BK-XL, a new Brooklyn-based early-stage startup accelerator for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) founders, has announced its inaugural cohort of 12 startups. With each startup receiving up to $500,000 each, BK-XL’s capital is on par with other big-name accelerators like Y Combinator, and, by relative investment size, is the largest BIPOC-focused accelerator in the US. Clara Wu Tsai, a Brooklyn Nets owner and Vice Chair of BSE Global, created the accelerator in partnership with Visible Hands, a VC firm for underrepresented founders. “We created BK-XL to identify and
IT services firm Arthur Grand Technologies has come under scrutiny for a job advertisement requesting only white candidates apply. The company posted a job advertisement for a Business Analyst [Salesforce & Insurance Claims] on Indeed. However, the now-deleted advertisement included a note stating: “Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates]”. The client was listed as IT services company HTC Global and Warren Buffet’s multinational conglomerate holding company Berkshire Hathaway. The advertisement has since been deleted. Arthur Grand Technologies released
Owen Diaz, a Black former worker at Tesla’s Fremont factory, has seen his payout in a racial bias lawsuit against Tesla reduced from $15 million to $3.2 million. Yesterday, after a week-long trial, a federal jury found that Tesla failed to prevent severe racial harassment at its flagship assembly plant in Fremont, California. Tesla has been ordered to pay Owen Diaz $175,000 in damages for emotional distress and $3 million in punitive damages. From $137M to $15M In the past year alone, Tesla has faced at least ten lawsuits from
Meet Victor Glover, the NASA astronaut who is set to make history as the first Black man to venture to the Moon. NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) have announced the four astronauts selected to fly on Artemis II, the first crewed mission in NASA’s ambitious plan to establish a long-term presence on the Moon. Pilot Victor Glover will board the Orion spacecraft and embark on a flyby of the Moon with Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day mission
There are now more women of color than men named Dave or David sitting on corporate boards, according to a recent report by social impact venture Him For Her and Crunchbase. Him For Her teamed up with Crunchbase for a fourth year to assess the gender diversity of over 600 high-growth private companies, representing nearly $200 billion in funding. WOC vs Daves Of the 4,610 board seats included in the study, 1 in 5 (20%) are held by men of color and 1 in 25 (4%) by women of color.
A Surf Ghana event with several panellists including Sandy Alibo. A Vibrate poster is visible on the wall.
Wisdom is an audio-first social discovery app fostering deeper connections and lasting friendships between like-minded users. Founded by British computer science graduate Dayo Akinrinade, Wisdom leverages advanced AI with the power of social audio to make the world a little wiser. “Wisdom offers women a safe space to converse about topics that matter to them, such as women’s rights, domestic violence, leadership, and wellness,” Akinrinade told Apple. “Our users who don’t identify as women consider themselves allies, and provide support by participating in the conversations or simply listening.” On Wisdom, users
Sashi Entertainment Network (Sashi) is the new streaming platform that’s set to become the go-to destination for Caribbean-focused content. Launching in over 177 countries, including the US and Canada, the mobile and television streaming platform aims to keep the diaspora connected to the pulse of the Caribbean. Sashi is the latest offering from Sashi Entertainment, the multimedia company behind the Sashi Experience which has hosted some of the biggest names in music since 1999, including Usher, Missy Elliot, and Super Cat. Now, with the launch of Sashi, the multimedia company
Software engineering is the best job in the US, according to the US News & World Report’s list of the 100 best jobs. But with layoff announcements showing little sign of slowing – it can be hard for those working in the industry to know where they stand. Hired’s annual report on the state of software engineers in the tech industry aims to cut through the noise and reveal the facts about the job market for software engineers. “It’s been a challenging time for the tech industry,” writes Hired CEO Josh Brenner. “Despite
US-based non-profit organization Geekz Ventures has announced the 10 Black and Latine-led startups selected for its inaugural pre-accelerator program. The 10-week virtual program welcomes startup founders in any industry, but the focus is on Media, Connectivity, Entertainment, and Mobile Technology. The program, which kicks off in March 2023, offers Black and Latine founders business training, community, and coaching to refine their startup ideas and attract their first paying customers. Participants receive an equity-free grant and follow-up funding opportunities. World-class mentors The program offers access to world-class mentors and coaches, including
