The Intro.
The world beyond tech’s borders
Take a moment. Close your eyes. Think about how big the world really is. And then ask yourself:
What does success look like from afar?
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What did Google's seed round look like from the streets of Detroit?
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What did Amazon's IPO look like from California's Central Valley?
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What have years of iPhone launches looked like from the global majority?
For those immersed in the tech industry—especially those in positions of power—it can be easy to forget there’s a world beyond its borders.
For others, reminders of exclusion are unending
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To generations of aspiring visionaries with uncommon characteristics—skin color, gender, language, and culture—a global divide is often compressed to the width of a boardroom table.
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A skeptical glance, a subtle question of competence, a belittling offer of mentorship—reminders that even in the room where it happens, it’s possible to be an outsider.
It all points to a question, begging to be asked: from the products we buy to the opportunities their creators enjoy, is technology truly “changing the world,” as decades of headlines have proclaimed?
Or just parts of it?
The Backdrop.
The real digital divide is one of trust
Technology has never been more personal, but for millions of people it’s still not authentic. Big data, mobile devices and AI have reshaped the user experience around individual identities. And while this enables an exciting range of new possibilities, it also raises the stakes.
Unfortunately, for too many people around the world, this attempt at understanding fails—with results that range from disenfranchising to tragic
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Machine Bias
“There’s software used across the country to predict future criminals. And it’s biased against blacks.”
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AI Colonialism
“Artificial intelligence is creating a new world order. A series: Racial Control, Exploitation, Resistance, Liberation”
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Bias in Recruiting
“Amazon scraps secret AI recruiting tool that showed bias against women”
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AI in Law Enforcement
“Another Arrest, and Jail Time, Due to a Bad Facial Recognition Match”
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AI is Misreading Human Emotion
“There is no good evidence facial expressions reveal a person’s feelings. But big tech companies want you to believe otherwise.”
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Trust in Science
“Black Americans have less confidence in scientists to act in the public interest”
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AI in Child Welfare
Not magic: Opaque AI tool may flag parents with disabilities
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Black in Tech Trust Gap
“Survey finds trust gap between Black tech workers and employers”
For them, we aren’t just entering a world of technology that can’t be used.
It’s a world of technology that can’t be trusted.
The Problem.
Inequity, from the halls of power to the hands of consumers
Although this divide in trust may seem abstract, it’s anything but. And its impact is being felt across society.
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Justice.
Today’s technology is exacerbating a world already riven by both historical and modern forms of inequity.
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Opportunity.
A selectively rising tide has indeed lifted some boats—an increasingly exclusive enclave of real estate, communities, and businesses—but only some.
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The Future.
“Techlash” may become a far more destabilizing force if drastic action isn’t taken. Even modest shortcomings in trust will feel more like civil unrest than consumer dissatisfaction
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Industry Stagnation.
The industry is already facing a plateau, and will need a new world of users, consumers, if it wants to find new growth. Simply put, of course the bubble is bursting.
Just as widespread fiscal insecurity can poison a monetary economy, distrust of technology will poison a data economy.
Today’s inequalities are simply not compatible with the tech industry’s vision for tomorrow.
The Observation.
Our pipelines are broken—but not the ones you might think
The “pipeline problem” is traditionally used as a kind of blame-shifting rationalization. But a pipeline does exist, and it does have problems, we’re just looking at the wrong end.
Rather than worry about who’s coming out, we should focus on who’s being allowed in.
Because here’s the truth: Inclusion wins.
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Likelier to have above average profitability
when executive teams have strong gender diversity
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Higher innovation revenues
when leadership teams reflect the full range of diversity.
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CAGR outperformance
When at least 50% of senior leaders are women.
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Realized exit multiples
when founders are racially diverse—30% higher than all white founding teams
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More profitable exits
when at least 10% of partners at Venture Capital firms are women
We need a global community of thinkers and doers to build tomorrow’s world, which is why today’s pipeline must become a maximally-inclusive funnel:
with the widest possible opening.
The Solution.
Be uncommon.
“Excellence is doing a common thing in an uncommon way.”
— Booker T. Washington
Transforming common problems into uncommon solutions
We aggressively seek talent in places Silicon Valley’s gatekeepers have ignored for too long, bridging resources and support to communities that may lack opportunity and visibility, but are rich in visionaries who have waited far too long for a chance.
