Fifteen Percent Pledge, Victoria’s Secret Launch Virtual Accelerator Program To Fund And Provide Resources To BIPOC Founders – AfroTech

The work never stops for the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the Fifteen Percent Pledge is the brainchild of Aurora James and was launched in 2020 as a nonprofit advocacy organization to hold retailers accountable and support underfunded and underrepresented Black-owned businesses. Through partnership, it encourages corporations to dedicate 15% of their purchasing power to such businesses.

Impact

To date, the Fifteen Percent Pledge has secured commitments from more than 35 corporate partners and helped redirect nearly $14 billion in revenue to Black-owned businesses, according to its website. Beyond retail accountability, the organization has expanded its impact through additional initiatives, including raising $3 million at its 2025 gala, partnering with Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz’s Cultural Leadership Fund to launch an AI-focused grant for Black founders, and distributing more than $1 million in grants overall, according to Vogue.

“We are in a very different landscape today than we were a couple of years ago,” James told Vogue ahead of the 2026 Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala, which was held on Feb. 7. “Dozens of financial institutions, tech companies, and retailers have pulled back from funding critical inclusivity work. Since launching the Pledge, we’ve helped place more than 1,000 Black-owned brands on major retail shelves nationwide, and last year alone, we distributed over $1 million in grants.”

Runway to Revenue Accelerator Program

The latest effort from the Fifteen Percent Pledge is the Runway to Revenue Accelerator Program in partnership with Victoria’s Secret & Co. The 12-week virtual program, which has officially launched, will support BIPOC- and/or women-owned or businesses aligned with the pledge’s mission. The program will provide $10,000 in grant funding; expert-led workshops on scaling, operations, and business strategy; networking opportunities with fellow entrepreneurs; and a chance to pitch at Victoria’s Secret & Co. HQ in Columbus, OH, for an additional round of funding valued at up to $50,000.

Applications opened Sept. 2, 2025, and closed Oct. 3, 2025, with the program launching in January 2026.

“Today, we officially kicked off our Runway to Revenue Accelerator Program, created in partnership with Fifteen Percent Pledge to fuel the growth of women‑owned fashion brands,” Victoria’s Secret & Co. said in a post shared on LinkedIn.

“By investing in women entrepreneurs, we’re championing innovation and strengthening a growing ecosystem of women‑led businesses,” the company added.

Participating founders will also benefit from mentorship from the Victoria Secret & Co. executive team and receive retail‑focused education, the company mentioned in the post. Additionally, founders will be prepped for how to pitch for grant funding, which will be timely ahead of the pitch competition scheduled for April.

Best of luck in advance to the participating cohort!