Lawrence Watkins

Lawrence Watkins has a diverse work experience that spans over several industries. Lawrence currently serves as the Head of Tulsa Investments at Atento Capital, where they are responsible for expanding access to capital and customer markets for Black-owned companies. Prior to this role, Lawrence held positions at Atento Capital as the Head of Pre-Seed Investments and Investor-In-Residence.

Lawrence also has experience in the green technology and entrepreneurship sectors. Lawrence is a Board Observer at Bioeutectics, a company focused on developing green solvents to replace traditional petrochemical solvents. Additionally, Lawrence is a Member of the Board of Directors at 36 Degrees North, a workspace and resource provider for entrepreneurs in Tulsa.

In the education field, Lawrence served as Vice Chairman at The Black Business School, a platform dedicated to helping Black families build and maintain generational wealth. Lawrence also founded Great Black Speakers Bureau, an organization that connects event planners with speakers, and co-founded Great Pro Speakers, which helps professionals and entrepreneurs become paid professional speakers.

Lawrence's expertise also extends to writing and media. Lawrence was a Small Business Expert for TheGrio.com, writing articles on entrepreneurship and business principles. Lawrence also held the role of Atlanta Hub Leader at The Young Entrepreneur Council.

Throughout their career, Lawrence has demonstrated a commitment to supporting and empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs and communities.

Lawrence Watkins has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisville, which they obtained from 2001 to 2006. Lawrence then pursued an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management from 2008 to 2010. Additionally, Lawrence attended the Harvard Business School's Summer Venture in Management Program in 2004 and received a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship from Carnegie Mellon University in 2005. Prior to their university education, they participated in the Math & Science for Minority Students program at Phillips Academy from 1998 to 2000. Lawrence has also obtained additional certifications, including a Six Sigma Greenbelt from Ford Motor Company in 2004 and the Establishing the Next Generation of Private Equity Firms Symposium from the National Association of Investment Companies in 2022.