Sunset Over the Charles River—But a Sunrise of Startups.

1821 recently brought together a group of Black and Brown founders and supporters for an evening forum hosted at the Boston offices of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. The room included founders working across AI, fintech, healthcare and life sciences, retail, sports, and emerging technologies, along with investors and entrepreneurial ecosystem leaders who are focused on expanding access to capital and opportunity.

The conversations were informal, genuine, and practical. People compared notes on building companies in a shifting market, shared what’s working in fundraising, and made introductions that may evolve into partnerships. Alden Zecha of SideCar Angels offered a clear and grounded overview of the current investment environment, prompting thoughtful discussion on where founders should focus and how financing trends are changing.

The evening also featured reflections from three founders — Sébastien N. François, Dr. Ellana Stinson, and Mariana Silva-Buck — who spoke about the realities of building companies, navigating uncertainty, and leading with resilience. Their perspectives added depth and context to the larger discussion on innovation, access, and the role of diverse founders in today’s economy.

If you weren’t able to attend, it was the kind of gathering where people learned from each other, exchanged useful insights, and connected in ways that feel constructive rather than transactional. It was a reminder that community-building doesn’t require scale to be meaningful — just the right people in the room and a shared commitment to progress.