Lean Startup Conference Inclusion and Accessibility Statement

The Lean Startup Conference is committed to creating an event that is inclusive and accessible.

While we are actively working to include a wide variety of viewpoints and experiences by being intentionally inclusive with our calls for speakers, sponsors, registration, and volunteers, we know that it is also critical that we create an environment that is specifically welcoming to people from communities that have been traditionally marginalized and excluded including, but not limited to, People of Color, disabled people/people with disabilities, LGBTQI people, religious minorities, and women.   

We believe that inclusion and diversity are:

Earned

People from diverse and marginalized communities are used to being asked to attend events to “create diversity" without actually being made intentionally welcome, or having their perspectives centered or reflected in leadership or from the stage. The Lean Startup Conference is committed to giving more than just lip service to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, including investments of time and money to earn the participation of a truly diverse group.

The keys to the best possible conference

There are amazing ideas and information outside of our own experiences. By having speakers and attendees from very different backgrounds and experiences, we learn different approaches to problem-solving, and we gain perspectives we could never have accessed otherwise. The more inclusive and accessible the conference is, the better and the conference will be.

On the right side of history

Creating intentionally diverse, inclusive, and accessible spaces is critical to building a future where diversity, inclusion, and accessibility are expected, celebrated, and affirmed. That is a future that we are committed to helping create.

Our efforts toward creating an environment that welcomes and fosters inclusivity and accessibility include:

• Creating a diverse group of people as part of every step of the decision-making process for the conference, including creating a paid Inclusion and Accessibility Advisory Board for the 2019 conference and beyond (if you are interested in being part of such a board, please contact our Inclusion and Accessibility Manager, [email protected])
• Creating ticket levels, scholarships, and volunteer opportunities so that money isn’t a barrier to participation in the conference
• Doing the work to make the conference accessible, and creating a comprehensive Accessibility and Inclusion Guide which will include accessibility information about the conference host city, hotel(s), and venue(s) to be made available on the website two months prior to the conference.
• A comprehensive, enforced Code of Conduct that makes our values around inclusion and accessibility crystal clear
• Specific outreach for speakers, sponsors, volunteers and registration to affinity groups and organizations that are typically underrepresented including People of Color, disabled people/people with disabilities, LGBTQI people, religious minorities, and women
• An open door policy, as well as specific opportunities, to provide feedback on how we can improve our inclusion and accessibility (e-mail [email protected] anytime.)