Helping underinvested entrepreneurs build equitable communities with Shawna Young, CEO of Camelback Ventures

Season 4, Episode 1,   Sep 02, 03:10 PM

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In this episode of Tech Can't Save Us, Paul speaks to Shawna Young, CEO of Camelback Ventures.

This week on Tech Can't Save Us, host Paul David is joined by Shawna Young, CEO of Camelback Ventures, a New Orleans-based organization that invests in entrepreneurs of color and women building social impact ventures.

They discuss how Camelback is tackling one of entrepreneurship's biggest challenges: while genius is equally distributed, opportunity definitely isn't. Since 2015, the organization has invested over $9 million in more than 200 entrepreneurs, primarily from under-resourced communities, providing not just capital but executive coaching and access to mission-driven networks through their Fellowship program.

With applications now open for their 2026 Fellowship, Shawna explains how they're evolving their 16-week hybrid program to meet entrepreneurs where they are in today's challenging funding environment.

The conversation also covers the concrete barriers that underinvested entrepreneurs face, from starting ventures on credit card debt to competing against better-funded competitors, and how Camelback's approach differs from traditional accelerators.

Learn more about Camelback Ventures and the 2026 Fellowship application process here: https://www.camelbackventures.org/ 

Follow Shawna Young here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/youngshawna/