2026 Black Leaders Shaping the Greater Boston and New England Startup Scene

Every few months, the same take pops up: “The Boston tech scene is slipping.” Respectfully…we disagree.

What is changing is how the ecosystem shows up. Boston and New England aren’t powered by hype cycles alone; they’re powered by people doing the real, often unglamorous work of building companies, investing early, creating platforms, supporting founders and knitting the community together across industries, identities and generations.

This Black History Month, we’re excited to shine a light on Black leaders who are shaping the present - and future - of the Boston and New England startup ecosystem. From venture capital and climate tech to mental health, media, education, deep tech and community-building, these leaders are proof that the region remains a powerhouse, not because of one sector or one success story, but because of collective momentum.

Below is our (non-exhaustive!) 2026 list of Black leaders building, backing and strengthening the startup community across Greater Boston and beyond.

The 2026 Black Leaders in the Boston and New England Startup Community

Investing in the Future

Aymbré Paige (Limited Partner, Mendoza Ventures) 

Operating at the intersection of early-stage capital and community building, Aymbré Paige supports founders through her role as a Limited Partner at Mendoza Ventures. The Boston-based fund invests in fintech, AI, and cybersecurity, with diversity embedded directly into its thesis - roughly 70% of the portfolio is led by immigrants, people of color, and women. Beyond writing checks, Mendoza Ventures functions as a micro-community builder, intentionally curating small local cohorts of founders. This approach allows founders to receive meaningful support early and then pay it forward by expanding their own micro-communities into broader ecosystems. The result is capital that compounds not just financially, but socially.

Daniel Acheampong (General Partner, Visible Hands VC) 

Backing founders at the moment when access matters most defines the work happening at Visible Hands. As a General Partner, Daniel Acheampong focuses on pre-seed investments in overlooked but formidable founders who are transforming the future. The firm pairs early capital with hands-on support, helping founders gain momentum long before traditional venture steps in. Daniel’s work centers on expanding who gets funded and who gets to participate in innovation-driven wealth creation. Through founder-first investing, he is helping reshape early-stage access across Boston and beyond.

Carmichael Roberts (Chief Investment Officer, Breakthrough Energy Ventures) 

Scaling climate solutions that can fundamentally reshape the global economy sits at the core of this work. As Chief Investment Officer at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Carmichael Roberts partners with entrepreneurs building technologies that cut carbon at scale. He is also a founding partner of Material Impact, a fund focused on commercializing breakthrough materials science into enduring companies. With a background in organic chemistry and an MBA from MIT Sloan, Carmichael brings rare scientific depth to venture investing. His career spans entrepreneurship, company building, and frontier investment - positioning Boston as a global hub for climate and deep tech innovation.

James Massaquoi (Senior Associate, Glasswing Ventures)

Supporting technically ambitious founders requires both analytical rigor and real operating empathy. In his role at Glasswing Ventures, James Massaquoi focuses on early-stage investments in AI-powered enterprise software, cybersecurity, and frontier technologies. His background spans startup co-founding, enterprise operations at Amazon, and early-stage venture investing. This multidisciplinary experience allows him to support founders across product, go-to-market, and scale. Beyond venture, James is also deeply engaged in philanthropic and civic leadership.

Building Health, Care, and Wellbeing

Dr. Charmain Jackman (Founder & CEO, InnoPsych)

Increasing access to culturally responsive mental health care is the driving force behind InnoPsych. Founded by Dr. Charmain Jackman, the company operates a national therapist-of-color directory and produces educational content that addresses stigma and structural barriers to care. With over two decades of experience as a psychologist, Dr. Jackman has worked extensively in crisis response, organizational culture change, and workplace wellbeing. Today, she partners with leaders navigating identity stress, burnout, and complex transitions. Her work brings calm, clarity, and systems-level thinking to high-stakes human challenges.

Sheila Phicil (Founder & CEO, Phicil-itate Change) 

Reimagining how healthcare innovation is built (and who it’s built with) is central to this work. Through Phicil-itate Change, Sheila Phicil accelerates radically patient-centered health tech solutions using her SEEDS Innovation Framework. With nearly two decades of experience across major healthcare institutions, she is nationally recognized for her leadership at the intersection of AI, equity, and healthcare transformation. Her latest incubation, the COMPASS Project, embeds real patient insight directly into product development using AI and blockchain. Sheila’s work ensures innovation aligns with lived experience, not assumptions.

