Six months after Aziz Hasan stepped down from his chief executive role, Kickstarter has announced Everette Taylor as their new Chief Executive Officer. Taylor will take over from COO Sean Leow, who stepped up as interim CEO after Hasan announced he would be stepping down from his role after three years. Kickstarter, founded in 2009 by Perry Chen, is a crowdfunding platform that helps bring creative projects to life by directly connecting them with their communities. Over 21 million people have supported fund projects through the Kickstarter platform. “I am
From street vendor to software engineer, Devin Jackson, founder of We Build Black, is on a mission to achieve socio-economic change by offering the community tech education and professional development. We Build Black, founded in 2017 by Devin Jackson, is a non-profit organization that has evolved from a one-person-only team to a volunteer-run group that aims to support thousands of members looking to advance their careers. Unlike traditional software engineers, Jackson never went to high school or college; he instead set up his own business selling graffiti t-shirts and comedy tickets on
As Africa’s tech ecosystem grows, the demand for talent is soaring. For young Africans, digital skills have become ever-more important and attractive. In 2021, according to the Africa Developer Ecosystem Report (pdf), Africa’s developer community grew by 3.8%, bringing the total number of developers on the continent to 716,000. The average local developer in Africa is seven years younger than their global counterpart and has up to three years of experience. The pandemic drove increased adoption of remote work around the world, leading to international companies recruiting African developers at
Equitable inclusion platform 1000 Black Voices has partnered with The British Consulate to launch their accelerator program dedicated to helping support the ambitions of Black tech founders. The partnership will be focused on breaking down the obstacles faced by Black tech founders, particularly when scaling and growing their business. The program kicks off on September 21 and will run until the end of this year. “Ultimately, a lack of venture funding has resulted in a challenging environment for marginalized founders to tackle and get their business off the ground,” said 1000 Black
Omidyar Network has announced the launch of The Tech We Want program which aims to help build community, infrastructure, and a solid support system for technologists, thought leaders, and investors in the tech space. The four-year, $8 million program primarily focuses on connecting and empowering new leaders and technologies that focus on inclusivity, sustainability, and responsible innovation. “If we want to develop a responsible tech future, we have to intentionally change who and what we produce. We need to support diverse organizations and inclusive communities working to redefine what technology
Armed with smartphones and armies of faithful fans, social media sensations such as Khaby Lame are building fortunes by redefining the rules of entertainment, advertising, and stardom. The inaugural Forbes Top Creators list highlights the 50 social superstars leveraging a combined 1.9 billion followers across social networks to earn $570 million in 2021 alone. Their average age is just 31. Next year’s windfall is significantly richer as famous personalities shift from influencers to owners, using their massive reach to start their own ventures—clothing lines, beauty empires, TV series, and fast food chains.
Timothy Armoo sold his influencer business Fanbytes to global digital marketing agency Brainlabs for an undisclosed eight-figure sum. He’s done what every aspiring business owner hopes to do – all at 27. We previously interviewed Timothy Armoo on the Techish podcast. Speaking to Sifted EU, Armoo, whose startup connects social media influencers with big brands for promotion work, says the acquisition is like a marriage. “You’re merging two companies, cultures and sets of people together, so you want it to be the right fit. Start “dating” partners while you’re still building
Headspace Health is acquiring Shine, a mental health and wellness app dedicated to providing an inclusive mental health experience for the BIPOC community. Founded in 2016, Shine has more than 45,000 paid subscribers and has reached over six million people by offering self-guided content. It also offers daily mediations, self-care courses, personalized support, and virtual workshops hosted by third-party experts and its community. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Still, Headspace Health says the acquisition of the New York-based company will expand its ability to provide more
According to Forbes, Tech accelerator program, Y Combinator, has chosen venture capitalist Garry Tan as its fourth leader in its 17-year history. In January, the Y Combinator alum is set to replace the current president, Geoff Ralston, who served in this position since 2011. As a part of his new role, Tan is expected to step down from his role at Initalized Capital, an early stage venture capital firm he founded alongside Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian in 2012. “This is a community where people’s dreams, more or less, are fulfilled
Black-owned professional network, Black British City Group (BBCG), has launched its flagship City Booster program, designed to help support the growth of Black founders. Through BBCG’s City Booster program, Black entrepreneurs not only be eligible for grants of up to £3,000 but will also have access to coaching opportunities and skill-based workshops to help them elevate and grow. The City Booster program run by BBCG aims to provide mentorship, skills-based workshops, and financial support to Black founders. In addition, the program, which spans nine months, will give Black entrepreneurs exclusive
