A year after launching its AI research lab, Awarri, a small Lagos-based startup, has become the driving force behind Nigeria’s first government-backed multilingual Large Language Model (LLM). Nigeria’s multilingual LLM Nigeria’s first multilingual LLM is developed by Awarri in partnership with global tech entity DataDotOrg, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Centre for AI and Robotics (NCAIR). Initially, it will trained in five of Nigeria’s commonly spoken languages – Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ibibio and Pidgin – as well as accented English. Awarri, founded by Silas Adekunle
Jackie Aina, renowned beauty influencer and co-founder of FORVR Mood, has announced a new partnership with Canadian whiskey company Crown Royal. In addition to the release of a limited-edition candle, the partnership will see $50,000 donated to Black Girl Ventures Foundation, supporting underrepresented women founders. Supporting Black Girl Ventures Founded by serial entrepreneur Shelly Bell in 2016, Black Girl Ventures (BGV) aims to empower underrepresented and underfunded small businesses by providing access to capital, community, and capacity-building resources. Aina’s partnership with Crown Royal is rooted in support of the nonprofit,
Cadana has raised $7.1 million in seed funding this year. Launched in 2021, the startup allows global workforces to integrate payments and payroll management into their systems. Cadana According to the company, the world’s largest payroll platforms and talent marketplaces use Cadana’s APIs to build compliant hiring products in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Founders Albert Owusu-Asare and Ameer Shujjah, who are originally from Ghana and Pakistan, gained years of experience working at Amazon, Esusu, and Goldman Sachs before founding the company. Although the pair appreciated their version of the
Ron Simons, a tech executive turned Tony award-winning Broadway producer, died at the age of 63. Simons left his job as an executive at Microsoft to pursue his dream of acting, later becoming one of the few Black theatrical producers on Broadway. “It is with heavy hearts that we share the unexpected passing of our beloved, blessed, and highly favored friend, Ronald Keith Simons,” Simon’s production company, Simonsays Entertainment, wrote on Instagram. “Funeral details will be forthcoming.” Simons died on June 12, 2024. A spokesman declined to say where he
Breega, a Paris-based venture capital firm, has announced the first close of its $75 million Africa-focused fund, designed to back pre-seed and seed-stage startups. Expanding Horizons With Local Presence Breega’s new fund, “Africa Seed I,” marks its first foray outside Europe and aligns with opening two new offices in Lagos and Cape Town. These new locations join Breega’s existing offices in Paris, London, and Barcelona, enhancing its presence across the EMEA region. According to Ben Marrel, Breega’s co-founder and CEO, the firm’s approach is rooted in its “founders-for-founders” ethos, offering
Goldman Sachs is standing firm in its commitment to support Black women through its One Million Black Women initiative as it expands its Black in Business program, according to The Guardian. Launched in 2021, the One Million Black Women initiative pledges $10 billion in investments and $100 million in philanthropic funding over a decade to address racial and gender inequality. Doubling Down On Black In Business Program This fall, Goldman Sachs is expanding its Black in Business education program, doubling the number of entrepreneuers it accepts. The Black in Business
Black Space Week Roll Call has taken over X, showcasing Black professionals in the space industry, leading them to The White House. Black In Astro Each year, Black In Astro hosts a Black Space Week to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans in space-related fields. The Black In Astro journey began in June 2020, in the wake of a series of violent police attacks against Black Americans. Founded by Ashley Walker, a PhD student at Howard University, Black In Astro was designed to link together a community of Black scientists
The Tech Talent Charter (TTC), a diversity-focused organizaton partly funded by the UK government, has announced that it is closing. Founded in 2015, the TTC aimed to bridge the diversity gap in tech by collaborating with industry leaders to foster a more inclusive environment. Despite significant achievements, shifting industry priorities and economic pressures have led to the difficult decision to dissolve the organization. The Tech Talent Charter When the TTC was launched, women held fewer than 15% of tech roles in the UK, and broader diversity data was scarce. Over
This year, on Juneteenth, angel investing group Untapped Investing announced its launch to support Black and underrepresented founders. Founded by Mica Eades Mayo, Attica Alexis Jacques, and Felicia Mayo, Untapped Investing aims to create lasting change through purpose-driven ventures. Empowering Underrepresented Founders By investing in Black and underrepresented founders, Untapped Investing aims to generate opportunities that lead to generational wealth and sustainable growth. This collective effort will reshape the venture capital landscape, ensuring that visionary founders, historically overlooked, receive the support they need to thrive, they wrote on LinkedIn. Untapped
At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Will.i.am introduced an AI-generated host named Felicia from his SiriusXM show. Felicia: A Black Woman AI Felicia, an AI-generated Black woman host, debuted at the Cannes Lions Festival in France, during a conversation with Kim Last of The Wall Street Journal. Addressing the audience, she stressed the importance of representation and empowerment in technology. “AI is more than just cool tech. It’s a new frontier where every voice must be heard,” Felicia said, according to AfroTech. “We’re here to make it clear
