SunCulture, a Kenya-based company focused on climate technology, recently raised $12 million to expand its solar-powered irrigation systems across sub-Saharan Africa. The funding is part of a larger $27.5 million Series B round. Revolutionizing Agriculture with Solar Power In many countries around the world, climate change and erratic weather have made it increasingly dificult for farmers to maintain consistent crop yields. SunCulture’s solar-powered irrigation systems aim to help farmers efficiently use water and boost their crop yields, even with unpredictable rainfall. These systems are sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional,
Canadian pre-seed venture fund Panache Ventures has teamed up with Africa-focused fintech firm Kora to address funding challenges that African tech entrepreneurs face. Payments infrastructure for Africa Established in 2017, Kora is a payment gateway facilitating local and international transactions across several African markets, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya. Kora opened a UK office in 2022 through a collaboration with the West Midlands Growth Company, an initiative designed to drive regional investment and stimulate economic growth in the UK. The platform is particularly known for its multi-currency transactions and recently
Integrating AI in mammography offers a new era in breast cancer detection. However, there are concerns for people of color. The technology, which is becoming increasingly accessible, has the potential to enhance early detection rates beyond the current 87% achieved by traditional mammograms, as reported by The New York Times. AI algorithms are not working at identifying subtle signs of cancer that conventional methods may miss, thereby reducing false positives and unnecessary treatments. The Concerns For People Of Color Despite these advancements, the adoption of AI-enhanced mammography faces significant hurdles. One
In a controversial incident, DBrand, a Canadian tech accessory company known for its social media persona, faced severe backlash after making a racist remark about a customer’s last name. A Joke Taken Too Far? The comment, which was intended to be humorous, was directed at Bhuwan Chitransh, a customer who had complained about the discoloration of a product he had purchased. Chitransh’s initial tweet to DBrand was about a computer skin that changed color only two months after purchase. In a response that was seen as offensive, DBrand tweeted, “Your
More than 200 groups, including civil organizations, researchers, and journalists, have written to major tech company CEOs, urging them to take action to ensure truthful online content and safeguard democratic processes. The letter that went out to the CEOs of Discord, Google, Instagram, Meta, TikTok, X, YouTube, Pinterest, Reddit, Snap, Rumble, and Twitch, coincides with upcoming elections in over 60 countries in 2024. The Impact Of Online Discourse On Democracy “Research illustrates that individual users can have an outsized impact on online discourse, which results in real-world harms, such as the rise of extremism and violent attempts to overthrow democratic
Richualist founder Dawn Myers has secured investment from business figures Mark Cuban and Emma Grede on Shark Tank for her hair tool for textured hair. The washday styling tool Myers’ product, The Mint, is designed to detangle, condition, and style curly to coily hair types (classified as 3A to 4C). The hair tool includes six attachments and is designed to simplify and enhance styling. The technology used heats liquid hair products to optimize their effectiveness, addressing the often complicated and time-consuming nature of managing highly textured hair. “You simply load your pod; think
Zuri, a Pan-African beauty startup, has achieved its first institutional tech investment from Launch Africa Ventures. Zuri’s Journey So Far Founded in 2016 by Gisela Van Houcke, Zuri has evolved from Van Houcke selling products from her car to a tech-driven powerhouse. The startup distributes beauty products such as hair extensions and cosmetics while aiming to empower Black women entrepreneurs and customers. Zuri offers a wide range of culturally relevant beauty products distributed through a hybrid model of physical salons, e-commerce, and social channels. The company has also developed a software platform
Last month, US payrolls soared in and the unemployment rate dropped, however, the opposite was true for Black Americans, especially Black women. Unemployment For Black Women Black unemployment rates have surged reaching a peak not seen since August 2022. As per the latest Labor Department data, the overall unemployment rate for Black Americans climbed to 6.4% in March 2024, up from 5.6% in February. The three-month average unemployment rate for Black people has risen to 5.8%, up from 5.4%. However, the overall shift is mainly seen among Black women, who have experienced employment
Camelback Ventures has announced Shawna Young’s appointment as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), starting in early April 2024. Camelback Ventures Camelback Ventures is a New Orleans-based nonprofit social venture fellowship that aims to increase access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women. Founded by Aaron T. Walker in 2015, Camelback Ventures has supported over 133 undervalued entrepreneurs with social impact ventures around the country. Its business model involves providing its Fellows with the “friends and family” stage of funding. The Fellows then reinvest in Camelback through grants or convertible notes. Meet
Cornell Tech and the City University of New York (CUNY) are facing a lawsuit filed by Justin Gaffney Samuels, over alleged illegal discrimination in the admissions policy of their Break Through Tech program. The Break Through Tech Program This initiative, aimed at boosting careers in technology for women and non-binary undergraduate students, is now under legal scrutiny for potentially discriminating against men. “As a Black man with a deep interest in technology, I was particularly interested in the opportunities offered by the Break Through Tech programs,” Samuels wrote in the official complaint. “However, upon reviewing the program’s
