About

Copper & Vine Studio is a Black woman-led innovation lab and technology studio that partners with visionary founders and values-driven organizations to launch transformative digital products. Positioned at the intersection of equity, innovation, and strategy, C&V operates as a hybrid firm—part fractional CTO, part full-stack product team, and part venture lab—working across health, finance, media, and public infrastructure. The studio was founded to serve a new generation of entrepreneurs and institutions that are building systems to expand access, solve systemic problems, and deliver meaningful social impact through technology.

C&V provides end-to-end product development, including research, strategy, UI/UX design, engineering, and deployment. The firm also offers fractional CTO leadership for startups, acting as a strategic partner in technical planning, team management, and investor engagement. Through its internal innovation lab, C&V designs and tests new products aimed at reshaping digital infrastructure for communities historically underserved by the tech sector. The studio’s forthcoming proprietary tools focus on digital health equity, financial access, and civic engagement.

C&V also serves public sector clients on modernization initiatives that require inclusive technology strategies. Whether supporting founders in launch mode or guiding institutions through digital transformation, C&V is committed to delivering technology that is technically sound, human-centered, and purpose-driven.

As it grows its client base and prepares to release its first internal product line, C&V is quickly becoming a destination for future-facing organizations that view innovation as a means of creating systemic change. The studio blends technical depth with strategic clarity, helping clients go to market with confidence while building platforms built to last.

Founded by technologist and strategist Rakia Finley, Copper & Vine Studio was born out of a deep commitment to creating spaces where underrepresented entrepreneurs and mission-driven institutions could access world-class technology support. With decades of combined experience in enterprise software, startup leadership, public-private partnerships, and community-centered design, the C&V team understands how to turn complex ideas into scalable digital solutions.

At the core of C&V’s model is the belief that innovation must be inclusive and grounded in the lived experiences of real people. The studio rejects one-size-fits-all approaches, instead embedding itself into its clients’ missions and ecosystems. Through an agile, research-informed methodology, C&V works side by side with founders and executive teams—from early-stage ideation through market launch and beyond. Clients don’t just hire a dev shop; they gain a strategic partner who is invested in the long-term vision of their platform and business.

C&V’s client portfolio reflects the studio’s breadth and impact. In healthcare, it has architected HIPAA-compliant platforms that combine biometric data, AI, and behavioral science to drive personalized wellness interventions. In fintech, it has designed investor platforms that streamline compliance while democratizing access to venture capital. In the public and nonprofit sector, C&V has supported digital service delivery, community engagement tools, and policy-aligned infrastructure designed to scale across jurisdictions.

The studio is also known for its distinctive approach to team structure. Each engagement is led by a dedicated product strategist, technical lead, and UX designer, with access to a broader bench of specialists in cloud infrastructure, AI integration, accessibility, and DevOps. This lean, modular model allows C&V to move quickly, without sacrificing quality or long-term maintainability.

As an innovation lab, C&V is preparing to debut its first suite of proprietary digital products, designed to address critical gaps in civic participation, maternal health, and small business access to funding. These tools are being developed in partnership with research institutions, community stakeholders, and funders aligned with technology for good. With a focus on measurable outcomes and inclusive design, these forthcoming platforms aim to shift entire industries toward more equitable digital futures.

With its roots in Washington, D.C. and clients across the country, C&V is scaling a new model for innovation—one where technical excellence meets cultural responsibility. As it expands, the studio remains committed to elevating diverse founders, building technologies that solve real problems, and helping shape the next generation of equitable digital infrastructure.