Is tech industry making progress on diversity?

[Commentary] Fall 2014 I wrote a guest column for USA TODAY: "Three questions about diversity in tech." The article was in reaction to the pervasive lack of diversity at technology companies. The three questions I asked were: What diversity initiatives are these companies launching? Will anything really change? What's next? Here's an update.

We've seen Intel and Apple put millions of dollars behind efforts to increase their pipeline of talent. Google for Entrepreneurs (GFE) launched its Next Wave program with CODE2040's Residency program and other GFE tech-hub partners. To continue to add fuel to the conversation, Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Push Coalition held the Push Tech 2020 Conference. One trend is that more high-net worth minority individuals are looking to learn about tech investments. The second trend is that new minority-owned seed funds and venture capital firms are being founded, such as Cross Culture VC, which is led by Lady Gaga's former manager Troy Carter and Intel Capital partner Marlon Nichols. With a more diverse investor landscape and more minority tech founders building start-ups, hopefully by the end of the year we'll be reading about new innovations and "unicorn" start-ups that were founded by minorities.

[Wayne Sutton is a serial entrepreneur and general partner at BUILDUP]