KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A technology startup based in Kansas City is one of five Black-owned tech startups selected for Northwestern Mutual’s Black Founder Accelerator program.

Jannae Gammage is the founder and CEO of Foresight, an artificial-intelligence platform that “leverages natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to assess
credit risk, fraud and bias.”

The company “allows traditional banking services to safely open doors for underserved
consumers and drive impact at scale.”

In partnership with the startup accelerator gener8tor, Northwestern Mutual is allocating $20 million from its Future Ventures fund to support Black founders across the U.S. including Foresight.

“As we witness the remarkable achievements of each cohort, we are reminded that programs like these are essential in fostering a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Abim Kolawole, chief audit executive at Northwestern Mutual and executive sponsor of the company’s Sustained Action for Racial Equality (SARE) initiative.

“We hope that the success of these founders will inspire future generations of Black entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.”

According to Northwestern Mutual, “research shows that Black founders receive less than two percent of venture capital.” Foresight, along with the other startups selected, are eligible for a $100,000 investment and an intensive mentorship program.

“This program’s success is an honest reflection of our company’s unwavering support to create a more diverse industry by helping Black founders propel their businesses forward,” said Craig Schedler, managing director of Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures.

“We are confident that this next cohort of bright entrepreneurs will use the resources provided in this program to become leaders in their respective sectors.”

Since laying down the foundation of her business in Kansas City in 2022, Gammage has opened up Foresight locations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Austin, Texas.