Seae Ventures has announced the acquisition of Unseen Capital following the death of Unseen Capital’s founder, Kayode Owens, in 2021. The acquisition will use the strengths and missions of both funds to further serve underrepresented entrepreneurs and marginalized communities. Continuing Kayode Owens’ Legacy Owens, an esteemed investor and entrepreneur, founded Unseen Capital in 2020 to support early-stage healthcare companies led by underrepresented founders. Despite successfully raising $30 million, Owens’ death from cancer in August 2021 left a void in the firm’s leadership. Recognizing the importance of Owens’ mission, Eli Lilly,
The world’s first artificial intelligence beauty pageant from has crowned its inaugural winner, Kenza Layli from Morocco. The competition, organized by the World AI Creator Awards, showcased AI-generated models vying for the title of Miss AI. Layli, an AI-generated activist and influencer, won from a pool of over 1,500 contestants, winning a prize package worth over $13,000. AI Influencer Kenza Layli Layli, known for engaging content and activism, has over 193,000 Instagram followers. Her digital persona is dedicated to empowering women in Morocco and the Middle East. Her creator, Meriam
The World Economic Forum (WEF) and its founder, Klaus Schwab, are facing a lawsuit from a Black employee in New York over allegations of racial and pregnancy discrimination. Topaz Smith, a policy expert, claims that upon her return from maternity leave, she was informed her position was being eliminated and was replaced by a non-pregnant white woman, according to Bloomberg. Allegations of Systemic Discrimination Smith’s lawsuit accuses the WEF of systematically discriminating against Black employees, citing instances where Black staff were kept away from attending the annual Davos conference. Instead
Black Americans are more likely than the wider U.S. population to use virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPDs) like Hulu, Sling, and YouTube, as well as free ad-supported TV (FAST) services like Tubi and Pluto TV. A recent Horowitz Research report highlights that content targeted at Black audiences is a key factor driving this trend. Black audiences Want Black content The new annual FOCUS Black report reveals that over 3 in 5 Black households consider content geared toward Black audiences vital. “With retention being a challenge in the SVOD and
DeCarlos Love has been named CEO of Thrive AI Health, a new AI health startup funded by OpenAI Startup Fund and Thrive Global. Writing for TIME, Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, and Arianna Huffington, the founder of Huffington Post and Thrive Global, explained that Thrive AI Health will offer a hyper-personalized AI health coach. Thrive AI Health Thrive AI Health aims to build AI-powered assistant tech to democratize access to expert-level health coaching to improve health outcomes. The startup will use generative AI to hyper-personalize and scale behavior change
Girls in Tech Inc., a global nonprofit focused on advancing women in technology, has closed due to insufficient funding. Founded in 2007 by Adriana Gascoigne, the organization aimed to bridge the gender gap in the tech industry, providing resources and opportunities for women and allies worldwide. Despite its significant presence, with 130,000 members in 50 cities and 38 countries, the organization has struggled financially over the past few years. Relocation and Financial Struggles In 2022, Girls in Tech moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Nashville, a strategic shift intended
FanDuel is hiring on POCIT Meet Akilah Hugine-Elmore, a sports enthusiast who found her dream job by merging her love for sports with her expertise in UX research. A former basketball and softball player and avid sports watcher, Akilah is now the UX Research Director at FanDuel, America’s #1 Sportsbook. In this interview, she tells POCIT how she turned her passions into a fulfilling career. Introduce yourself and what you do at FanDuel. My name is Akilah. I’ve worked at FanDuel since August 2021 and am on the UX research team.
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled plans to establish research centers for emerging technologies across the country’s six geopolitical zones. The technologies include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, aimed to build a technology research ecosystem. Fostering Innovation and Development Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, announced the initiative at the IoT West Africa Conference held in Lagos. Represented by Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Inuwa emphasized that the new research centers align with the agency’s mission to support technological
Driving Forces, a deep tech and fintech venture capital fund, is closing down despite its healthy performance. Solo general partner Sidney Scott explained the decision on LinkedIn, citing increasing competition in a crowded investment space as contributing factors. The Rise and Shift in Deep Tech Investment Scott launched Driving Forces five years ago, using his experience at Amazon with robotic fulfillment systems and optimization technologies. His $5 million fund, driven by an interest in hard tech and a commitment to innovation, saw success in the company. The portfolio included investments
Pfizer has urged a US Court of Appeals to uphold a decision to dismiss a lawsuit from an anti-affirmative action group that challenged its diversity fellowship program. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit dismissed Do No Harm’s lawsuit because the group failed to name at least one individual harmed by Pfizer’s program. The lawsuit against Pfizer The case involves Pfizer’s fellowship program aimed at recruiting and training Black, Latine, and Native American leaders. Do No Harm’s lawsuit claims the program violated federal civil rights laws. In March,
