For those willing to look, those hidden gems actually aren't so hidden. These investors are all about backing founders and building in traditionally overlooked markets. And they have the portfolios to prove it.

TechSquare Ventures is an Atlanta-based early-stage venture capital firm that partners with visionary entrepreneurs and helps them with what they need most – access to markets and customers.

Lightship Capital believes social impact and profit are simultaneously achievable. So they find, fund, and educate remarkable underrepresented innovators and regions typically excluded from meaningful access to mentorship & venture capital. Lightship invests in early-stage companies led by BIPOC, LBGTQ+, women & people with disabilities who operate in the CPG, E-Commerce, Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, and Healthcare spaces.

HustleFund is a team of former founders turned VC who now invest in startups hilariously early. Their team brings real talk and real advice to founder relationships.

Zane Venture Fund is a diverse team of operators, engineers, and advisories, all having worked with multiple companies and start-ups. Their secret sauce is a structured, yet artful approach for working with companies throughout their entire life cycle to create a holistic market vision coupled with outstanding execution.