In a startling revelation, Barbara Furlow-Smiles, previously renowned for her role as a global diversity strategist at Facebook, has pled guilty to wire fraud charges. Her conviction comes after siphoning over $4 million from the tech giant, purportedly to support an extravagant lifestyle across California and Georgia. Furlow-Smiles, who significantly contributed to Facebook’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives between 2017 and mid-2021, orchestrated a complex fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta detailed how she exploited her position to funnel funds through fictitious vendors and bogus charges, culminating in
Lagos-based fashion and beauty e-commerce platform Maka has raised $2.65 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Pan-African venture capital firms 4DX Ventures and Janngo Capital. Other contributors include Palm Drive Capital, angel investor Jonathan Shipman, and executives from delivery platform Wolt. Maka Maka empowers trusted creators to live-stream and sell directly to their audiences. The platform allows shoppers to purchase through live-streams, on-demand videos, or online catalogs. Founded in 2021 by Diana Owusu-Kyereko, former CEO of Jumia Ghana and ex-CCO of Jumia Kenya, Maka originated as an interactive social commerce platform. During the
Twin Health has secured $50 million in funding for its AI-driven personalized healthcare tech that aims to prevent and reverse chronic health diseases like diabetes. Temasek led the Series D funding round with the participation of existing investors ICONIQ Growth, Sofina, Peak XV, and Helena. Twin Health was co-founded in 2018 by Jahangir Mohammed (CEO), also the founder of Jasper and Kineto Wireless, and Terry Poon (CTO). A whole-body digital twin Central to Twin Health’s mission is the Whole Body Digital Twin™ – an innovative, AI-driven healthcare platform that composes
Black professionals are now being promoted into managerial roles at rates reminiscent of 2019, a recent McKinsey & Co. study has revealed. The findings signal a concerning erosion of progress made in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and widespread corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments. The Erosion of Progress The study, which analyzed promotion rates from over 270 companies employing over 10 million people, paints a disheartening picture. Promotions for Black professionals, especially women, have fallen significantly. In 2022, for every 100 men of all races promoted into
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
What opportunities are there for shifting power towards the most racially marginalized? In a world as increasingly digitized as ours, there are urgent questions arising about centralized power, corporate accountability, and the impact on individual freedoms. An upcoming research report, “What Does Tech Justice Look Like In The UK?” explores Tech Justice and opportunities to empower the most racially marginalized. The research, funded by Catalyst and supported by the Engine Room, was carried out by a team of British women of global majority descent. Their backgrounds span West and East
New York-based fintech startup Comun is redefining the bank experience for Latine immigrant communities in the US and reimaging local banking for the digital world. Founded in 2021 by Andres Santos, CEO, and Abiel Gutierrez, CTO, both of whom experienced financial exclusion upon migrating to the US, Comun has secured $9 million in funding to date. Banking Disparities in the Latine Community The Latine population contributes a staggering $3.2 trillion to the US GDP. This makes it the world’s fifth-largest economy, more than the GDPs of India, the UK, and
The Rector Cares Foundation has launched Nkuzi STEM, a pioneering program creating pathways for young people across Nigeria aged 15-20 to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). “The lack of diversity in technology not only limits the industry’s potential but also perpetuates inequality,” said Rector Cares Foundations founder Onyedikachi Erete. “Nkuzi STEM seeks to break down those barriers and create a tech landscape that reflects the richness of our society.” Improving lives for Nigerians The Rector Cares Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on empowering communities in Nigeria with
Ghana’s telco regulator has issued a warning against the sale and operation of Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service. Starlink has yet to obtain a license or type approval in the West African country, but citizens appear to be purchasing kits through intermediaries. Starlink in Ghana Starlink is an internet satellite constellation operated by American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to over 60 countries. Spearheaded by Elon Musk, Starlink is a network of satellites that promises to provide high-speed, low-cost internet access to remote and underserved areas. Although SpaceX only
Fearless Fund has filed an appeal against a court ruling that temporarily blocked their grant program for Black women entrepreneurs. The ruling came amid an ongoing lawsuit by the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), which alleged the fund’s grant program was racially discriminatory. The Racial Bias Lawsuit Black-woman-owned venture capital fund Fearless Fund invests in women of color-led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level, or series A financing. The AAER brought a lawsuit against them in August 2023. Notably, AAER founder Edward Blum is the conservative activist behind the Supreme Court’s affirmative
