technology-enabled companies created by diverse, underrepresented and underestimated founders. The mission of Bronze Valley is to provide an education-to
opportunity-to-outcome pipeline for communities that are underrepresented in technology
and industry where innovators will shape the future.
