Ep 173: "Follow the Money: Why Startup Investing is Broken and How to Fix It!" with Allison Byers

A Broken Investment environment is an “Everyone” problem! What if the next big idea never gets off the ground — simply because the founder (maybe you?) doesn’t look like a ‘typical’ entrepreneur? In this episode of Entrepreneurial Thinkers, Rob sits down with Allison Byers, founder of Scroobius, to unpack the hidden barriers in startup funding and how to think differently about this reality. From the unfair distribution of capital to the impact of policy changes like SB 54 in California, they explore how the system can evolve to support all entrepreneurs. Allison shares how Scroobius is helping diverse founders connect with investors — and why a more inclusive funding landscape leads to stronger businesses, communities, and economies.Feel free to follow and engage with ALLISON here: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-byers/ - X: https://x.com/apbyers - Website: https://www.scroobious.com/ We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide. As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests. ¡Cheers y gracias!, Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Entrepreneurial Thinkers 06:17 The Table of Innovation Funding 09:58 The Importance of Equitable Funding 16:27 The Business Case for Diversity in Funding 19:16 Personal Journey and Insights 28:28 Legislative Change: SB 54 Overview 34:53 The Impact of SB 54 on Venture Capital 40:48 State-Level Policy and Its Implications 43:39 Introducing Scroobius: A New Venture Capital Approach 47:52 The Evolution of Venture Capital and Its Challenges 01:00:33 The Future of Entrepreneurship and Capital Access 01:11:22 Actionable Steps for Founders Seeking Capital