Moniepoint has raised another $90 million in an extension of its Series C round, bringing its total to $200 million after its initial $110 million raise in 2024. The round included investors such as Visa, Development Partners International LLP, Leapfrog, and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Africa Investment Fund, Ross Strike, according to Bloomberg. “We will not rest on our laurels,” co-founder and CEO Tosin Eniolorunda said in a statement. “The proceeds from our landmark Series C will be deployed judiciously to generate even more momentum as we enter the next chapter of Moniepoint’s story – with
Social media star Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johsnon, who went viral after posting her Who TF Did I Marry? series on TikTok, has signed a book deal. Storehouse Voices, an imprint within the Crown Publishing Group, acquired the book, which is titled What (TF) Do I Do Now? Not Just a Memoir, It’s a Survival Guide. Johnson is represented by CAA, which negotiated the deal. Johnson’s rise to fame came after posting a video revealing shocking revelations about her ex-husband, Legion, who is dubbed for his deceitful nature. The series unfolds
VIBE has merged with Rolling Stone, according to Billboard. The merger will allow Rolling Stone to expand its hip-hop coverage and take a deeper dive into the genre. Additionally, VIBE will release exclusive collector’s edition issues of the magazine and debut a new interview series featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures across music, sports, and fashion. “We are thrilled to announce that VIBE is joining forces with Rolling Stone,” Julian Holguin, CEO of Rolling Stone, said. “VIBE will continue to power cultural conversations and reestablish itself as a driving force for commentary and reporting. Our goal is
OpenAI has paused video generations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on its new Sora 2 app after backlash over disrespectful AI-generated depictions of the civil rights leader. The company announced the decision on X on Sunday, confirming it had reached a resolution with King, Inc., the organization representing the late Dr. King’s estate. The move comes less than a week after OpenAI launched Sora 2, a video-generation app that allows users to create realistic clips from text prompts. The app quickly went viral, surpassing a million downloads in five
The reality for Black female founders in the UK is far from easy. 0.02% of venture capital in the UK went to Black female founders between 2009 and 2019. Over a third (37%) of Black female business owners reported making no profit in 2019 compared to 16% of White male business owners. The statistics are alarming, but Black female business owners continue to show up despite existing in a space that was not created for them. It’s for this reason that the VAMP launched the Vamp Power Brunch. VAMP was
Coaching and digital education company Career Love LLC is launching a free Career Love Community, a digital space helping Black women who have been laid off from their jobs. Founded by career coach and DEI Mercedes Swan, the initiative aims to provide a space where Black women can access resources, network, and support after experiencing job loss. “Black women are tired of surviving systems and spaces that weren’t built for us,” Swan said in a press release. “We deserve more, and I am excited to build a safe community where
New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 57, creating the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain — the first mayor-led office of its kind in the US. This move aims to make New York a global leader in digital assets like cryptocurrency and blockchain. Mayor Adams has also appointed Moises Rendon as the office’s executive director. His first task will be to create a commission of digital asset leaders to provide guidance and advice on the office’s initiatives. The Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain
Black-owned media company BOMESI has partnered with Black-owned marketing and tech platform Breakr to launch SASA. The new payment and financing platform is designed to give Black-owned publishers and creators access to real-time compensation and campaign liquidity. The rollout supports BOMESI’s mission to build sustainable financial systems for diverse-owned media and address one of the industry’s biggest challenges: slow payment cycles that can take up to 90 days. Tackling Delayed Payments with SASA BOMESI (short for Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute) is an ecosystem that drives sustainable growth for independent, community-based, and
Epiminds, an agentic AI company, has raised $6.6 million in funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners, EWOR, Entourage, and leading angels such as the former CMO of Booking.com, according to Tech Funding News reports. The Swedish startup, founded in 2025 by Mo Elkhidir (CEO) and Elias Malm, aims to reinvent how marketing agencies work by using multi-agent AI to automate campaign management. Helping marketers with routine tasks Both founders were driven by frustration with the inefficiencies of traditional marketing. Sudanese-born Elkhidir spent years researching multi-agent systems that enable digital agents to
Nigerian men are using AI to create fake nude images of women, according to Gst. On X, Nigerian men are using AI to create fake photos of women; some users are tagging Grok and commenting “remove her clothes” under women’s photos. After a few minutes, the manipulated images are posted under the original user’s post. These flagged images are rarely removed, allowing women to be digitally assaulted without any repercussions. Nigerian men digitally altering women’s pictures 58% of Nigerian women say they’ve faced online abuse, according to The State of Online
