5 Steps to Raising Your First Million

This article does a good job of pointing to the "barriers to entry" that disproportionately impact women and people of color (who, for example, the "needle in the haystack" tech community - even those of color - may be more adverse to taking a risk on if no one else does).

Although I am of the camp that has developed the tech skills to build MVP (near release), I think the least groups that are seriously committed to closing the gap can do, is get behind women and people of color despite some of these barriers, and in doing so, support them in demonstrating traction, proof of concept, etc. so as to be more successful in securing other resources.

This doesn't have to be in the form of a million dollar investment. It could be an EIR program, and micro-grant / accelerator program, or something of that nature.

Although women and people of color will overcome the seemingly insurmountable, as throughout history, the game often changes as soon as they begin to do so, and expecting them to overcome these hurdles in order to get on the field is, in some fashion, passing the buck.