A federal judge in Atlanta on Tuesday rejected a bid by the anti-affirmative activist behind the successful U.S. Supreme Court challenge to race-conscious college admissions policies to bar a small venture capital fund from awarding grants to businesses run by Black women.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash during a hearing denied a request by Edward Blum's American Alliance for Equal Rights for a preliminary injunction blocking Fearless Fund from considering applications for grants only from businesses led by Black women, Blum said.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston)