MoviePass Founder Stacy Spikes Headlines "Power Forward" in Los Angeles, Awarding $100K+ to Underrepresented Entrepreneurs
- Equity Angels
- May 5
- 2 min read
Updated: May 7
Pacific Northwest-based Equity Angels teams with Distinct Concierge and 25 Ventures to create unprecedented investment opportunity for underrepresented entrepreneurs
LOS ANGELES, CA – May 5, 2025 – Equity Angels, the Bellevue-based entrepreneurial support organization founded by real estate, tech, and entrepreneur veterans Katherine Winston and Kenya Burrell-VanWormer, today announced the launch of “Power Forward,” an investment summit offering six-figure funding to underrepresented founders. Taking place on July 14 at Los Angeles' Fairmont Century Plaza, the summit brings together San Francisco, Pacific Northwest, Los Angeles and Canada-based investors with high-potential startups in sports, entertainment and real estate technology.
“Investment expertise and entrepreneurial talent are both here — we're just bringing them together more efficiently," said Winston and Burrell-VanWormer in a joint statement. “This summit demonstrates how cross-regional partnerships can accelerate innovation and create valuable companies.”
The summit features MoviePass founder Stacy Spikes as keynote speaker, whose entrepreneurial journey was recently showcased in an HBO documentary and bestselling book "Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider." The event will culminate in a high-stakes pitch competition where founders compete for investment through a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) worth six figures.
Notable tech and venture leaders participating include Patrick Lee (Rotten Tomatoes Co-Founder), Thai Randolph (HARTBEAT Co-Founder), Max Diez (General Partner at Twenty Five Ventures) and Craig D'Cruze (COO of Inverted Ventures). Their insights into navigating the entrepreneurial landscape will inform and inspire attendees.
“Smart investors recognize that innovation isn't limited by geography or background," explained Rod Watson, Founder and CEO of Distinct Concierge. “Power Forward identifies and supports exceptional founders who might otherwise be overlooked, creating opportunities for significant returns.”
The summit will showcase nearly 30 high-potential startups across real estate, sports and entertainment — including PairGap's Nikki Merkerson (smart shared homeownership); Reeku's Alikiah Barclay (lease-to-asset conversion); Convierge's Luciane Serifovic (home search and vendor management); Chambr's Alex Poe (AI-powered sales performance); Goby Homes' Terrence Nickelson (real estate transactions), and ARKI's Natalia Bakaeva (built world design intelligence).
For registration and sponsorship information: www.equity-angels.com/power-forward.
About Equity Angels
Founded by real estate and tech veterans Katherine Winston and Kenya Burrell-VanWormer, Equity Angels transforms how underrepresented founders access capital and opportunity. The organization brings together a multi-talented leadership team with decades of combined experience across operations, strategy, product, technology, sales, marketing and human resources. With a track record spanning startup failures and successes — including exits to acquisition and IPO — Equity Angels offers accelerator programs, executive placement, and direct investor connections that expand opportunity in innovation while driving measurable returns for all stakeholders.
About Distinct Concierge Real Estate
Distinct Concierge Real Estate is a luxury real estate firm in Los Angeles with deep expertise in the real estate market and a network of high-net-worth individuals passionate about social progress.
About Twenty Five Ventures
Twenty Five Ventures is a multi-strategy venture fund committed to investing in diverse-led companies that are powering the real estate and financial infrastructure.
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