Three Nigerian students from Caleb University have built an app to detect ripe Fruit. Harmony Abayomi, Frida Efod, and Chibuzor Nwachukwu have developed Valor, an AI-powered app designed to detect fruit ripeness, as BBC Africa stated. The Hackathon Abayomi, Efod, and Nwachukwu recently represented the Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Software Engineering departments and took first place at Bell’s University Hackathon with their app, Valor. Writing on LinkedIn, Abayomi said, “My team from Caleb University took home the top prize with our web and mobile app, Valor. Our app uses the
Samuel George, Ghana’s minister for communication, digital technology, and innovations, has given Starlink one month to comply with national regulations. The satellite internet service has been operating in Ghana since August 2024. However, it does not have a physical office or customer support system, and the government wants that to change, as stated by Connecting Africa. Starlink in Ghana “Starlink must establish a local office in Ghana to ensure effective communication and decision-making,” George said. “Starlink must comply with Ghana’s regulatory framework, including licensing and tax requirements,” he added. The
MoviePass, a Black-owned subscription-based movie ticketing service, has secured a $100 million capital commitment from Global Emerging Markets’ Token Fund to expand its new fantasy gaming platform, Mogul. The game, which launched this month, is currently in beta mode. Mogul allows players to predict box office results, per-screen averages, and awards successes for films, all while taking the role of a studio executive. Users can also compete in tournaments, head-to-head matchups, or play solo. MoviePass says it’s similar to a fantasy sports league, according to Variety. Who can play Mogul?
The Sidemen, Europe’s largest YouTube collective, has co-founded Upside, a venture capital firm backing consumer tech startups. The group, which includes KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, and W2S, has amassed over 50 million followers and 50 billion views across all social media channels. The Sidemen’s new venture As stated by The Times, they’ve launched Upside VC, using some of their own mone, and have made 12 investments between £100,000 ($ 133,700) and £500,000 ($666,880) in companies, including Howbout, Mile, and Nimbi. Companies supported by Upside will not only get finance
Google has agreed to pay $50 million in a racial bias lawsuit against Black staff workers. On Thursday evening, a preliminary settlement covering over 4,000 Google employees in California and New York was filed in Oakland, California federal court, which requires a judge’s approval, according to Reuters. The lawsuit In 2022, the plaintiff, April Curley, proposed a class action lawsuit from the California Civil Rights Department, stating that management gave opportunities only for lower-ranked roles, paid them less, gave them lower performance ratings, and stopped them from opportunities for development
The NAACP, in partnership with Adobe, has announced the return of its NAACP Cinematic Shorts Competition and the launch of the NAACP Creative Fellowship. The NAACP Creative Fellowship The NAACP Creative Fellowship, in partnership with Adobe, is a 14-week paid program that provides upcoming post-production professionals with video editing, motion graphics, sound design, and content creation skills. Four people will be selected for industry mentorships, Adobe Creative Cloud training, hands-on work experience, and exclusive networking opportunities. The fellowship will kick off with a week-long retreat in Los Angeles from June 2nd to 6th.
Fashion-tech startup Doji raised $14 million in seed funding, days after publicly launching on the App Store. Techcrunch reports that the funding led by Thrive Capital, with participation from Seven Seven Six Ventures, will be used to upgrade Doji’s AI models. “At Doji we’re building the most personal way to shop for fashion online. Create your photorealistic AI likeness and try on real clothes. Doji is designed to encourage play – helping you feel confident, explore new looks and find pieces you’ll love,” Doji’s founder, Dorian Dargan, said on LinkedIn. What is Doji?
Wave Ventures, Europe’s largest Gen Z-run VC fund, has announced its third fund, which is €7 million ($7.8 million), tripling the size of its previous fund. The fund is supported by a diverse group of investors, such as Slack, Bolt, Skype, Supercell, Wolt, Silo AI, and Smartly.io, as well as European early-stage VCs, and family offices, according to a press release. The fund comes at a crucial time for early-stage investing across the Nordics and Baltics. The quick advancement of generative AI, no-code tools, and open-source technologies makes entrepreneurship more
DEI Under Fire is our monthly series that keeps you up-to-date on the latest DEI announcements and changes from the nation’s leading companies. This month, we discovered that more companies are rejecting the anti-DEI wave. Bristol Myers Squibb stood firm on their DEI efforts, highlighting the importance of an inclusive workforce. Berkshire Hathaway also backed its DEI initiatives as shareholders rejected an anti-DEI proposal. Goldman Sachs, however, removed references associated with DEI on its website. Here are some of the latest changes we think you should know about. Remember to
Rich Paul, Klutch Sports Group founder and longtime agent to LeBron James, has invested in Homecoming, a new media company founded by Paul Rivera, a former executive at Nike and Beats by Dre. Homecoming Nework will center its efforts on video podcasts, aiming to become a hub for conversations at the intersection of sports, business, and culture. Its other investors include The Matthew Pritzker Company, Forbes Family Sports and Entertainment LLC, and Heights LLC executives, who have all declined to share financial terms, according to Bloomberg. Merging Sports, Culture, and