Media, Storytelling & Culture

Danielle Johnson (Owner, Spark FM Online) 

Creating space for underrepresented voices to be heard, authentically and at scale, is at the heart of Spark FM Online. Based in Boston, the digital radio platform provides DJs, artists, and personalities with a professional outlet to create their own messaging and music. Beyond broadcasting, Spark FM intentionally invests in the community through partnerships, service, and access to resources. Its programming is designed to be reliable, relevant, and deeply connected to culture. Through this work, Danielle Johnson ensures storytelling remains a vital pillar of the local ecosystem.

Sheena Collier (Founder & CEO, Boston While Black) 

Designing infrastructure for belonging is how Sheena Collier approaches community building. Through Boston While Black, she has built one of the most trusted platforms for Black professionals, reaching over 100,000 event attendees and thousands of members. Her work blends technology, culture, and human connection to help people find where they belong in the city. Beyond Boston, she is now expanding the “While Black” model nationally. Through both Boston While Black and her consulting firm, The Collier Connection, Sheena operates like a city planner for culture.

Education, Talent & the Next Generation

Nana Younge (Program Director, Innovate@BU and Founder and Executive Director, Get Girls Going) 

Building long-term pathways into entrepreneurship and leadership defines this work. At Innovate@BU, Nana Younge supports student founders as they turn ideas into viable ventures. Through Get Girls Going, she empowers Black teen girls to launch social enterprises that address real-world problems. The organization equips young leaders with the tools to challenge racial and gender inequities through entrepreneurship. Nana’s impact spans generations — from students launching startups today to future ecosystem leaders just getting started.

Javonty Hunter (Industry Relations Manager of Startups & Innovative Technology Companies, Boston University Feld Center) 

Connecting students to opportunity and keeping talent rooted in Boston is the focus of this role. At the BU Feld Center, Javonty Hunter leads relationships with employers seeking emerging talent. Previously at Innovate@BU, he helped build the university’s startup pipeline and student founder ecosystem. Today, his work ensures students are career-ready and aligned with innovation-driven organizations. Javonty plays a key role in strengthening Boston’s campus-to-startup bridge.

Jerry Lukeka (Program Manager, EforAll Roxbury) 

Inclusive entrepreneurship doesn’t happen by accident, it requires intentional design and deep community trust. At EforAll Roxbury, Jerry Lukeka leads accelerator programs supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs as they launch and scale businesses. His work spans cohort management, mentor coordination, and partnership building. Beyond EforAll, he founded Vijana Revival Catalysts, a youth-led nonprofit operating in the U.S. and Uganda. Across all his work, Jerry’s mission centers on unlocking human potential through empathy, leadership, and purpose.

Community Builders & Ecosystem Architects

Colette Phillips (Founder, President & CEO, Get Konnected!) 

For more than a decade, Get Konnected! has shaped how Boston builds cross-cultural business relationships. Founded in 2008 by Colette Phillips, the organization is now the city’s premier inclusive networking series. Beyond events, Get Konnected! produces historic lists documenting and celebrating leaders of color across industries. Recognized multiple times as Boston Magazine’s Best Networking Group, its impact is both economic and cultural. Colette’s work has permanently changed how connection happens in the city.

Dominique McLymont (Program Manager, Women of Color Entrepreneurs) 

Long-term mentorship and peer connection sit at the heart of WOCE’s model. Through cohort-based programming, Dominique McLymont supports women of color entrepreneurs as they grow sustainable businesses. Each cohort gains access to tailored programming, peer relationships, and curated connections to customers, lenders, and investors. The emphasis is on durability — not quick wins. Dominique’s leadership helps founders build companies that last.

Jae’da Turner (Founder & Manager, Black Owned Bos) 

Amplifying Black-owned businesses through visibility, storytelling, and access defines this platform’s impact. Founded by Jae’da Turner in 2019, Black Owned Bos. has become a vital resource for discovering Black-owned brands and leaders across Greater Boston. The organization operates through signature events, partnerships, and a digital business directory. Rooted in community impact, it functions as a mission-driven, for-profit venture. Jae’da’s work blends creativity, entrepreneurship, and service.

Nicole Obie (President & CEO, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts) 

Driving economic equity at scale requires coordination across policy, capital, and community. As President and CEO of BECMA, Nicole Obi leads efforts to support Black-owned businesses across Massachusetts. Her background spans enterprise leadership, venture-backed startups, and strategic consulting. Under her leadership, BECMA delivers advocacy, programming, and partnerships that foster inclusive growth and generational wealth. Nicole serves as a critical bridge between systems and entrepreneurs.

