About the Case Study format:
At SVI Virtual we will feature two entrepreneurs chosen from our attendees that have identified a specific strategic challenge to a panel of experts, who along with all attendees, will help provide invaluable insight, considerations and support. The Case Study model provides an opportunity for all attendees to strengthen their business acumen and learning while providing feedback and advice to a fellow business leader attendee. It's a structured format with proven results.
Meet Jessica Norwood
Jessica Norwood, named one of Essence Magazine’s “50 Entrepreneurs to Watch,” is an acclaimed author, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. As the founder and CEO of RUNWAY, Jessica leads a visionary team of women of color dedicated to empowering Black entrepreneurs by providing startup capital and ongoing support to nurture their success. Her work bridges the gap between finance and social justice, championing reparative and restorative economic practices that address systemic inequities.
Jessica’s innovative leadership has earned her prestigious fellowships, including the Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellowship, Just Economy Institute’s Integrated Capital Fellowship, and Harvard University’s Hip Hop Archive Fellowship. Her groundbreaking efforts have been featured on NPR, Bloomberg Television, and in Essence, Fast Company, and Conscious Company.
An expert in financial activism, Jessica’s work has deeply influenced conversations around economic justice, particularly for Black communities. Her widely celebrated book, Believe-in-You Money: What Would the Economy Look Like if It Loved Black People?, has been praised as transformative by leaders such as Edgar Villanova, author of Decolonizing Wealth.
Jessica’s life and work are rooted in her Southern upbringing in Alabama, as well as her experiences in Chicago, Oakland, Boston, and Kingston, Jamaica, where she currently resides. A committed advocate for Black joy and liberation, Jessica blends spirituality, artistry, and economic vision to create pathways for healing and justice.
She is also the co-host of Road to Repair, a podcast exploring the shift toward an economy centered on equity, healing, and liberation.
About RUNWAY
RUNWAY is where restorative capital meets community. We are an award-winning financial innovation firm committed to reimagining the financial policies and practices that hold systemic barriers in place – all in the name of Black liberation
Since 2017, our portfolio has distributed $1.62 million in holistic, repair-centered funding to more than 40 Black businesses in California and Massachusetts that have since generated $15 million in revenue. Our innovative work includes The Friends & Family Fund in Oakland and Boston, The Real People’s Fund in the Oakland/East Bay community, and most recently, The RUNWAY ROOTED Fund which is our first in-house, integrated capital fund committed to investing $50 million dollars into businesses, cooperatives, and social impact organizations that support the creator economy in Black communities across the U.S.
We’re a community of practice for financial institutions, investors, and philanthropic organizations who desire to show up differently and a community of support for entrepreneurs who are leading the way. Learn more at www.rooted.family
