Preston James

Preston James is the Co-Founder & CEO of DivInc, the first tech startup ecosystem builder in Texas exclusively for underrepresented tech entrepreneurs. Founded in 2016, DivInc’s mission is to generate social and economic equity through entrepreneurship, with a long-term vision to reduce the racial wealth gap in the United States.

Through its pre-seed/seed stage accelerator program, DivInc has helped launch or grow over 120 startup companies in the United States. Each DivInc cohort generates $50-$100M in business valuations within 12 months. A non-profit headquartered in Austin, Texas, DivInc expanded into the Houston market in 2021 and looks to continue to scale its impact globally.

A former 20-year veteran at Dell, Preston served in executive leadership roles in Enterprise IT Sales and Consulting, where he led teams responsible for driving $250M+ in revenues. He also served as the Managing Director for the Dell Global Center for Entrepreneurship, where he oversaw a $100M Dell Credit Fund for small businesses and helped expand the center’s initiatives worldwide.

Upon an early retirement from Dell in 2014, Preston was appointed to a two-year role as the Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at the Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship in the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

A recipient of numerous leadership awards, Preston was named an Austin Business Journal Power Player in 2023 and 2024, and he is a recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden.

Preston firmly believes that the future economic prosperity of our nation is directly tied to our ability to empower people of color and women through entrepreneurship and innovation. A proud native New Yorker, he earned his Bachelor of Science and Engineering degree from Howard University in Washington, DC. Preston has lived in Austin since 1997 with his wife Kim and their four children, Sydney, Cori, Presli, and Preston III.