Paid, an AI agent startup, has raised $21.6 million in a seed round led by Lightspeed. The London-based startup recently raised €10 million ($11.7 million) in a pre-seed round, meaning the company has raised $33.3 million and hasn’t even reached its Series A yet. The startup’s valuation exceeds $100 million, according to a source familiar with the deal, as reported by TechCrunch. The startup was founded by Manny Medina, the Ecuador-born founder and former CEO of Outreach, a $4.4 billion sales automation company. What is Paid? Paid differs from other
Solange Knowles’ Saint Heron has launched a free digital archival library of literature by Black and brown authors, poets, and artists. Readers can borrow rare and out-of-print books for up to 45 days, creating new pathways to access historically significant works. Improving access to Black archives Many historically significant Black material survives only in fragile, localized collections, such as archives, small presses, or personal holdings. Even when preserved by larger institutions, access is often restricted to vetted researchers with the right networks or affiliations. Saint Heron offers an alternative. By
Kredete, a Nigerian fintech company that helps African immigrants build credit, has raised $22 million in a series A funding round led by AfricInvest through its Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund (CAIF) and Financial Inclusion Vehicle (FIVE). This latest round, which also had participation from Polymorphic Capital and Partech, brings Kredete’s total funding to $24.75 million, according to a press release. The fund will help the company expand into Canada, the United Kingdom, and key European markets. About Kredete Serial entrepreneur Adeola Adedewe founded the company in 2023 with a mission
The 2Africa submarine cable is scheduled to launch in September 2025 in locations including London, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. Facebook reported that it will span 45,000 kilometers across nine landings, collectively known as the 2Africa Pearls. The subsea cable will directly connect Africa, Europe, and Asia. Upon its completion, the extension will make 2Africa the longest subsea cable system in the world, according to Facebook. It will surpass the current record set by the SEA-ME-WE 3 line, which spans 39,000 km and connects 33 countries across South East Asia,
Interested in cybersecurity? Join us for BUILT DIFFERENT, happening in London on October 2. Spaces are free but limited — RSVP now to secure your spot. Get to know the Black British cybersecurity professionals making big moves in the UK and beyond. From CEOs and academics to community builders and content creators, they’re shaping the future of cybersecurity while opening doors for the next generation. 1. Dr. Claudia Natanson MBE – Chair, UK Cyber Security Council Recognized by the Financial Times as a leading technology influencer, Dr. Claudia Natanson chairs the UK Cyber Security
Her Fake LinkedIn Profile Exposed Hiring Bias, Now She’s Turning Her Viral Series Into A Documentary
Aliyah Jones went viral after going undercover on LinkedIn as a white woman named Emily to expose racial bias in corporate hiring. The digital storyteller documented the eight-month experiment in her Corporate Catfish docuseries, which resonated with hundreds of thousands online. Now, she’s expanding that work into a full-length documentary exploring what it truly means to be Black in corporate America. A One-Time Experiment That Sparked a Movement “I made that fake white LinkedIn profile out of frustration but also out of grief,” Jones wrote on Kickstarter. “Because no matter
Black and Latine professionals navigating corporate America are often told to “find a mentor.” While mentorship can be helpful, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. What we really need is a personal board of advisors: a career dream team tailored to our unique goals, experiences, and ambitions. Sometimes referred to as a “Personal Board of Directors” or a “Personal Board of Advisors”, the concept is the same: a diverse inner circle that supports, challenges, and advocates for you at every stage of your journey. In her TEDx talk, Lisa Skeete Tatum,
Dria Ventures has launched its first fund with $8 million to invest in pre-seed and seed-stage startups addressing America’s rising cost crisis. Led by Founder and Managing Partner Megan Maloney, the fund is targeting two sectors where “the math is broken”: healthcare and Main Street productivity. In healthcare, costs now make up nearly 20% of the country’s GDP, while small businesses are spending upwards of $120,000 annually on outdated software. Dria is backing founders who are building practical, cost-saving infrastructure to fix these broken systems. A thesis rooted in lived
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing a lawsuit from 404 Media after failing to release details of a $2 million contract with Israeli spyware company Paragon. The investigative outlet filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in September 2024 seeking records related to the deal but received no substantial response, despite federal law requiring action within 20 business days. The lawsuit claims the documents could shed light on how the spyware is being deployed, especially in the context of ICE’s ongoing mass deportation efforts. What Is Paragon’s Spyware?
R&B artist named Xania Monet has just inked a $3 million deal with Hallwood Media, the company led by former Interscope executive Neil Jacobson, Billboard reports. But Xania isn’t human. She’s the AI-powered creation of Telisha “Nikki” Jones, a 31-year-old poet and design studio owner from Olive Branch, Mississippi. Jones, who grew up singing in church, writes all her own lyrics and uses the AI music-generation platform Suno to bring Monet’s music to life. Her tracks have been gaining momentum fast. On September 20, Xania debuted at No. 25 on Billboard’s
