Founder and CEO Britney Robbins witnessed entrepreneurship and innovation firsthand as her parents worked hard to build businesses and generate wealth, but because of gaps in access and support, entrepreneurship looked more like a pathway to struggle, not success. Britney further understood the mechanisms of this gap while working at venture capital firms and nonprofits in Chicago. The cornerstones of what it means to be authentically Black — like creativity, innovation, and culture — were crucial business drivers, yet there were few Black leaders in spaces designed for entrepreneurs.

It was through these pivotal experiences that The Gray Matter Experience was born, to close the support and access gap, amplify values indigenous to the Black community, and generate more seats at the tables for Black leaders — creating pathways that transform hurdles into stepping stones for budding visionaries.