New research from UCLA Luskin, led by Jasmine Hill, evaluates the commitment of Los Angeles venture capital firms to equitable investment access across demographics. The report assesses the PledgeLA initiative, which aims to enhance diversity and equity in the tech sector. Findings reveal that Black and Latina women are notably underrepresented, receiving only 1% and 2% of funding, while all-white teams secured 66% of capital. However, the funding gap between women-only and men-only teams decreased significantly from $3.8 million in 2022 to $700,000 in 2023. The results contributed to the selection of recipients for PledgeLA’s inaugural Catalyst Awards.