Kendrick Lamar’s startup pgLang is number 15 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2025. The multidisciplinary creative communications company was founded by Lamar and filmmaker and record producer Dave Free in 2020. The company establishes itself as a hybrid model in the creative spaces, operating across different industries and platforms such as music, film and live events. This year, they creatively directed and co-produced the Super Bowl halftime show where Lamar performed his number 1 hit “Not Like Us.” pglang’s influence The creative agency has
Nigeria is preparing to set up a $40 million fund to back early-stage technology startups, strengthening its support for entrepreneurs who have typically relied on private investors. Semafor reported that the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Japanese government’s overseas development assistance arm, is investing half of the fund. The remainder will be matched by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), as Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, head of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), stated. $40 Million Fund to support startups in Nigeria The fund is part of Nigeria’s broader commitment
This week on Techish, Michael and Abadesi get real about success. They break down what it takes, what social media gets wrong, and why patience matters. They dive into privilege, tokenism, and the pressures young people face today, breaking down the dangers of comparison and the need for a more balanced view on success. Chapters 00:00 Anthony Mackie Says Success Is Given Not Earned11:52 Success Is A Double-Edged Sword15:11 Young Men Don’t Want To Celebrate Their Birthdays24:57 Social Media Never Tells The Full Story Listen to the episode You can
Cassava Technologies, founded by Zimbabwean telecommunications mogul Strive Masiyiwa, is working with Nvidia to create Africa’s first artificial intelligence factory. The Pan-African company will install Nvidia’s modern computing and AI software at its data centers in South Africa by June 2025. It will do the same in other facilities in Egypt, Kenya, and Morocco. “Our AI factory provides the infrastructure for this innovation to scale, empowering African businesses, start-ups and researchers with access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure to turn their bold ideas into real-world breakthroughs and now they don’t have to look beyond
H&M has ended its partnership with the non-profit Buy From A Black Woman (BFABW) and paid the $83,000 it owed the organization almost a month after it was due, as reported by ADWEEK. BFABW was founded by Nikki Porcher in 2016. It provides Black women with educational programs, an online guide to hundreds of female-owned Black businesses, and funding to help Black women business owners achieve success. In 2021, H&M partnered with BFABW, hosting special events, and participating in its business accelerator, and organizing activities and donations tailored to Black-owned businesses.
Greenwood, a digitally native financial platform, is relocating its headquarters to Tulsa and launching two new programs aimed at building wealth within the Black community. These initiatives come on the heels of Seattle-based tech veteran Dave Cotter‘s appointment as CEO. The new programs include the Cash Back for Buying Black™ program for Greenwood Premium Members and a new partner marketplace connecting Black communities with third-party loan providers and financial resources for Black entrepreneurs and families. A New Chapter with CEO Dave Cotter Greenwood was founded in 2020 by activist and
The Black Economic Alliance Entrepreneurs Fund LP, which is raising $50 million to support young startups, is over halfway towards its goal. As stated in a filing last week with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the fund has currently raised $28.5 million and is led by venture capitalist Melissa Bradley. The Washington Business Journal reported that she shared that the fund’s investment will focus on young companies that specialize in products or services in four key areas: financial inclusion, health and wellness, sustainable communities, and what she called “narrative change”—companies focused
Mukuru, a pan-African digital payments company, is preparing to expand its strategy across the continent as the rise of online transactions grows. The company currently serves 17 million users in Africa, Asia, and Europe, refining over $3.5 to $4 billion in payments annually across Africa, as stated by TechPoint. “Customers have become more comfortable using digital means, network, and infrastructure,” Chief Executive Officer Andy Jury told Bloomberg. What does Mukuru do? Mukuru Ltd. is a digital payments platform founded in 2004 by Zimbabwean entrepreneur Rob Burrell. It started as a
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Nigeria has announced new plans to collaborate with technology companies to reduce potential harm from AI. NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu SAN, spoke about the duality of AI at a recent webinar hosted by the International Network for Corporate Social Responsibility (IN-CSR) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Nairametrics reported that Ojukwu, the leader of Nigeria’s human rights agency, said, “the NHRC will leverage tech companies to protect Nigerians from harm and discrimination associated with AI usage.” Working with tech companies
Kevin Hart is working with the Fifteen Percent Pledge to support Black founders using AI. The AI Illumination Grant will teach Black-owned entrepreneurs how to use AI to expand their businesses. The Fifteen Percent Pledge is partnering with Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz’s (A16z) Cultural Leadership Fund to launch the grant, according to AFROTECH. “We know AI can seem intimidating, but these dynamic webinars will break it down and empower you to embrace this powerful technology with confidence,” the Fifteen Percent Pledge website says. The AI Illumination Grant Qualified
