Ideas need fuel on a variety of levels and most of the time, the most elusive part is capital. Access to capital has been historically challenging for founders of color for a number of reasons.

Although the volume of saber-rattling is rising from new venture capital entrants in the funding space, many of whom include celebrities, there are still barriers. All of these new avenues are still using essentially an archaic model of the venture capital titan, often operating within a rather closed network and vetting under parameters based on traction and/or earnings that new startups simply cannot meet. 

However, Frank Denbow is poised to help shift this paradigm. A startup advocate at Microsoft, Denbow developed Inflection Con — an idea to convene founders and develop new approaches to driving their ventures. Inflection Con is a movement of entrepreneurs building profit-driven companies on their own terms.

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I  had a chance to go behind-the-scenes with Denbow days before the revolutionary event scheduled in New York City on June 13 and June 14, and learn about what this year’s conference will offer. It will be chock-full of fireside chats, opportunities to win capital and more that any tech founder will find helpful. Go inside now.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: How did you get the idea for the event?

Frank Denbow: From my experience having to self-fund my company and wanting to see more stories of how others were able to build companies that focused on revenue.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: What does the name of the event signify?

Frank Denbow: We want to help companies hit the inflection point in their trajectory to create sustainable growth

Lauren deLisa Coleman: What year is Inflection in?

Frank Denbow: This is our second year

Lauren deLisa Coleman: How are you measuring success of the event?

Frank Denbow: By tracking and analyzing our companies to see if the action plans we create with them are effective and impactful months after the event.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: Why do you feel a new funding model for startups is so crucial today?

Frank Denbow: Not everyone has a business that is ready for venture capital, so entrepreneurs need to continue to follow models that can work for their style of business.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: What do you see these new business models to be?

Frank Denbow: There will be many more revenue-based financing options, along with financing that gives more immediate payback for investors with more ownership left to creators.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: Do you think that access even to these types of models are still challenging for underrepresented founders to obtain?

Frank Denbow: The market for these types of financing options is nascent, so getting general awareness to underrepresented groups will ensure that everyone gets a shot at getting the boost they need.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: What can we expect most from this year’s event?

Frank Denbow: You can expect raw and honest stories from founders you haven’t heard from too often. The goal is to elevate interesting startup stories that can serve as a guide for entrepreneurs.

Lauren deLisa Coleman: What’s the strategy for success for attendees in the tech space once Inflection wraps?

Frank Denbow: We’ll be following up with our attendees and helping to build community within the companies that attended, giving them some long-term support that hopefully helps them to grow.

There’s still time to grab your place at the event. Learn more here.