Rialto

Woodbridge, MD

Who is the end-user of your DEI tool/resource?

Our end users are community managers that organize logistics for programs and organizations that develop Black-owned businesses. They're responsible for making sure these founders have the logistical information they need, access to resources, and can find mentors/experts in the community to help them on their innovation journey.

What is the DEI question/issue your innovation is seeking to solve?

Rialto is our technology solution for community managers. It reduces the logistical complexity of managing digital business communities so that community leaders can spend more time focused on the impact they make. By combining the features they use across multiple tools (e.g. Zoom, Notion, Airtable, Mailchimp, Google Calendar, and Calendly) into one community space, Rialto makes it easier for community members to engage with content. Data analytics on Rialto enables us to recommend to community members resources, experts, and conversations that can help them on their innovation journey.

Through our Hustle Forward design sprints, we work with organizations that may not be technology ready yet to help them map out their current ecosystem and determine what gaps they need to fill. We also provide community management services for organizations that are short on resources to manage their Rialto communities.

How does your DEI tool/resource advance diversity, equity and/or inclusivity within a company or community?

Venture Capitalists and accelerators are known for pattern matching and the patterns they use - white, male, Ivy League dropout - are notoriously out of date for the world in which we operate today.  A Black, female founder is the furthest removed from the nucleus of power where funding and customer opportunities live. We're changing that with Rialto.

Rialto aggregates together all of the organizations that support diverse founders becoming not only a one-stop-shop for business development, but also the largest dataset of these founders' behaviors. Our algorithms are leveraging this data to create new, more inclusive pattern matching for funding opportunities. Through the power of data, we'll create a new narrative around what a successful founder looks like.

What is the estimated time to implement your DEI tool/resource for the customer?

We have a three phase implementation plan that starts with 1) setting up the community space, 2) inviting experts and mentors, and 3) inviting general members/founders. On average it takes three weeks to upload an organization's content and train the managing team, experts and mentors, and founders on how to use the platform.

How will the user of your tool/resource know/see the intended impact? What metrics will be used to show success?

The user has access to engagement data. They can see how many office hours have been used by their founders, which resources have been accessed, and which posts have been viewed. We also provide them with quarterly metrics submitted by their founders around the health of their business.

Disclaimers

• While the companies listed within this directory have been reviewed and identified as offering products or services may be of value in helping companies and organizations enhance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), listing them in this online directory does not constitute an endorsement by the Maryland Tech Council of any of the companies, their products or services. MTC recommends that a company or organization conduct its own due diligence and assessment of any company, product or service as appropriate for their needs.
• Reviews were done by a talented cross section of Maryland Tech Council members, some of whom may have had a previous relationship with the firm being assessed. The process used ensured a high-level objectivity even given these previous relationships.