Since 2016, JaMichael Mitchell’s digital marketing agency, EraBright, has been helping Black-owned businesses succeed in a competitive digital landscape. With a mission rooted in cultural understanding, EraBright provides tailored strategies—like SEO, social media marketing, and targeted ads—to help Black businesses reach the right audiences and grow sustainably. From Corporate Marketer to Black Business Advocate Mitchell’s experience spans over a decade in digital marketing, beginning with roles at top national agencies and campaigns for high-profile brands. With degrees from Fayetteville State University and Full Sail University, and certifications in Google Analytics,
SocialCrowd, co-founded by Raphael Akinsipe, has successfully raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round led by Bread and Butter Ventures and Augment Ventures. This latest investment, which also saw participation from VC 414, Serac Ventures and FullCircle will support SocialCrowd’s expansion, following a $1.6 million pre-seed round in February. The startup seeks to elevate performance and engagement among frontline and shift-based workers across industries. “Fitbit for work” Platform Founded in 2022, SocialCrowd has carved a niche in helping industries with high turnover rates, such as retail, manufacturing, and hospitality,
Visa has announced investments in four African fintech startups that recently graduated from its Africa Fintech Accelerator program. While Visa did not disclose specific investment amounts, the initiative reflects its ongoing efforts to drive financial inclusion and support digital innovation in Africa. Supporting Fintech Innovation Across Africa The four startups—Oze, Workpay, OkHi, and ORDA—each offer digital solutions tailored to address key financial and logistical challenges in African markets. By backing these companies, Visa is betting on a diverse range of technologies to enhance access to financial services for small businesses,
Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ), a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans, has teamed up with Microsoft to provide tech skills training to over 5,000 veterans preparing to transition into civilian careers. The training program, launching in December 2024, is part of Microsoft’s Nonprofit Tech Acceleration for Black and African American Communities initiative. It will help veterans build skills in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity, coding, artificial intelligence (AI), and game development. Addressing the Skills Gap for Veterans in Tech Microsoft’s collaboration with BVSJ addresses a key gap for
This week, Techish hosts Michael and Abadesi dig into Gen Z politics, focusing on why some young men are shifting conservative. They chat about how social media and creators fuel toxic views on women and masculinity, the need for healthier masculinity, and the struggles young men face today. Plus, they tackle ageism in startups, questioning stereotypes about younger and older workers. Gen Z men are more conservative (00:17) Are online creators grooming boys to hate women? (06:55) The need for healthy masculinity (12:55) Should startups hire over 30s? (17:45) Listen
Whoopi Goldberg is launching All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), a dedicated 24/7 global sports network exclusively for women’s sports. The EGOT-winning actress and longtime advocate announced the launch on the Jimmy Fallon Show. Women’s Sports Finally Get Full-Time Coverage In an industry where women’s sports receive less than 20% of total coverage, Goldberg’s network arrives to bridge the gap. Unlike traditional channels that occasionally cover women’s events, this platform will spotlight women’s sports continuously, offering professional basketball, soccer, and growing sports like skateboarding and surfing. Goldberg’s network goes beyond game
Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA) has directed telecom operators to suspend access to Telegram during specific hours, aiming to prevent students from sharing answers during national exams. The move follows Kenya’s ongoing efforts to curb exam-related misconduct using encrypted messaging platforms, with CA pointing to Telegram’s lack of full cooperation in its regulatory requests. Why Is Telegram Targeted? Telegram, which has over a billion users worldwide, has become a tool for communication in Kenya, thanks to its encryption and ability to host large chat groups. However, the CA argues that this
TJ Taylor, who previously helped shape popular platforms like Raya and Dispo, has entered the venture capital world with the launch of Hobart Ventures, an $8 million fund dedicated to consumer-focused startups. Built from Taylor’s experience in consumer tech, Hobart Ventures will focus on early-stage investments in a sector often overshadowed in traditional VC circles. Hobart Ventures Aims to Support Early-Stage Consumer Tech Taylor’s pivot to venture capital comes after years in the tech industry, where he not only co-founded a stock app but also played a key role in
Research Grid, an AI-driven company dedicated to automating clinical trial administration, has raised $6.5 million in seed funding to streamline trial workflows and reduce costly delays. The funding round, led by Fuel Ventures and including backers like Ada Ventures, Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab, and Arāya Ventures, will help Research Grid expand its engineering, R&D, and marketing efforts, with a focus on US and Asian markets. This investment supports Research Grid’s mission to cut down on the labor-intensive administrative tasks that can hinder the speed and success of medical research.
PBS Kids is making strides in computer science education with its new series, Lyla In The Loop, which premiered recently. This animated show follows the adventures of Lyla, a 7-year-old Black girl who, with her friends and family, uses critical thinking and problem-solving skills to navigate everyday challenges. Encouraging Problem-Solving Through Interactive Storytelling One of the unique elements of Lyla In The Loop is its upcoming interactive episodes. These episodes will allow Lyla to break the fourth wall, directly engaging with the young viewers. Using pre-written responses powered by non-generative
