OUR TEAM

Led by Ben Stokes, our team brings a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication. With an impressive track record of successful exits, investments, and recognition in the VC community, we're well-equipped to identify and nurture the next generation of LGBTQ+ unicorns.

  • Ben Stokes (he/him/Ben) is the Founding Partner of Chasing Rainbows and a prolific leader in changing the funding landscape for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. He has been internationally recognized for his LGBTQ+ advocacy work and his commitment to changing the VC funding landscape.

    In 2024, Ben was a mainstage speaker at SXSW, and was named one of 100 American Dreamers by the Milken Institute. On top of this, Chasing Rainbows was named by Fast Company as a top Impact Fund, and was named on Impact Assets IA50 list. In 2023, Ben was named 40 under 40 Rising Stars of Venture by the Venture Capital Journal, and named 40 under 40 LGBTQ+ Pride Leaders by Business Equality Magazine. In 2022, Alumni Spotlight named him in the Top 100 Investors and was recognized by the NVCA as one of the Top LGBTQ+ Investors Making an Impact. In addition to this, in 2021, Ben spoke at the UN General Assembly on Living with Purpose, has been a guest speaker for the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Centre, British Government and gave the Graduation Address for his Alma Alter after being awarded Young Alumni of the Year 2021 for the University of Tasmania.

    On top of his work at Chasing Rainbows, Ben sits on a number of NFP boards, including the Victory Institute and StartOut. Prior to founding Chasing Rainbows, Ben previously founded SocialTable, a social platform used on every continent, which he exited in 2021. Using his own experience as an LGBTQ+ founder of color, he has been an active angel investor and advisor for 20+ companies, successfully achieving 2 exits and multiple markups for invested companies, and has been featured on a number of international podcasts and speaking platforms.

  • Alan (he/him) is a passionate content writer, copywriter, founder, and storyteller dedicated to helping mission-driven brands and orgs amplify their message and make a meaningful impact. With over a year of experience, has founded and scaled 4 digital platforms, creating over 30 SEO-optimized articles and 35 SEO-optimized web pages, accumulating more than 125,000+ content views.

    As someone identifying as Indigenous Zapotec Mexican, LGBTQ+, first-gen, and disabled, strives to empower others through authentic storytelling and strategic content that resonates and drives engagement.