Africa’s tech ecosystem has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with 2021 seeing a record number of investments. The year 2021 was a great one for startups globally and Africa in particular. The continent saw total venture funding exceed two and a half times what it was in 2020. This figure amounted to an impressive $4.77 billion. As far as distribution is concerned, 30 African nations raised at least $100,000 in funding across the year. The ‘Big Four’ countries, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya, received 81% of the investments. Five of the eight
Black-owned investment firm Fearless Fund partnered with Louisiana-based foundation ProSeed to renovate and rebuild schools in Ivory Coast, West Africa. The partnership aims to transform the educational system in West Africa, giving students the tools needed to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Fearless Fund, co-founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneur and angel investor Arian Simone, and American actress Keshia Knight Pulliam, works to invest in women of color-led businesses seeking pre-seed and seed level investment funding. The VC firm, built by women of color for women of
They’ve been spat on, called racist names, harassed in grocery stores, and violently attacked. Since the emergence of COVID-19, some combination of misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theory has been weaponized to target people perceived to be Chinese. The violent consequences of online disinformation targeting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities demonstrate the power of the internet to stoke racial resentment. Misinformation, disinformation, and online hate speech have led to widespread violence in India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka in the past several years. Conspiracy theories targeting the AAPI community have caused upswells in hate crimes
On July 12, New York City Hall launched the first-ever Digital Games Industry Council to discuss supporting talent in that space. Participants included Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and several members of the mayor’s office. The council came together to discuss how to expand the city’s digital games industry. The digital committee, designed to build a robust talent pipeline for talent in the digital games industry, aims to attract game development studios across five boroughs and help businesses operate and thrive in New York City. The meeting occurred following the announcement
Connection. That’s all we need to thrive as a community, and Plain Sight’s recent partnership with the City of Miami is a prime example of that. Black-owned networking startup Plain Sight recently announced the launch of their inaugural Black Founders Demo Day. The networking event will take place on December 1 as a featured event at this year’s Art Basel. The annual event will allow attendees to connect with prominent angel investors and venture capital groups worldwide to showcase, inspire, and invest in Black and Brown wealth. This year’s event
Black Ambition, owned by world-renowned singer and producer Pharrell Williams, recently announced its $3 million investment in content curator platform Trend. The pre-seed funding round was led by venture capital firm Flybridge and included a range of investors, including Techstars Ventures, live-streaming service Twitch, famous anime brand Crunchyroll, and reviewer platform Rotten Tomatoes. The investment firm, Black Ambition, which was founded by Pharrell in 2020, is dedicated to supporting Black and Latinx business owners. The non-profit organization aims to bridge the gap to success for entrepreneurs of color working in
Black-owned investment accelerator, 1863, has unveiled its investment strategy for “New Majority” entrepreneurs, a term that they use to describe Black and Brown business owners who have been historically marginalized. The investment funding will go towards helping early-stage entrepreneurs develop their businesses to achieve generational wealth and hit their target goals. 1863, founded by Melissa Bradley in 2020, is a business development program designed to bridge the gap between entrepreneurship and equity. The platform works with marginalized entrepreneurs to help accelerate them from high potential to high growth. The firm
Amazon’s Alexa Startups has announced the first cohort for this year’s Black Founders Build with Alexa program. Seven North American startups founded by Black entrepreneurs were selected based on their ability to innovate with Alexa and build the next generation of voice, artificial intelligence (AI), and ambient experiences. The application opened in April and will see up to 10 Black-founded startups partake in panel discussions, demo showcases, and mentorship programs. In addition, the initiative, which will span four months, will give all business owners the chance to develop their Alexa skills. The
According to a recent study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, an error in a widely used medical device that measures oxygen levels prevented critically ill patients of color from receiving the supplemental oxygen they required to help them breathe. The study comes after research from the medical journal JAMA last year revealed that pulse oximeters performed less accurately when used on Black and Hispanic patients, ultimately leading to a delay in care for patients with severe respiratory issues. Out of 3,000 patients treated in Boston’s intensive care unit (ICU), patients
Marketplace website MinorityBiz has a 51-page directory to find, compare, and hire minority- and Black-owned businesses across the U.S. to service your company’s needs. It’s not the only directory out there that’s trying to shine a light on Black professionals and their ventures. Here is a list of online directories to help you find the right Black-owned business partners for your needs. We will continue to update this list as we find more resources. Official Black Wall Street Official Black Wall Street hosts a variety of local and online consumer products as well as business
