Plug In South Los Angeles | California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA)

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Welcome To

Visit: Plug In Ventures

Our Mission

We empower early-stage entrepreneurs from Black and Brown communities through strategic investments, capital access, mentorship, commercial expansion, and comprehensive business development initiatives. Our overarching objective is to catalyze the emergence of groundbreaking companies within Black and Brown Tech Ecosystems, positioning them at the forefront of innovation with funding and capital resources in tow. Our focus extends beyond merely creating outsized returns; we believe that unicorn successes in overlooked communities, aligned with Plug In values, hold the transformative potential to reshape markets and uplift underserved communities into the mainstream economy.

We’d love to connect with you!

Located in Marina Del Rey

4136 Del Rey Ave

Counties Served

LA County

Contact Info

ds@pluginventures.com
917-476-8757

What Innovation
Means to Us

Innovation in California embodies bold thinking and purposeful action—scaling ideas that advance sustainability, inclusivity, and economic mobility, while shaping the industries and communities defining Southern California’s future.

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Meet Our Director

Derek Smith is the visionary behind Plug In Ventures, a dynamic accelerator and Founder Community tailored specifically for early-stage startups, led by Black and Brown founders in the emerging technology sector.

Under Derek’s leadership, Plug In Ventures has flourished into a renowned emerging startup ecosystem spanning across Southern California, Atlanta, and New York. His strategic direction has paved the way for countless early-stage founders and investors to thrive within the Plug In Ventures ecosystem, fostering a landscape ripe with opportunity. Derek’s responsibilities encompass overseeing revenue growth, operational efficiency, program development, and expansion initiatives.

Derek Smith,
CEO & Founder

Image with yellow background Derek Smith

4 CalOSBA awarded Innovation Grants,
with more on the way

$25k

WePair Health Inc.

WePair Health is committed to transforming workforce development for Medicaid-serving organizations by addressing critical gaps in maternal healthcare.

$25k

VULVAi

VULVAi leverages AI to democratize gynecologic care by offering standardized vulvar education, real-time clinician training, and patient support for accurate diagnoses.

$25k

Nutrible Inc.

ThriveLink by Nutrible simplifies access to essential resources like food, housing, and healthcare by operationalizing social determinants of health (SDOH) navigation through telephonic AI, making it universally accessible.