Climate, Sustainability & Hard Tech Innovation

Shonté Davidson (CEO, Better Together Brain Trust) 

Addressing climate change through collaboration is the foundation of this work. With over a decade of experience in energy efficiency, Shonté Davidson brings leaders together across industry, policy, and innovation. Better Together Brain Trust unites experts to tackle sustainability challenges collectively rather than in silos. Her background spans program implementation, supplier diversity, and channel management. Shonté’s work proves that progress accelerates when knowledge is shared.

Cvic Innocent (Founder & General Partner, Frankenbuild Ventures) 

Supporting founders building hardtech solutions for sustainability requires deep cross-sector coordination. Through Frankenbuild Ventures, Cvic Innocent helps startups in green tech, clean energy, and automation navigate partnerships, valuation, and growth strategy. She also convenes ecosystem leaders through events like the Deep Tech & Climate Tech Support Summit. Her work bridges academia, industry, and capital. Frankenbuild strengthens Boston’s deep tech foundation.

Founders & Operators Building What’s Next

Disleve Kanku (Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer, Echo Labs) 

Blending artificial intelligence with cultural context defines this founder’s work. Through Vibie.AI, music discovery is being reimagined to feel more personal and socially connected. Alongside his startup work, Disleve Kanku designs scalable data systems at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute supporting healthcare research. His career spans biotech, NLP, and creative technology. Across industries, his focus remains on making complex systems more intuitive and human.

Elijah Khasabo (Co-Founder, Vidovo) 

Building fast, performance-driven platforms has been central to this entrepreneurial journey. After starting his first company in high school, Elijah Khasabo went on to found Vidovo in college. The platform now helps over 100 brands scale user-generated content across paid, organic, and retail channels. Vidovo works with more than 10,000 creators, simplifying content sourcing, production, and rights management. Elijah’s work sits squarely at the intersection of creator economy and growth marketing.

Shawn Harris (Co-Founder & CEO, Coworked) 

Designing AI that feels like a teammate (not a tool) is the vision behind Coworked. As Co-Founder and CEO, Shawn Harris leads the development of Harmony, an AI “coworker” that autonomously manages project workflows. His background spans enterprise retail, robotics, ecommerce, and applied AI. Across startups and large organizations, he has led product, go-to-market, and venture creation efforts. His approach to technology remains deeply human-centered.

Javier Grevely (Fellow, Prometheus) 

Driving large-scale societal impact through technology defines this work. As a Fellow at Prometheus, Javier Grevely supports a more inclusive model of scientific and technological progress. His background includes venture capital, growth equity, and global strategy. He has advised startups through MIT Delta V, Google, and other programs. Javier’s work expands who gets to participate and lead in the innovation economy.

Talent, Equity & Systems Change

Pariss Chandler (Founder & CEO of Black Tech Pipeline | Co-Founder & CEO of Sift Skills) 

Redesigning how talent is discovered, evaluated, and valued in tech sits at the center of this work. Through Black Tech Pipeline, Pariss Chandler built a job board, newsletter, and recruiting platform that directly challenges the myth of a “pipeline problem” in technology, evolving from the viral #BlackTechTwitter movement into a trusted source of real opportunity. Since launching in 2020, Black Tech Pipeline has been cited by TechCrunch as proof that access (not talent) is the true barrier. Building on that momentum, Pariss co-founded Sift Skills, a hiring platform that replaces keyword matching with deeper, skills-based evaluation. Together, her companies are reshaping how employers surface overlooked talent and how technologists gain equitable access to the tech workforce.

Shanice Wallace (Business Strategy Manager, City of Boston - Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet) 

Building equitable economic systems requires long-term thinking and cross-sector collaboration. Within the City of Boston’s Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet, Shanice Wallace works to strengthen entrepreneurship, procurement, and local business ecosystems. Her role focuses on fostering generational wealth, repairing economic harm, and improving how the government partners with founders and organizations. Rather than one-off initiatives, her work centers on sustainable systems change. Leaders like Shanice ensure innovation works for Boston, not just in it.

Why This Matters

Boston’s startup ecosystem isn’t defined by a single headline or funding cycle. It’s defined by builders, investors, connectors, educators, and advocates who keep showing up, especially when the work is hard and visibility is uneven.

This list is a snapshot, not a finish line. There are countless Black leaders across New England driving innovation, equity, and growth, many of whom deserve continued recognition and support.

Know someone we should highlight next? Drop us a note. And please join us in celebrating these leaders - this month and all year long.

Because if you look closely, the Boston tech scene isn’t slipping at all. It’s being rebuilt, thoughtfully, inclusively and with purpose.