WEPOWER Capital
Capital That Works for Companies and Communities
WEPOWER Capital accelerates community-owned wealth generation in North St. Louis communities that have experienced decades of divestment by investing in high growth Black and Latinx businesses.
Our Region is Missing Out on a Major Opportunity to Advance Racial Equity & Build Wealth
An investment in Black and Latinx entrepreneurs is an investment in our region’s collective prosperity. Black and Latinx entrepreneurs create jobs at the same rate or higher than white owned firms. However, our systems weren’t designed for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs or communities to thrive.
- Traditional Capital Denied: Black and Latinx entrepreneurs are more likely to be denied bank loans, offered less capital when approved, and charged higher interest rates.
- Soaring Racial Wealth Disparities: Given the massive racial wealth gap -- white families have 10-20x the wealth of Black families --most Black and Latinx entrepreneurs do not have access to anyone who will make an early investment of $30,000, let alone $100,000.
- Pandemic Hits Harder: Nationwide, the number of Black owned businesses dropped by 41% between February 2020 and April 2020.
It Is Time to Reimagine The Role of Capital
We cannot reach our potential as a region without fully investing in Black and Latinx communities and the businesses that can drive their economic mobility.
It is time to provide access to capital to Black and Latinx businesses that have the potential to spark wealth for their families and their communities.
Founder-Friendly, Flexible “Capital+” That Builds Community Wealth
This is not your run of the mill investment fund. We provide “capital+” (i.e. capital plus connections and technical assistance), with a mission to spark place-based economic prosperity.
WEPOWER Capital uses revenue based investing, where entrepreneurs repay a fixed percentage of their revenue until a pre-agreed total has been paid back. This model is more flexible than traditional loans, allowing us to truly share risk with entrepreneurs and only succeed when they do, without reducing their ownership in their company.
- Vehicle: Revenue share agreements & loans
- Check size: $50,000 - $200,000
- Return cap: 1.5x, based on business profile
- Revenue share: ~2-10% of monthly revenue
- Collateral: Not required
- Credit Score: Not required
For Fast Growing,
Black and Latinx
Owned Companies
We are looking for:
- Black and Latinx owned companies
- Anywhere between $5,000-100,000/month (or more) in revenue
- Strong growth trajectory (or evidence of strong growth potential with investment)
- Companies committed to hiring at or above a living wage or, at minimum, putting workers on a path to a living wage
- Companies committed to hiring in and/or locating in priority neighborhoods, St. Louis city wards 3 and 21, that have experienced generations of disinvestment
Building Community Wealth Triples Impact
A percentage of the returns will be owned and managed by the surrounding community and the rest will be invested in future.
With this innovative model, the impact is three-fold. WEPOWER Capital catalyzes Black and Latinx owned businesses to:
- Anchor neighborhoods
- Build the tax base
- Accelerate community owned shared wealth generation that disrupts generational divestment
Join Us!
Our Founding Partners
Updates
13 Black and Latinx Women graduate from WEPOWER’s Chisolm’s Chair Fellowship, prepare to pursue public leadership positions
March 18, 2022 13 Black and Latinx Women graduate from WEPOWER’s Chisolm’s Chair Fellowship, prepare to pursue public leadership positions In its second year, the Fellowship is designed to support and train Black and Latinx women as they pursue public leadership in St. Louis. Graduates will go on to pursue appointed and elected positions with…
Letting Curiosity Lead
November 23, 2021 Letting Curiosity Lead By Vanessa Pimblott I have a longstanding nickname that my grandma gave me: Sinvergüenza. It’s Spanish for “bold and without shame.” She has always told me, “¡Eres tan sinvergüenza!” (You’re so shameless!)–and it’s true! I will not hesitate or flinch to ask anybody questions. How did you do that?…
A Catalyst for Change
September 20, 2021 A Catalyst for Change By Marie Franklin “I am and always will be a catalyst for change.” -Shirley Chisholm Our street was horrible. It was barely passable in a car and you had to get your front end aligned every month ’cause you had to navigate so much around big…
WEPOWER Recruits Second Cohort of Black and Latinx Women Preparing For Public Leadership
September 1, 2021 WEPOWER Recruits Second Cohort of Black and Latinx Women Preparing For Public Leadership In its second year, the Fellowship is designed to support and train Black and Latinx women to hold public leadership in St. Louis St. Louis, MO – WEPOWER, a community of Black and Latinx changemakers and entrepreneurs who…
Supporting the Soles of St. Louis
August 21, 2021 Supporting the Soles of St. Louis By Jaquan Vassel I’m a certified pedorthist–someone who specializes in footwear. I help people find the right type of footwear for their feet, specializing in the needs of people with diabetes and other foot pathologies. How did I get so focused on working with…
WEPOWER Launches $1.5 Million Fund to Invest in Black and Latinx Entrepreneurs in North St. Louis
August 5, 2021 WEPOWER Launches $1.5 Million Fund to Invest in Black and Latinx Entrepreneurs in North St. Louis WEPOWER Capital Will Accelerate Community Owned Wealth and Create Economic Growth in Historically Divested Communities St. Louis, MO – Today, WEPOWER, a community of Black and Latinx change-makers and entrepreneurs building political and economic power…