About Us

Our Story

Discover Our Journey So Far

Why the name Bama Kicks? It originates from our founder, Ezra’s, first business—a sneaker store and blog he launched in 2009 before starting high school. Over time, it evolved into a fashion store. Ezra later closed the business to focus on college soccer and studying Math and Engineering, eventually dropping out to found Got Anyalo. He continued using the Bama Kicks name for freelance work, encouraged by his mother to keep it alive. In summer 2023, he revitalized Bama Kicks as an investment firm, officially launching it in summer 2024.

As an investment firm we are committed to investing in under-invested communities, women, people of color, people with disabilities or neurodiverse, and LGBT+ and bridging the funding gaps returning outsized value. We pursue this mission through two main approaches: our venture studio, which builds cooperatives and employee-owned businesses in under-invested communities, and our investment funds which support founders from diverse backgrounds.

Our Vision

Our vision is a world where everyone, regardless of geographic location or identity, has the resources to address their community’s challenges and meet their needs.

Our Mission

Our mission is to enhance access to resources for individuals from under-invested communities. We are committed to investing in companies that uplift their communities. Through our investments and venture studio, we aim to create a meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of people from diverse backgrounds, helping them tackle their community’s challenges and meet their needs.

Ezra Okuro

He/Him

Founder/Sr. Product Manager
(Chicago, US)

Claudia Espinoza

She/Her

Operations Manager
(Cancun, Mexico)

Mbula Natalie

She/Her

Senior Graphic Designer
(Nairobi, Kenya)

How We Invest

Impact + Profit

Bama Kicks achieves its goals with two distinct approaches:

  • Bama Kicks venture studio Idea Factory partners with entrepreneurs or finds needs in under-invested communities. Does the market research, product market fit, hire, and builds each company as a co-op or employee-owned business.

  • Bama Kicks Endeavors are a series of investment funds. Currently, Bama Kicks has two funds Bama Kicks Ventures (BKVC) and Small Biz Fund.

Our Idea Factory

Our venture studio collaborates with founders and partners to turn problems, needs, and ideas into sustainable employee-owned or co-op businesses. Ideas may come from prospective founders, the studio’s internal team, or partners. Once an idea is validated, the studio offers financial support and hands-on operational assistance. This model is designed to provide new businesses with a team of experts and resources, enabling them to build a sustainable enterprise with comprehensive support.

Our Endeavors Investment Funds

BKVC invests in companies anywhere in the world (with a preference for Chicago and Homa Bay/Western, Kenya) whose founders are People of Color, women, disabled or neurodiverse, or LGBT+. We invest across industries but are looking for companies and founders who solve problems and serve their communities.
We invest post-product through the series A round.

Small Biz Fund invests in businesses doing less than $200,000 or 2,000,000 KSH in revenue per year. Our Small Biz Fund is primarily focused on our hubs Chicago metro and Homa Bay/Western Kenya. Exclusively invest in businesses that are founded by and are in or serve under-invested communities.

HUBS

Our hubs are the only two hubs we will ever have. We use our HUBs to stay connected to our communities and connect with the world.

Solve Problems

We seek to partner with creative problem solvers who harness all the tools around them to tackle tough challenges.

Economic Outcomes

We are creating outsize value with our investments and will create outsize economic outcomes for our communities.