UrbanGeekz Unveils Inaugural List Of 50 Black Tech Trailblazers In The US, Europe, And Africa

Digital news platform UrbanGeekz has unveiled UrbanGeekz 50, its inaugural list of Black disruptors who are leaving a mark on the innovation economy.

Presented by Atlanta-based MHR International, the list spotlights gamechangers in tech, venture capital, and entrepreneurship and is set to become an annual tradition.

Industry gamechangers

The largest category on the list is ‘Community Builders & Ecosystem Warriors,’ showcasing founders and leaders such as those from Goodie Nation, Black Women Talk Tech, and The Gathering Spot.

The Venture Capital category brings together familiar names for POCIT readers, such as Adeyemi Ajao, managing partner at Base 10, and Arian Simone, co-founder and CEO at Fearless Fund.

Also listed are Henri Pierre-Jacques, managing partner at Harlem Capital, Marlon Nichols, general managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, and Serena Ventures’ very own Serena Williams.

The AI & Machine Learning category features trailblazers like Joy Buolamwini, President of the Algorithmic Justice League and author of “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines.”

Meanwhile, Calendly founder Tope Awotona heads up the Software list. Other categories include FinTech, Digital Media, Food, Climate & Health, and Business-to-Consumer.

Africa and Europe

Acknowledging the burgeoning tech hubs in Africa, the list features prominent figures from the continent, including Iyinoluwa Aboyeji and Maya Horgan Famodu.

Aboyeji, based in Nigeria, boasts the rare achievement of co-founding two African tech unicorns—Andela and Flutterwave.

Horgan Famodu, a Nigerian-American investor and entrepreneur, is believed to be the youngest Black woman to launch a tech fund and the youngest person to launch a tech fund in sub-Saharan Africa.

In the European category, Andy Ayim MBE, a UK-based powerhouse in angel investing, stands out for his efforts to level the playing field in venture capital.

He is known for running The Angel Investing School and formerly serving as the managing director of Backstage Capital.

Ayim has contributed several articles to POCIT, including this eye-opening piece on why he walked away from $100,000.

The full list is available here.