Los Angeles-based tech startup See Computing is introducing Speakimage.ai, an AI-powered tool designed to make communication more inclusive and accessible. Unlike most GPTs which prioritize text, Speakimage.ai generates text, images, and video from a single input, revolutionizing communication for visual thinkers, the hearing-impaired community, and neurodivergent people. A Groundbreaking Tool for Inclusive Communication What sets Speakimage.ai apart is its holistic approach to communication. Set to launch on October 1, 2024, Speakimage.ai caters to the specific needs of different cognitive and sensory styles. Whether it’s creating vivid images for visual thinkers, captioned
Wells Fargo has closed and emptied the business accounts of Beautiful Curly Me without warning, according to its 12-year-old CEO Zoe Oli and her mother, Evana. Zoe Oli founded the company at age seven to boost confidence in young Black girls through dolls and other products and recently became the youngest CEO to have a toy line at Target. Account Closure Leaves Business in Crisis The closure of Beautiful Curly Me’s three business accounts has put a severe strain on the company’s operations. According to Zoe and Evana, Wells Fargo
Black Eyed Peas frontman and tech entrepreneur will.i.am has launched RAiDiO.FYI, a free AI-powered set of interactive radio stations focused on topics like sports, pop culture, and politics. RAiDiO.FYI uses OpenAI’s language models to create a unique experience where listeners can ask questions, request songs, and get news updates from an AI DJ. A New Era of Interactive Radio With RAiDiO.FYI, will.i.am aims to bring a new level of interactivity to radio. Unlike traditional radio or even AI music tools like Spotify’s AI DJ, RAiDiO.FYI allows for tor two-way communication. Listeners
In this week’s Techish, Abadesi and Michael reflect on the ups and downs of running their own companies: Vanity metrics and getting your priorities right (00:10) Why VC money seems so sexy (08:05) The secret to getting good feedback (11:35) The future of corporate anti-racism (19:05) Listen to the episode You can find the Techish podcast on Spotify, Apple, and all good podcast apps. Watch On YouTube Extra Reading and Resources Check out Hustle Crew’s Playschool Accelerator 2024.
The Black Farmer Fund (BFF) is raising $20 million for its second fund, BFF Fund 2.0, aimed at strengthening the Black food system across the Northeast. BFF is a community-driven investment fund that supports Black agricultural and food businesses to build a more equitable food system. This milestone will provide financial support to Black-owned agricultural and food businesses, with $2 million of the integrated capital fund already invested in four innovative enterprises. The fund is part of BFF’s mission to create a sustainable, equitable food system by offering patient, low-interest
Red Lobster, the iconic seafood chain, has officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy following its acquisition by RL Investor Holdings LLC, a group backed by Fortress Investment Group. The company has named 35-year-old Damola Adamolekun as its new CEO, marking a milestone in both the restaurant’s history and the career of this rising Black business leader. New Leadership Ushers in a Fresh Chapter for Red Lobster With a new ownership structure in place and fresh leadership at the helm, Red Lobster is positioning itself for a comeback. Adamolekun, who previously served
This article is sponsored by Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab The Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab (MSIVL) is proving that inclusion really does fuel innovation. Since 2017, Morgan Stanley’s in-house startup accelerator has helped over 100 companies raise over $200 million and reach a collective valuation of more than $1 billion. MSIVL provides early-stage technology and technology-enabled startups with $250,000, handpicked mentors, custom curriculums in finance, sales, and marketing, and a coveted opportunity to pitch to investors following their five-month accelerator participation on a Demo Day, setting founders up for
Rapper and entrepreneur 2 Chainz has joined PepsiCo to launch “Taste of Tomorrow,” a new initiative aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of Black professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers. Boosting Black representation in STEM Despite STEM fields experiencing rapid growth, Black professionals currently make up just 9% of the workforce. The “Taste of Tomorrow” initiative aims to break down the systemic barriers Black students face in pursuing STEM careers, such as limited access to advanced coursework and public programming. Rapper and entrepreneur 2 Chainz, a HBCU alum,
Y Combinator-backed startup DryMerge has raised $2.2 million in seed funding to bring automation to non-technical users through plain English chat. Expanding Automation Beyond Programmers Founded just a year ago, DryMerge initially focused on using AI to automate API integrations for developers. Now, the company aims to simplify repetitive tasks for users without coding experience. DryMerge allows users to automate workflows via plain English chat, bypassing the complexities of traditional no-code tools like Zapier or Make, which are still primarily used by people with coding experience. “We’re making the process
Every year, MIT highlights young leaders worldwide who are making a difference through research and entrepreneurship. This year’s innovators are tackling issues in biotechnology, the climate sector, robotics, and more. Chosen from hundreds of nominees by expert judges and the MIT Technology Review editorial team, these trailblazers are changing the future of science and technology. Here, we’ve highlighted some of the Black and Brown innovators featured on the MIT 2024 Under 35 List. Mireille Kamariza, University of California, Los Angeles Mireille Kamariza, 35, developed a groundbreaking test that detects tuberculosis
