Shakea Miller made history by becoming the first Black woman to establish a degree-granting technical college in Alabama. The opening of 1 on 1 Technical & Theological College in Phenix City marks a milestone in the pursuit of diversity and inclusion in the educational landscape. A Pioneering Achievement in Education With 1 on 1 Technical & Theological College, Miller joins a prestigious group as the sixth Black woman in the United States to establish a degree-granting institution. “1 on 1 T&T aims to provide biblical and comprehensive educational opportunities with
Myavana, a pioneering Black-led haircare technology company, has successfully raised $5.9 million in a recent funding round, bringing its valuation to $50 million, according to Forbes. The Atlanta-based startup uses AI to offer personalized haircare solutions, focusing primarily on the needs of Black women. Pioneering AI in Haircare Myavana is the brainchild of computer scientist Candace Mitchell. Mitchell founded the company in 2012 with the aim of revolutionizing personal and professional textured hair care through data-driven science and technology. With a deep understanding of the unique hair challenges of women
Idris Elba has been allocated land in Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago, to establish a film studio. The British actor, with roots in Sierra Leone and Ghana, has announced several ambitious projects to highlight Africa’s potential on a global scale. These include a film studio in Ghana and a smart eco-city in Sierra Leone. Expanding the African Film Industry with New Studios Elba’s investments are particularly focused on tourism and entertainment, areas he believes can significantly boost the continent’s economic growth. One of his most significant projects is the development of
African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) has successfully closed its fourth pan-African infrastructure fund, African Infrastructure Investment Fund 4 (AIIF4). The fund reached its hard cap with $748 million in commitments and an additional $206 million in co-investments, totaling $954 million. “Given the challenging global fundraising environment, we are delighted to have outperformed the targeted fund size,” said Paul Frankish, AIIM’s Head of Strategic Initiatives according to Shoppe Black. “We received strong support from our existing investor base with a high level of re-ups from the supporters of our previous mandates
A new app why?! founded by former Netflix and Clubhouse executives is set to transform the way people connect with meaningful conversations. Former Netflix and Clubhouse Executives Launch why?! Founded by former Netflix and Clubhouse executives Maya Watson and Lexi Nisita, the app addresses the growing issue of shallow social media interactions and the difficulty in maintaining quality relationships. According to The Harvard Study of Adult Development, the quality of relationships is crucial for a good life, yet 58% of Americans feel that nobody truly knows them. $1.65M Pre-Seed Funding
Senegalese authorities have issued a final notice to singer Akon regarding his $6 billion Akon City project, threatening to reclaim 90% of the allocated land if significant progress is not made soon, according to Bloomberg. A Wakanda-Inspired Metropolis In 2020, the Senegalese government granted Akon 136 acres of land on the Atlantic Coast to build Akon City, a $6 billion project intended to be a high-tech, eco-friendly metropolis. Inspired by the fictional country of Wakanda from Marvel’s Black Panther, Akon City was envisioned to feature condominiums, amusement parks, a seaside
Forbes has unveiled its annual 50 over 50 list, highlighting dynamic female leaders and entrepreneurs who have achieved significant success later in life. Let’s meet some Black women over 50 making moves in tech and proving that success has no age limit. Carlotta Berry – Founder of NoireSTEMinist Berry, 54, a robotics expert and engineering professor at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, founded NoireSTEMinist in 2020. The educational consulting firm promotes diversity in STEM through workshops and products. Berry also co-founded the Rose Building Undergraduate Diversity (ROSE-BUD) program, co-directs a
Vancouver-based outerwear brand Arc’teryx has introduced a new design platform, Walk Gently, which aims to honor and integrate Indigenous high-tech garment design into modern fashion. The platform gives Indigenous artists and designers a voice, showcasing their contributions to high-performance clothing. Indigenous Roots in Technical Design Indigenous peoples across North America have a long history of creating advanced clothing from natural resources. “We are technical designers in our own fashion,” Cole Sparrow-Crawford, an Indigenous artist who grew up in the Musqueam Nation in Vancouver told FastCompany. “We took our resources and
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown is aiming to recreate the historic Black Wall Street in Boston with his nonprofit organization Boston XChange (BXC). At 27, Brown is launching BXC that will be dedicated to building generational wealth within Black and Brown communities. In collaboration with Harvard Business School, Roxbury Community College, and teammate Jrue Holiday’s JLH Fund, BXC is offering up to $250,000 in total grant investments. The selected grantees will receive three years of coaching and mentorship, aimed at creating sustainability and culturally competent initiatives. Addressing Wealth Disparity in
FOSSA, a leading open-source compliance and security platform, has acquired StackShare, a developer community platform. The move aims to bridge the gap between compliance, security, and developer tools, impacting over 1.5 million developers who use StackShare to share and discuss their tech stacks. Integration of Developer Tools and Security FOSSA, valued at over $100 million, started as a tool to help developers manage open-source licenses. Over the years, it has evolved to offer security vulnerability management and Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) management. This expansion has positioned FOSSA as a
