DrugStoc has raised $4.4 million in a Series A funding round led by Africa Healthcare Master Fund, Vested World, the German Development Bank and others. The investors will play a vital role in the sector’s continued growth. The firm plans to open more fulfillment centers and increase transit points and routes. It also hopes to provide more improved logistic alternatives for deliveries projected to be tardy. The founders plan to tap into more investment prospects in cold chain infrastructure with the hope of creating safer distribution for perishable items. To
The platform, launched in 2020, is designed to make Black candidates accessible to corporations, connect Black-owned start-ups with major brands, pair young tech employees with experienced workers for mentorship, and teach small-business owners how to raise capital. Launched by Leke Sholuade in September last year – it now has a global community of 208 plus mentors from multinational companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Uber, Facebook, Cisco, LEGO ventures, and SMEs. It reportedly has a three-phased approach to make sure the future of tech is an inclusive one for Black people.
An African healthcare startup running several hospitals has secured $18 million in a Series A round. These funds will build its “tech-forward healthcare system” across Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The funding round for Africal Health Holdings, led by Asia Pacific Land/Natural World Limited, saw the participation of several investors, including TRB Advisors, Breyer Capital, M3, Inc., Valiant Capital, Kepple Ventures, and SUNU Capital. Based in West Africa, Africa Health Holdings will use the new capital to expand its telemedicine service beyond Ghana to countries like Nigeria and Kenya. The startup’s MyCareMobile
Latinas in Tech have released the Latina Founders list, a compilation of founders from the community who have raised $1M or more and start-up owners that are on track to raise a similar amount. Latinos have always represented just a tiny share of Venture Capital investment, and firms have long thought that Latinas aren’t represented at all, so Cecilia Corral and Latinas in Tech set out to prove this wrong. According to Crunchbase, Black and Latinx founders have raised $2.3 billion, representing 2.6% of overall funding. However, Latina-founded ventures are not even listed in the findings. At the
So – apart from our pretty awesome podcast – Techish – that gives you the rundown on all things tech, business and money with a hint of culture news – there are plenty of other podcasts for Black tech entrepreneurs. People of color lack representation in tech yet these podcasts may help unlock some doors. Here’s a breakdown of the podcasts you should probably check out whether you’re interested in learning more about what makes a good pitch deck, if bootstrapping is the way for you or you just want
Schools across the UK and Ireland are to receive hundreds of books celebrating Black women in the tech industry to amplify the stories of 51 of them excelling in the sector. Tech London Advocates (TLA) Black Women in Tech released their first book, ‘The Voices in the Shadow’ at the end of October and pledged to give away their first 300 copies free to students. Now – it’s finally happening. According to the BSC (British Computer Society), The Chartered Institute for IT, the representation of women in the tech industry has increased
Administrators at historically Black colleges are patiently awaiting passage of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, with hopes that the bill’s record funding for HBCUs and their science and tech students on a path to further success. They believe the proposed funding level in the Build Back Better bill would make their school more competitive and improve job prospects for students. The package – if passed – would provide $3 billion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, programs at minority-serving institutions. It comes at a time where dozens of companies
Tech executive and entrepreneur John Imah is one of those leading forces in business today. Imah joined Snapchat as the Global Head of Partnerships and Strategy in 2018, and as you can imagine – it’s a pretty busy job. Still, when he’s not at Snap, Imah works as a tech advisor to startups and some of our favorite A-list celebrities. His level of experience is beyond his years – he sold his first tech startup at age 15, and the age of 16, he sold his second company – a gaming firm
At POCIT News, we’re always trying to make life simpler for our community, and that’s why we’ve created a list of Black Programmers and technologists who are inspiring the next generation of innovators. Let’s begin. Sofia Ongele She’s a 20-year-old coder, student, and activist. Back in 2016, she attended Kode with klossy, a summer program and organization dedicated to teaching girls aged 13-18 how to code. In turn, she learned the ins and outs of web development, and learning to code has since opened countless doors for her, taking her to
A few days ago, I got an email regarding a Black-led, Gen Z fintech startup providing income-constrained individuals with investment opportunities. The release said the company, run by a 22-year-old and 25-year-old duo, had just announced their Series A investment round. This – of course – immediately caught my attention because I’m eager to highlight the achievements of young people in tech, but I was even more ecstatic when I saw the figure – Sheridan Clayborne and Mitchell Jones had managed to raise a whopping $18million in their fundraising round.
