ABOUTFICTIVE
The Driving Force Behind Fictive Fund.
At Fictive Fund, our mission, vision, and purpose guide everything we do. We are committed to creating a world where Black innovators have the resources and support they need to succeed. Learn more about what drives us and how we are making a difference.
Our Mission
Activate a new pathway to wealth creation and community building for Black people with investable capital to fund a new wave of Black-led startups positively impacting the world.
Our Vision
Equitable access to all necessary resources for Black innovators within a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem of Black investors, talent, and community .
Our Purpose
We’re improving our world when our Black community has sustainable and self-fulfilling growth pathways.
Our Founders
Brahm Rhodes , Ph.D. —
General Partner
Brahm is a co-founder and General Partner at Malaika Ventures, an early-stage climate tech fund investing through a climate justice lens. He is a multi-disciplinary engineer with deep experience across technologies and industries, from health tech to fintech to AI to climate tech. His expertise spans founding venture-backed companies, early-stage investing, advising and launching accelerators, and mentoring startups and accelerators (e.g., Village Capital, Techstars, and Greentown Labs ACCEL), which provides a unique perspective on startup growth and success. He is a venture partner with NextGen Venture Partners. As a member of the Capital Committee for Browning the Green Space, he helped define and deliver VC Onramp, a training program for diverse investors in climate tech. Brahm is an advisor to Browning the Green Space's Barrier Removal Fund, a source of integrated capital helping ensure a just transition.
Brahm lectures on data science, AI/ML, and responsible AI for enterprise clients and universities. He is an advisor to The Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University and holds a certification in the Foundations of Independent Audit of AI Systems. Brahm holds patents in simulation, building control/energy management, and AI/ML (pending). Previously, he was an NIH Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering, an MS in Aerospace Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University.
Khadijah Robinson
General Partner
Khadijah is a lawyer, 2x founder, innovator, and investor with a passion for improving operational structure in early-stage companies. After graduating from Spelman College, Khadijah received a MSc from the University College London and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She practiced law in Washington, D.C. for several years at premier law firm Covington & Burling. She successfully sold her first company and grew her second company by 20x. As a founder, Khadijah built an investment portfolio as well, angel investing in several early-stage Black led companies such as CurlMix, Backpack Healthcare, and Ten to One Rum. She invests largely in the tech and consumer product spaces. Her investment thesis has always revolved around investing in innovative Black founders with vision who can benefit from her supportive expertise.
Khadijah also consults and coaches a wide range of entrepreneurs. She sits on the advisory boards of Give Credit, The Plug, and Drivingo. Khadijah has served as the Chief Operating Officer for The Majira Project, a business accelerator, backed by Boston Consulting Group, for underrepresented founders. She currently leads the Center for Black Entrepreneurship’s first incubator program for Black-led startups, the LIFT Incubator. Khadijah additionally serves as a Techstars and W.E.B. Tulsa mentor, as well as Black Ambition’s first Entrepreneur-in-Residence.
How Fictive Started
Fictive Fund began as a bold vision shared by Black investors who recognized a profound disparity in the startup ecosystem: Black pre-MVP founders consistently faced insurmountable barriers to early capital and support. We saw talented Black entrepreneurs brimming with innovative ideas yet struggling to secure the "friends and family" funding crucial for building MVPs and gaining initial traction. It is clear that systemic issues are at play, blocking the pathways to success for many promising Black-led startups. Determined to address these inequities, Brahm Rhodes, Ph.D., and Khadijah A. Robinson, Esq., two trailblazing leaders in their respective fields, set out to create a transformative solution.
The roots of these barriers lie in the racial wealth gap, which has long prevented Black founders from accessing affluent personal networks capable of providing the necessary pre-seed funding. Unlike their peers, many Black entrepreneurs lack the financial safety net that comes from generational wealth, leaving them without crucial early-stage support. We understood that this issue wasn't just about money but the limited access to the mentorship, connections, and resources often obtained through these networks. Brahm, with his extensive experience in creating value in startups as a founder, engineer, executive, mentor, and investor, and Khadijah, an accomplished lawyer and entrepreneur who successfully built and sold The Nile List, realized the need for a fund that could fill this void. Fictive Fund I was conceived to offer an alternative financing option directly supporting Black-led companies at the earliest stage.
Our mission is driven by a deep commitment to changing the narrative for Black founders and investors. Historically, the venture and startup ecosystem has lacked diversity, leaving few Black investors and experienced operators to champion early-stage Black founders. Brahm, the founder and General Partner at Malaika Ventures and a seasoned mentor for several accelerators, saw firsthand the transformative power of mentorship and investment. Having raised several million dollars in venture and crowdfunding and led Empower Global as CEO, Khadijah brought her expertise in scaling teams and products to our mission. Together, they realized that by cultivating a community of Black LPs (Limited Partners) eager to invest in and support Black-led startups, Fictive Fund could help bridge this gap. We aim to activate a new pathway to wealth creation and community building for Black individuals with investable capital, fostering an ecosystem where Black innovators can thrive.
The lack of diversity in high-growth industries, especially in technology, has perpetuated the cycle of underrepresentation. Systemic barriers have limited access to capital and networks, making it challenging for Black investors to support early-stage companies at scale. By addressing these disparities head-on, Fictive Fund I is providing financial support and building a network of mentors and resources crucial for the success of Black-led startups. Brahm's experience as a Venture Partner with NextGen Venture Partners and Republic, combined with Khadijah's role as COO of The Majira Project, ensures that we have the expertise and commitment needed to create a self-sustaining ecosystem where Black investors, talent, and communities work together to create equitable access to all necessary resources.
Ultimately, Fictive Fund is about improving our world by ensuring the Black community has sustainable and self-fulfilling growth pathways. We believe that the impact is far-reaching when Black founders are given the opportunity to bring their innovative concepts to life. Our vision is to see Black-led startups positively affecting the world, supported by a robust community of Black investors and mentors. Through Fictive Fund, Brahm and Khadijah are rewriting the story of entrepreneurship and investment in the Black community, creating a brighter, more inclusive future for all.