Fewer than 1% of U.S. nonprofits hold Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency. Startup Ventura is now one of them.
We earned the 2026 Platinum Seal from Candid, the organization formed by the merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center, whose database funders, foundations, and donors across the country use to research nonprofits. Platinum is the highest of four levels. Earning it means we have published our financials, our governance and board, our mission and programs, and the specific goals and impact metrics we hold ourselves to.
For a young organization asking the community to invest in its first cohort of founders, this matters. We are asking people and institutions to put real money behind local entrepreneurs. They deserve complete visibility into how that money is managed and what it produces. The Platinum Seal is independent, third-party proof that we operate that way.
It also pairs with our 501(c)(3) status to give funders confidence at a glance. Many foundations and corporate and institutional funders now look for a Candid Seal, often at the Gold or Platinum level, before they give. We are starting at the top.
Transparency is how we intend to run this organization, starting now. You can see our full profile on Candid.