2045 Raises $4.2M for its Membership Network and Physical Clubhouse for Professionals of Color

Published in

AAF Management Ltd.

4 min readOct 4, 2023

AlleyWatch caught up with 2045 CEO, Founder, and serial entrepreneur Porter Braswell (cofounded Jopwell; exit to True) to learn more about the launch, the company’s strategic plans, recent round of funding, and much, much more…

Who were your investors and how much did you raise?

We raised a $4.2M oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Benchstrength, with additional investment from CJ McCollum, Miguel McKelvey, AAF, CT Innovations, among others.

Tell us about the product or service that 2045 offers.

2045 is an exclusive network for influential professionals of color. Our network spans digital tools and a physical clubhouse, offering Councils, Interest Groups, access to exclusive events, curated content and forums, and the resources needed to retain and promote a diverse workforce.

Our Councils are intimate groups led by executive coaches of color. Councils are available to our members who are sponsored by their employers. We believe our corporate partners should be responsible for investing in the development of their diverse talent. Our Interest Groups are member-led, bringing people with similar passions together. Curated content and programming at 2045 is led by Cultural Icons — people we believe are making a notable impact in the world.

2045 Offerings:

Councils: personal and professional development groups of 8–12 peers with similar levels of seniority. Councils meet 10x a year and help each other navigate and accelerate their professional and personal advancement. All Councils are facilitated by an accredited executive coach of color.
Culture: real connectivity to a curated list of Cultural Icons to access insider knowledge and insights from globally recognized individuals
Advisors: access to timely and critical leadership resources designed for senior-level professionals of color in mind and led by notable business leaders, academics, and research analysts, available in-person and through the digital platform
Connections: connectivity through the members-only app, allowing members to join different groups to discuss current events and trends
Clubhouse: exclusive access to the 2045 clubhouse, with the ability to host meetings and network with other members

What was the funding process like?

It’s a tough climate to raise capital in, especially as a Black founder — something I’ve known well for the past eight years with Jopwell and now 2045. Despite the harsh climate, we feel really good about where we are at with our oversubscribed pre-seed round and investors who are excited by our vision.

We were fortunate enough to select who we wanted to be a part of the round. We chose Benchstrength to lead with additional investment from AAF management — the backer of two of the seven Black-led unicorns and LPs in Black led funds — amongst other notable names and institutions.

How is 2045 different?

We believe that 2045 is the perfect blend between a place for community members to be social as well as learn how to better retain and promote a diverse workforce. Our exclusive network, while only available to certain levels of professionals, does not make age or gender a requirement or an exclusionary factor. We offer a space where people with shared lived experiences can come together in support of helping one another.
We are also more than just a clubhouse and digital experience. The 2045 membership is one piece of a larger business we are building, which will have multiple entities designed to support different challenges people of color (and their employers) face in the marketplace.

Full AlleyWatch Interview: