SANTA CLARA, Calif.,
Oct. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Silicon
Valley Bank (SVB Financial Group, NASDAQ: SIVB), the bank of the
world's most innovative companies and their investors, today
announced its Access to Innovation program, which is
designed to increase opportunities for underrepresented individuals
in the innovation economy. SVB seeks to provide educational and
workforce opportunities for emerging talent, increase the
connections and funding available for female- and minority-founded
startups, and encourage gender parity and diversity in leadership
in the innovation economy.
"We believe everyone should have equal access to great careers
and business success," said Greg
Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank. "The innovation economy,
the ecosystem we help fuel, is full of opportunities. Through a
range of programs, partnerships, volunteering and financing, we
have a companywide goal to increase access to innovation for
everyone. This work furthers our mission to increase the
probability of our clients' success by developing a larger, more
diverse talent pool and investor community."
SVB's clients inspired the company to build on the work it had
been doing for years to support the growth and success of the
innovation ecosystem. According to SVB's annual Startup Outlook
survey of more than 1,000 startup founders and executives, 82% of
startups are hiring yet 91% find it challenging to hire the talent
needed to grow their business. At the same time, 12 million jobs
requiring post-secondary education will go unfilled in the next
decade (Year Up), less than half of U.S. startups have women in
executive roles (SVB Startup Outlook), 89% of U.S. VCs are male
(All Raise) and 83% of tech executives are white (EEOC).
SVB's Access to Innovation program has distinct goals and
partnerships in three core areas to increase diverse representation
at all levels in the innovation economy:
Educational Opportunities: Training emerging
talent and creating workforce opportunities for individuals without
four-year degrees.
Connections and Funding: Developing networks,
partnerships and events to bring founders and investors together to
increase funding for female and minority entrepreneurs.
Representation in Leadership: Increasing
representation of female and minority founders, investors, and
board members.
Launching Business Analytics Curriculum and
Certificate
With the goal of increasing the talent pool for
SVB's innovative clients, this year SVB identified one of the most
needed entry-level positions among its clients and has introduced a
business and data analytics certificate. The certificate teaches
high-demand skills such as SQL, Tableau and Python and was
developed in partnership with Pathstream, an education technology
startup, and SVB client, which is bridging the digital skills gap
by bringing cutting-edge tech education programs to colleges across
the country. The four-course certificate program is running now in
California at Cañada College and
Foothill College and is scheduled to be
available in additional U.S. cities in 2020.
"As the financial hub for the innovation economy, SVB is also
uniquely positioned to grow the skills and career opportunities
within the community it serves – and continues to do so with a
focus on increasing equity and access," said Eleanor Cooper, co-founder and CEO of
Pathstream. "SVB's smart, holistic approach benefits employers, job
seekers, and the entire innovation ecosystem."
For more information on SVB's Access to Innovation program and
to get involved, please visit
svb.com/living-our-values/access-to-innovation/
About Silicon Valley Bank
For more than 35 years,
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has helped innovative companies and their
investors move bold ideas forward, fast. SVB provides targeted
financial services and expertise through its offices in innovation
centers around the world. With commercial, international and
private banking services, SVB helps address the unique needs of
innovators. Learn more at svb.com.
©2019 SVB Financial Group. All rights reserved. SVB, SVB
FINANCIAL GROUP, SILICON VALLEY BANK, MAKE NEXT HAPPEN NOW and the
chevron device are trademarks of SVB Financial Group, used under
license. Silicon Valley Bank is a member of the FDIC and the
Federal Reserve System. Silicon Valley Bank is the California bank subsidiary of SVB Financial
Group (Nasdaq: SIVB).
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SOURCE Silicon Valley Bank