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James Norman

CEO at Pilotly, GP at Black Ops, Partner at TC

James Norman is a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist based in Oakland, California. He is currently the Managing Partner at Black Operator Ventures, a seed fund he co-founded in 2020 that focuses on leading seed rounds for top Black founders in the US.23

Norman's entrepreneurial journey began at age 16 when he built his first online company, an aftermarket automotive e-commerce site called MJH Sound.com.4 He earned his BSE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan.3

Currently, Norman holds several key positions:

  1. Managing Partner at Black Operator Ventures (since November 2021)3
  2. CEO of Pilotly, a market research platform for creative content (since October 2014)3
  3. Partner at Transparent Collective, a non-profit accelerating Black tech founders to funding13

Norman is passionate about social equity, which led him to co-found Black Operator Ventures, described as the first seed fund for and by Black founders.12 The fund, launched with $25 million, is backed by notable investors and institutions including Ben Horowitz, Fred Wilson, Brad Feld, University of Michigan, Northwestern Mutual, and Bank of America.2

Throughout his career, Norman has received recognition for his work, including the Mazdaspeed SEMA Design Award from Mazda North America Design Studio in November 2004.3

Highlights

Feb 4 · techcrunch.com
James Norman, Author at TechCrunch
James Norman, Author at TechCrunch
Jun 22 · Bloomberg
Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling Jeopardizes Corporate ... - Bloomberg
Apr 18 · TechCrunch
Founded by actors, Mansa brings its free streaming service for global Black culture out of stealth - TechCrunch
Founded by actors, Mansa brings its free streaming service for global Black culture out of stealth -

Related Questions

What inspired James Norman to co-found Black Operator Ventures?
How did James Norman's early entrepreneurial ventures shape his career?
What is the mission of Black Operator Ventures?
How does Pilotly differ from other market research platforms?
What are some notable projects or companies supported by Black Operator Ventures?
James Norman
James Norman, photo 1
James Norman, photo 2
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Location

Oakland, California, United States