Innovation With Purpose, Built by Operators

The Black Dragon Institute is the strategic intelligence platform of Black Dragon Capital. The Institute tracks and monitors trends, research, and industry policy updates, and produces insights and analysis that help shape industries and influence how leaders act. 

What makes the Institute different is who drives it. Our contributors are not theorists. 

They are operators, investors, technologists, and innovators who have scaled companies, unlocked real value, and led organizations through ever-changing market conditions. This experience ensures that we provide Thought Leadership that is both grounded in practice and actionable in the field. 

The Institute focuses on the intersection of technology and people, where innovation creates both financial returns and social impact. 

• Financial Technology: Capital, payments, and credit management, as well as the financial infrastructure that underpins sustainable growth
• Media and E-Commerce: Distribution systems, consumer platforms, and digital business models transforming commerce, broadcasting, and related industries
• Sport and Education: Promoting athlete growth both on and off the field by combining physical performance training with practical education and essential human qualities like leadership and resilience
• Philanthropy and Community Impact: Exploring how leadership and investment decisions that can strengthen local and global communities, drawing on insights from The Institute’s partner foundation, For A Bright Future

The Institute combines operator insight with disciplined analysis. Every study, white paper, and research brief follows a clear process: 

1. Scan – Track transformation across industries, mapping cultural context, timing, and proximity
2. Analyze – Evaluate value chains, labor impacts, and investor behavior through rigorous data-driven research
3. Interpret – Distill findings into clear insights that executives, policymakers, and founders can act on
4. Publish – Produce white papers, research analysis, and strategic reports that extend beyond commentary to drive measurable decisions

The Institute’s publications illustrate how we merge economic analysis with the operator perspective: 

• Through Hell or High Water: VC Holds Tough
• Examined how venture capital firms adapted under crisis conditions, highlighting the importance of discipline, resilience, and long-term conviction in capital markets
• The Plight of Frontline Hourly Workers
• Explored the structural challenges facing hourly workers, offering frameworks for how industries can balance profitability with equity and resilience
• Our publications also feature the work and perspective of our founder, Louis Hernandez Jr., whose decades of experience in finance and technology inform much of our research. His books — Too Small to Fail (2010), Saving the American Dream (2013), The Storyteller’s Dilemma (2017), and Digital Tsunami (2024) — reflect the same themes of innovation, leadership, and responsible growth that guide The Institute’s mission

Black Dragon Capital was founded by Louis Hernandez Jr., a proven entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, and technologist who has built and scaled global technology companies across finance, media, and commerce. 

As Chairman and CEO of Open Solutions, he created the DNA core banking system and later founded Payveris, a digital payments platform used by financial institutions nationwide.  

Over his career, he has raised and managed more than $1.6 billion in institutional capital, led companies through multiple IPOs, and been recognized as one of the top innovators in financial technology. 

His philosophy of purposeful innovation and responsible growth anchors The Institute’s work. The Institute is grounded in the belief that progress comes from people who build — from factory floors to founder suites, from server rooms to C-suites — leaders who’ve earned their place through doing. 

Guided by this vision, we back innovators, founders, and entrepreneurs who are deeply passionate about their products, understand their markets, and bring a relentless drive to succeed.  (2024) — reflect the same themes of innovation, leadership, and responsible growth that guide The Institute’s mission.