In the world of venture capital, where patterns of investment often follow well-worn and exclusive paths, Barry Givens is engineering a different kind of machine.
A mechanical engineer by training, Givens first made his mark by building a robotic bartender. Today, he is constructing something far more ambitious: a new financial architecture designed to generate generational wealth for Black entrepreneurs.
His journey from a design engineer at John Deere to a managing partner at Collab Capital, a venture firm that has raised over $125 million, is a story of technical ingenuity repurposed for social impact.
It is a narrative deeply relevant to a Duke audience, highlighting how engineering discipline, when fused with a mission for equity, can address systemic challenges in business and society.
Building a Foundation: From Cocktails to Capital
Givens’s entrepreneurial instinct surfaced early with ventures like a custom shoe company. However, his pivotal launch was Monsieur, a hardware technology company he founded in 2012. As chief executive officer, he led the development of a patented, automated cocktail dispensing system—a true feat of mechanical and systems engineering that found its way into national cinema chains and sports arenas.
He raised over $4 million, guided the company to a successful exit, and earned a prestigious launch at TechCrunch Disrupt.
This experience as a founder provided him with more than an exit; it gave him an intimate understanding of the fundraising landscape and its inherent pressures, a lesson he would later translate into his investment philosophy.
The Pivot: Engineering a Fairer Financial Model
The success of Monsieur could have been an end in itself. Instead, Givens viewed it as a lever for change. He transitioned into venture capital, first as a managing director for the Cox Social Impact Accelerator powered by Techstars, where he focused on supporting underrepresented founders.
In 2018, this mission crystallised with the co-founding of Collab Capital alongside partners Jewel Burks Solomon and Justin Dawkins. The firm’s objective was explicit: to invest in Black founders to turn their “genius into generational wealth”. Givens and his partners acknowledged they did not begin with long investment track records.
Instead, they built their credibility strategically, with Givens noting their roles at Google for Startups and Techstars were deliberate steps to gain the experience and standing needed to launch their fund.
A Proprietary Formula for Investment
What distinguishes Collab Capital is its innovative approach to the investment model itself. Givens, the engineer, applied a problem-solving mindset to the structural inequities in venture finance. The firm developed its proprietary “SPACE” structure, which blends profit-sharing with equity.
This model allows founders to buy back equity as they return capital, moving away from the traditional venture capital model that often forces a binary exit. It is designed to build wealth during the company’s journey, not just at its end.
This philosophy stems from Givens’s own hard-earned wisdom. He openly shares a key lesson from his founder days: “His biggest mistake… was thinking investors were his friends.” He explains to the founders he now backs that while he will advocate fiercely for them, an investor’s primary duty is to be a good steward of capital. This nuanced, transparent guidance is a hallmark of his mentorship.
A Recognised Force for Change
Givens’s work has not gone unnoticed. He was featured in the AFROTECH Future 50 list as a “Dynamic Investor” and named among Diversity MBA Magazine’s Top 100 Under 50. Yet, for someone focused on a “20-30-year impact,” such accolades are milestones, not destinations.
Based in Atlanta with his wife and two children, Givens continues to serve as a board member for organisations like Venture Atlanta and Invest Atlanta, tirelessly working to redirect the flow of capital and opportunity.
His career demonstrates that the most complex and rewarding systems to build are not always made of steel and software, but of fairer terms, intentional trust, and a unwavering commitment to colouring the tech industry with the full spectrum of talent it has long overlooked.
