Black Tech Week, an inclusive tech conference focused on empowering entrepreneurs of color, is set to return to Cincinnati from July 18–20. “There isn’t a single DEI talk at Black Tech Week. That’s by design,” Brian Brackeen shared on Twitter. “‘No DEI talks’ are something that we are proud of.” Brian Brackeen is the founder of facial recognition software company Kairos and managing partner at Cincinnati-based venture capital fund Lightship Capital, which invests in companies led by underepresented founders. He is also the organizer of Black Tech Week. “Black Tech
Prioritizing affordability, inclusivity, and leveraging technology, Black-owned insurance tech unicorn Marshmallow is challenging traditional insurance practices and extends coverage to underserved communities. Now, Marshmallow has landed a £15 million 3-year revolving credit facility from Triple Point Private Credit, one of the largest non-bank lenders in the UK, to expand its product offerings. “[We] are excited to be working with a management team that have successfully launched and scaled an insurance business so impressively,” said Triple Point’s Head of Structured Finance, Gavin Maitland Smith, per Tech Funding News. “More importantly, their
Hayti, a leading Black-owned news aggregation app, has announced that it is now officially the largest source of podcasts led by Black hosts. Launched in 2021, Hayti offers a one-stop platform that combines trusted articles, videos, and podcasts from Black publishers. Recognizing the growing influence and demand for podcasts, Hayti recently expanded its app to include over 2,000 Black-hosted podcasts. Black audiences spend more time with media than any other group in the US “As a Black woman who has worked in media and entertainment for decades, I cannot express
Chris Womack has become president and CEO of Southern Company, joining a small group of Black chief executives leading major publicly traded corporations. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company is a prominent energy provider, generating $22.4 billion in annual revenue in 2021, and through its subsidiaries, it serves approximately 9 million customers. Three Decades of experience A 35-year company veteran, Womack previously was chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, the Southern Company’s largest subsidiary. Before that, the Greenville, Alabama native was executive vice president and president of external affairs for Southern
Leading semiconductor company, Intel, has announced it has reached its goal to increase global annual spending with diverse suppliers to $2 billion eight years ahead of schedule. It has also surpassed its goal of $250 million in spending with Black-owned suppliers by the end of 2023. The rapid evolution of technology, driven by cloud computing, data networks, and smartphones, has transformed industries worldwide. At the core of this digital revolution lies semiconductor technology, powering everything from computers to medical equipment. While the tech industry has come under scrutiny for neglecting its DEI goals
Akash Nigam, the co-founder and CEO of leading avatar company Genies, is spearheading the adoption of ChatGPT within his organization. According to Business Insider, Nigam is spending $2,400 a month on ChatGPT Plus accounts for his 120 employees to cut costs and unlock new levels of productivity. “I’m a pretty frugal, stingy person,” Nigam told the Business Insider. “But in my mind, this is for the health and growth of the company.” By automating monotonous tasks, such as answering coding queries, creating technical roadmaps, and generating creative briefs, Nigam says
Beyoncé’s philanthropic initiative, the BeyGOOD Foundation, is set to grant $2 million to entrepreneurs and students during her Renaissance World Tour. Ten years after Beyoncé founded BeyGOOD during the Mrs Carter Show World Tour, the initiative working towards economic equity and education, is now the BeyGOOD Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity. “I am hugely proud of the work we have done over a decade at BeyGOOD, here in the US and around the world,” Beyoncé said in a press release. “From scholarships to the water crisis in Burundi, to helping families during
True, one of the largest executive search firms in the world, has announced it is acquiring Jopwell, a hiring platform focused on advancing the careers of Black, Latinx and Native American students and early-to-mid-career professionals. According to a press release, Jopwell will complement the executive-focused DEI efforts of True Search and AboveBoard, an inclusive executive platform and community). Jopwell co-founders and execs Ryan Williams and Porter Braswell will continue to build Jopwell as a business unit within True. The story behind Jopwell Williams and Braswell started Jopwell after meeting at Goldman
Dr Rashae Barnes, the founder and CEO of Evals Equity Women’s Fund, has announced that September 30 will mark the first-ever National Black Funding Day. The national holiday was registered through National Day Archives. It aims to recognize and honor the accomplishments of Black entrepreneurs in the funding industry, while highlighting the disparities in venture capital grants, and educational resources for underserved communities. Funding for Black founders Black founders have long faced challenges in securing funding for their businesses, and the current economic climate hasn’t helped. Following George Floyd’s murder,
Stemuli, a Black woman-owned edtech company providing AI-driven game-based learning through its educational metaverse, has announced the merger of infinity.careers and Oppti into Stemuli. Immersive education A lack of engagement in K-12 classrooms today is resulting in math and science scores being at an all-time low. This creates long-lasting negative impacts not only for the students themselves but also for their communities and the national economy. Stemuli reports that we facing a loss of $8.5 trillion in potential earnings because students are not prepared for the workforce that awaits them.
