Black entrepreneurs know the climb to getting substantial funding from investors can be practically a vertical ascent. Venture-backed founders tend to all look the same with 73 percent of all founding teams composed exclusively of men while 60 percent of founding teams are exclusively White. But here at POCIT news, we believe our community of great founders, engineers, and designers can do it all and our job is to provide you with insight, tips, and timely news. We’ve compiled a list of all the places you can get funding as
In the US, accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator are the most active investors in Black founders, followed by early-stage investors like Backstage Capital and Kapor Capital that focus on diverse founders. As we already know, Black founders often get a small portion of the pie when it comes to investment – which is why it’s essential to highlight the VCs dedicated to investing in minority communities and those who have a history of supporting under-appreciated groups. We’ve sifted through a list created by the Black Founders list of VC firms across the US that
Looking back I was generally pretty good at school because to me it was a simple bargain. You go to this location every weekday, listen to someone older than you teach, then on your own time you optionally need to study the concept and apply them to tests. I was a straight-A student and it quickly became a point of pride for me and people who knew me. I was considered “smart”, but looking back I can see that I was mainly regurgitating facts and logic. Lucky for me, this
Black Tech Twitter is good for many things – from shining a light on the rising talent in the sector, helping members of the community land their dream jobs, to updating those who are keen to get into the industry on the latest events happening around the globe. But one thing it’s increasingly becoming well-known for is being a safe space to ask for advice and get “absolute gems” in return. Here at POCIT, we’ve broken down some of the latest advice from Black Tech Twitter this month. Just go
In response to evolving discourse around social justice and identity and research on the links between psychological safety and productivity, more and more employers are turning to inclusion training as a tool to equip employees to excel in their roles. With global teams spread out across various cultures — with different histories and social contexts — the task of training all team mates on bias, privilege and inclusion in a meaningful way to increase confidence navigating conversations can seem like an impossible task. In 2020 when I joined Brandwatch, with their offices in
Ivan Beckley is a student doctor, host of The Bias Diagnosis, and co-founder and CEO at Suvera, a digital service helping clinicians follow up their patients virtually. Earlier this month, Google announced that Suvera was one of 30 Black-led startups selected for their $2 million (£1.5 million) European Black Founders Fund. I caught up with Ivan a few days after he sat his medical school final exams and asked him where it all began. “I became interested in the startup scene around the time I started medical school, I would
We’ve rounded up a list of software and apps launched by Black entrepreneurs, all of which will help you improve your business, career, and personal life—all while supporting Black-owned companies. Read on to find apps that will help you build diverse teams, monetize your social media, discover other Black-owned businesses, or elevate your tech career. Support Black entrepreneurs while elevating your business and career with tech products that are Black-owned. Apps and Software to Improve Your Business and Career Organise your calendar and schedule with Calendly Calendly the modern scheduling
You’ve likely noticed by now that the world has finally decided to amplify a long, on-going conversation about racism — at least for the moment. In the US, underpinning the headlines about policing and excessive use of force on Black and Brown bodies is the conversation about how systemic power disparities affect the Black community. As a Black, gay man from the South, I live this conversation. As a Black designer, I see my lived experience reflected in the perpetuation and preservation of white supremacy across the design field, both
Greenhouse is hiring! Check out their roles here Wayne Titus has had an unconventional path into his current career. He began his professional journey as a comparative literature student at Yale University, with a burning desire to help people. He now finds himself doing just that, but in the most unexpected field: Tech. Today, Titus works as the Manager of the Enterprise Practice at Greenhouse Software. He has built a team that works to ensure the company’s onboarding clients get the best possible experience. He uses his unique perspective and
As a Black designer working in predominately white spaces, I have to think about how I show up in my professional environment. I make sure my tone is friendly. Non-threatening. I edit my speech so that others won’t doubt my intelligence. I am mindful of my brightly colored locs and try to dress in a way that signals I am a professional. I didn’t realize it for a long time, but I designed a different version of my Blackness: a created version to fit into white society. To some extent,