Welcome to Capital 5.0
Uncommon Impact was founded on the idea that there exist five forms of capital, each of which are essential—and the monetary kind is only one.
No business, no matter how great its team or how innovative its product, has ever survived on funds alone. Success depends on all five. Uncommon brings them all to the table.
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The relational capital that connects you with the people and institutions on which your business will depend
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The experiential capital it takes to anticipate the unexpected and overcome it intelligently
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The intellectual capital necessary to build a sophisticated organization and solve complex problems
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The social capital required to establish positive, constructive relationships with communities—both locally and globally
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The financial capital infusion uncommon entrepreneurs deserve, but are so often denied. But the truth is, no business, no matter how great its team or how innovative its product, has ever survived on funds alone. Success depends on all five.
We don’t just strategize, we create the conditions for uncommon transformation.
We blur the lines between strategic advisor, execution team, incubator and an investment firm, with extensive resources, support, and an ongoing relationship with every client. Our unique capability set, ranging from a full-service consultancy, an entrepreneurship studio and venture capital investment, allows us to meet you where you are with what you need.
The Uncommon Method
Activate
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We work in service of bold entrepreneurs and wild ideas–in any size organization–to further our vision.
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We relentlessly take on present, tactical and strategic business problems, for which we unlock new approaches, craft solutions & programs, and build execution plans with trust, authenticity, and inclusion by design
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We provide resources, connections, and support at every step, built on decades of lived experience, to minimize the unknowns of bringing an idea into reality
Situate
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Our expert Restorative AI team understands that prioritizing the full range of the human experience is required in order to build the most advanced, innovative, robust and successful technology-driven solutions
We pioneered this work at Google; now we’re sharing it with you.
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Our team works with you to create actionable Restorative AI plans for responsible use of technology across your business. We equip you with everything you need to conduct ongoing fairness evaluations, create transparency reports, and measure not only your performance success, but your societal impact
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We center the input, voices and experiences of those most impacted in today’s economy, and conduct a deep exploration of the societal landscape, ensuring every problem we address and opportunity we help create has all of the information it needs to make smarter choices, maximize opportunities and minimize harms.
Federate
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When we work together, you become part of a growing family: a community of entrepreneurs, executives, technologists, equal parts visionary and underestimated, supporting each other at every level.
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For years, network effects have been the secret to the ruthless growth of companies like Facebook and Google. Today, we’re applying that same power to elevate you—the underrepresented and the uncommon—to new heights, along with the communities you come from.
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Because our uncommon networks create new ecosystems, we not only open the doors you need, we get you a seat at the tables that matter
Elevate
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You are a visionary in every sense of the term, underestimated and underappreciated for too long, ready to release shockwaves of opportunity in every direction.
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Your vision deserves to be seen, heard, believed and known. We’ve been where you are; we know what it takes to tell your story. We can help you get there.
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We take a measured, deliberate approach when taking on projects, and choose our clients with as much care as you choose us. And because we work exclusively with uncommon visionaries we’re certain have what it takes to change the world, we’re committed to you for the long haul, helping you build companies, create programs, and tell your story.
Collectively, the value we create and the stories we tell trigger broad waves of opportunity that affect entire communities: cities, ecosystems of businesses, and entirely new industries.
The Opportunity.
Unleashing a new world of potential, from creators to consumers.
It’s time to advantage equity.
The best companies expand industries, and sometimes create entirely new ones.
They inspire generations of students to learn emerging skills, with the sudden explosion of fields like data science & machine learning in recent years especially inspiring examples. And any business has its own positive side effects: community living standards, an ecosystem of partners and vendors, new supply chains, and so on.
And when it’s an idea initiated and run by members of a historically excluded group, we can expect many of those benefits to redound to their community.
In other words, working with Uncommon Impact is about more than financial success—it’s a chance to unleash ripples of opportunity towards every horizon.
Numbers like these are simply too big to truly comprehend, but they paint a clear picture nonetheless: whether you care about justice, the stability of the future, or simply harnessing the next historic opportunity, we have everything to gain by closing gaps of trust, equity, and inclusion.