Venture Capital, The Disability Economy, And The Road To Innovation (Part I)

Thought leader and tech entrepreneur Henry Joseph-Grant once stated that “Ultimately an investment is an instrument of trust as much as is of belief…” These words could not be truer when it comes to the dance between the Disability Economy and the venture capital ecosystem. This is an emerging area that has yet to be explored, however, we have reached a boiling point where this can no longer be overlooked. Over the past several years the articulation of the business case of the Disability Economy has come out of the shadows and is continually being refined to examine an array of areas from spending power, the rise of entrepreneurship, to the development and cultivation of sectors from fashion, technology, to the arts. Within the past few years, there has been a flurry of opportunities that have begun to reveal themselves providing more emphasis on ESG investing philosophies offering a new phase for a potential merger between the burgeoning Disability Economy and the investing ecosystem forming a harmonious relationship.

However, before VC firms, tech accelerators, and other private equity companies jump on the bullet train that is the Disability Economy, there must be a recognition and understanding of the subtleties and distinctions that define the diverse nature of the disability narrative. By providing greater insight for investors to not only evaluate business opportunities as well as a level of psychological safety to handle the needs of entrepreneurs with disabilities we can also begin to highlight a new framework that will enhance the future relationship between the investing arm and the nascent economic hamlet that is the disability community.

In recent Mindset Matters columns we have touched upon the significance of psychological safety, however, when it pertains to the relationship between the investing community and the Disability Economy this concept needs to be amplified to expose the avenues by which to create a healthier relationship between investors, founders, and entrepreneurs. The role of psychological safety in this situation provides a blueprint to navigate challenges such as the role of stigma which can become a barrier throughout the process. In cultivating a relationship where investors and entrepreneurs can communicate openly and preconceived notions can begin to be washed away, we can ultimately get to a place where one can find more effective ways to deal with adversity, find solutions, and create opportunities across the board.

One of the great barriers within the investing community when it comes to the Disability Economy is unconscious bias resulting from cultural stigma. What the Disability Economy does by its very definition is break those constraints and help to redefine the role of persons with disabilities across business and ultimately the world.

The goal throughout the next several columns is to continue to explore more deeply the fact that the investing community and the Disability Economy need one another. Being able to build that relationship not only takes skill, knowledge, and know-how but time. Given that along with the changing social and cultural trends where ESG investing and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion have taken a prominent role within the corporate ecosystem, there is more opportunity for investors to immerse themselves into the protean Disability Economy and discover both social and economic possibilities that can be a win for all.