November 5, 2025
Fund.FWD bridges AI technology and accessible networking to help HBCU thinkers get their ideas off the ground.
Given the systemic funding gap for Black innovators and thinkers, a group of HBCU alums seeks to be the difference.
Hailing from Morgan State University, the innovative group has launched Fund.FWD. The AI-powered app serves as a new way for HBCU entrepreneurs and creatives to connect with industry leaders and bring their ideas to life.
The mobile app allows users to source funding opportunities, business coaching, and educational resources all within its database. It aims to connect these change-makers with current leaders in their fields, thus closing the accessibility gap.
The Morgan State graduates developed the app through Venture for THEM, a DMV-based accelerator and social-impact collective. While at the HBCU-founded entrepreneurship accelerator, they developed an idea that bridges traditional networking with AI, providing a curated list of goals, grants, and more aligned with users’ ideas.
The AI model used for Fund.FWD is Venture AI, using hours of data collected from talks and workshops to build guidance for business strategy and proposal development, alongside a Partnership Opportunity Portal, where businesses and accelerators can directly promote their grants for diverse entrepreneurs, Fund.FWD hopes to become a one-stop shop for future and business leaders.
“Fund.FWD is about closing the funding gap for underestimated founders,” said Chief Technology Officer of Venture for THEM, Jeffrey Scruggs, in a press release. “We built a tool that empowers users not just to find opportunities, but to get funded — pairing mentorship, AI, and real-world knowledge from our ecosystem.”
Other key features include its education tab, which offers business panels and workshops with full replays from Venture for THEM events. Fund.FWD’s innovative dashboard also features live updates and social feeds to help users connect further.
“Fund.FWD is more than an app — it’s a bridge between inspiration and opportunity,” said Venture for THEM’s CEO and Co-Founder Kiante Bush. “We’re using technology and community to help founders move from vision to victory.”
Fund.FWD offers two subscriptions, with a premium option for direct support and wider funding opportunities. Backed by partners such as Microsoft, Google, Wells Fargo, and The Newwave Foundation, Venture for THEM has championed the talent and business savviness from HBCUs. Now, its latest endeavor aims to break the barriers that keep diverse innovators from the resources they need to soar.
Fund.FWD is available now, with a 2.0 version planned for 2026.
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