Skinbrand Topicals has added WNBA star Angel Reese and Nigerian artist Rema as investors in an undisclosed funding round, as the skincare brand navigates a pullback in institutional capital for consumer startups The round reflects a broader shift in how Black-founded consumer brands are financing growth in a more restrictive venture environment. As traditional investors grow more conservative, founders are increasingly treating distribution, cultural reach, and audience trust as strategic inputs alongside cash. Capital, Control, and the Cost of Growth Since launching in 2020, Topicals has raised more than $22.6
Howard University will launch an “Intro to Artificial Intelligence” course in spring 2026, partnering with CodePath and with financial support from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, according to a press release shared with AfroTech. Howard faculty and CodePath’s faculty network will jointly teach instruction spanning data structures, AI literacy, and agentic workflows, the release said. The program positions applied AI-assisted software development inside a core academic setting rather than treating it as an extracurricular credential. “Our work is rooted in the idea that HBCUs are not only equipping students for
Terra Industries, a Nigeria-based defense technology company, raised an $11.75 million in funding led by Joe Lonsdale’s 8VC [Lonsdale is also co-founder of companies including Palantir Technologies, Addepar, and OpenGov], as it emerged from stealth, according to TechCrunch. The round included Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, and Nova Global. Terra previously raised an $800,000 pre-seed round. The company said African investors in the round included Tofino Capital, Kaleo Ventures, and DFS Lab. Terra, founded by CEO Nathan Nwachuku, 22, and CTO Maxwell Maduka, 24, builds autonomous systems to
Google’s Year in Search 2025 data confirms a long-standing reality in the digital economy. Black American culture serves as the primary engine for what the U.S. clicks, buys, and watches. This annual roundup highlights the questions that shaped the cultural zeitgeist, and 2025’s results are characterized by Black-led moments across every major category. Culture The rise of the Philadelphia-rooted “67” phrase—popularized by rapper Skrilla’s track “Doot Doot (6 7)”—highlights how regional Black slang quickly becomes the default language of the internet. Dictionary.com even named “67” its Word of the Year
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened investigations into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at several major companies, including Google and Verizon, The Wall Street Journal reports. The DOJ is using the False Claims Act to assess whether companies misrepresented their hiring or promotion practices while receiving federal funds. DOJ Targets DEI Using Fraud Law In a May memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche instructed prosecutors to investigate and pursue cases against federal funding recipients that knowingly engage in “preferences that create benefits or burdens based on
Flutterwave, Africa’s largest payments technology company, has acquired Nigerian open banking startup Mono in an all-stock deal valued between $25 million and $40 million, TechCrunch reports. The acquisition brings one of Africa’s most prominent open banking companies under the Flutterwave umbrella, as the payments giant looks to expand its infrastructure beyond transactions into data and financial services. According to a press release, Mono will continue to operate independently under its existing leadership team. Mono: Africa’s Answer To Plaid Founded in 2020 and backed by investors like Y Combinator, Mono builds
2025 made one thing clear: progress is rarely linear. Against a backdrop of DEI rollbacks and an especially challenging job market, the year revealed how quickly gains can be challenged. Still, the pieces you returned to most weren’t just about what was taken away. They were about creativity, accountability, and agency. You showed up for stories of builders forging new paths, consumers demanding better from corporations, and individuals exposing systems that weren’t built with them in mind. So, as the year winds down, here’s a look back at the ten most-read
Sponsored by Microsoft for Startups On October 28, POCIT hosted Breaking Bread, an intimate dinner in Houston, Texas, designed to bring together early-stage founders for an evening of conversation, connection, and community. The dinner gathered seed-stage and Series A founders alongside a select group of venture capitalists, including Nasir Qadree (Founder & Managing Partner, Zeal Capital Partners) and Richard Odior (Head of Pre-Seed Investments, Zeal Capital Partners). Breaking Bread with Founders The gathering created a rare, intentional space for founders to slow down, exchange lessons, and build genuine relationships. Hosted
Last year, POCIT launched its first-ever Innovators Index, recognizing the changemakers among us who are driving change in tech and beyond. Now in its second year, the Index returns with an extraordinary cohort of founders, investors, engineers, and storytellers reshaping what’s possible across tech and beyond. This year’s honorees are closing wealth gaps, exposing discrimination, advancing life-saving science, rethinking education, and building more sustainable systems, from fashion and beauty to climate and community. Tade Oyerinde Revolutionizing college education Tade Oyerinde is the founder and chancellor of Campus, a community college
Rent is often the largest monthly expense for American households, yet for decades it counted for little when it came to building credit. Esusu, a Black-owned fintech company, is working to change that. Founded in 2018, Esusu partners with large property owners to report renters’ on-time payments to credit bureaus. The approach allows millions of renters to build credit without taking on new debt, creating clearer pathways to homeownership and long-term financial stability. The company has now raised $50 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to more than
