Does Silicon Valley need a minority founder to build a unicorn company before fostering diversity?

When it comes to changing the status quo, history is full of seminal moments that altered the established mindset and ushered in new opportunities for previously exclusive groups. Imagine baseball without the “Jackie Robinson” moment? Imagine the state of our world without the women’s suffrage moment?

These are not just two moments that made it possible for blacks to play baseball or women to vote. These moments positively changed the course of history by widening everyone’s perspective on the capabilities of underutilized segments of our society.

These are moments that led to an overall improvement in the quality of life for the general public.

Technology has reached the point where it needs a moment. It will happen, but in what form? That’s the billion-dollar question.

My last year in college I took an “Understanding Business” class which drastically altered how I viewed the world. This basic class illustrated the importance of money or capital and how it is used to drive decisions in all aspect of business.

Being an advocate for diversity in tech and understanding the role of money in business, I recently asked a group of concerned friends: Does Silicon Valley need a minority founder to build an unicorn company before fostering diversity?

I see three potential benefits. To solve the diversity in tech issue, maybe an old solution proposed from a different angle is going be required to hash out new ways to resolve this situation.

A unicorn company built by a minority founder will prove to the current establishment that minority founders are capable of building financially attractive investment opportunities.