The initiative, launched by Meta five years ago to drive connectivity in underserved regions, will reportedly be discontinued. Meta, formerly Facebook, quietly issued this notice on its website stating its plans to wind down the program later this year. The program was envisioned to bridge the internet gap across emerging markets like Africa, where connectivity is lowest across the globe. According to the 2021 GSMA mobile economy report, about 28% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa is connected to the mobile internet. This is in comparison to the connectivity in other regions
There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month, and while it’s important to look back at our history from Martin Luther King to those that paved the way in regards to racial justice – it’s equally important to celebrate Black joy and Black excellence in other areas too. One area where the community is really making moves in tech. It’s no secret that diversity is a challenge in the tech world, with the industry lagging behind the rest of the economy on almost every diversity metric, but it’s important
Former Tesla factory worker Kaylen Barker filed a lawsuit against the company on Tuesday alleging that she suffered racist abuse and a physical assault from a coworker. In the lawsuit seen by Business Insider – she reportedly says that Tesla failed to address the abuse and retaliated against her after she reported it. “I was violated physically, mentally, and emotionally because I am an African American lesbian,” Barker said in a statement provided to Insider via her attorney. The suit against Tesla and staffing company Staffmark alleges that in September
Bryan Young, CEO, and co-founder of Home Lending Pal, an AI-powered software platform, has a mission to use his technology to increase Black and Brown homeownership beyond the rates of the record in the early 2000s when the rate was 46.4%. At the moment Black homeownership is 43 percent. Ogechi Igbokwe, founder of OneSavvyDollar, told The Grio she is also “worried about the lack of ownership rate” in the Black community. She thinks an additional contributing factor to homeownership reluctance is the prioritization of buying stocks rather than investing in actual
Major tech companies such as Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft are among the West Coast names that have opened offices in Atlanta, hoping to capitalize on the technology talent in the city, especially Black talent, according to a report by TheGrio. Over the past five years, Atlanta has seen 15% growth in tech jobs, comparable with other notable tech cities — 16% for the San Francisco Bay Area and 10% for Austin, Texas, this is based on data collated by the CBRE. There are also a wide range of tech incubators,
For years, venture capitalists have faced mounting pressure to diversify their portfolio companies and investment teams with people of color and women. Finally, it seems that the communities efforts and campaigning are finally bearing fruit. Although there is still a very long way to go – we can’t deny that we have come far. We’d like to highlight the leaders and initiatives driving more Black representation in Venture Capital. BLCK VC’s Black Venture Institute It provides access, insight, and community for Black operators looking to become angel and venture investors. In addition, their Breaking
BKR Capital, previously known as Black Innovation Capital, has closed an additional $4.5 million for its venture capital fund focused on Black tech entrepreneurs in Canada. The venture aims to back 18 Canadian tech companies founded by Black entrepreneurs over the next four years. This recent funding was led by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) through Teralys Capital and Fondaction. It comes in addition to the $6.4 million they secured last year from lead investor BDC Capital and others. Launched in 2021, the Black Innovation Fund aims to
Amitruck, a Kenyan tech-enabled logistics platform, has just raised $4 million in seed funding – bringing the total funds raised to date to $5 million. The most important purpose of this round is hiring, according to Amitruck founder and chief executive officer Mark Mwangi. The seed round was led by Better Tomorrow Ventures (BTV), with the participation of Dynamo Ventures, Rackhouse Venture Capital, Flexport Inc, Knuru Capital, Launch Africa Ventures, Uncovered Fund and a number of angel investors. Launched in 2019 as a digital logistics marketplace, Amitruck connects shippers with transporters
Kenyan insurtech startup Lami Technologies has acquired Bluewave Insurance Agency for an undisclosed amount as it seeks to make insurance covers accessible to more people across Africa. The deal has also opened up new markets for Lami, which states that its technology enables underwriters and businesses to streamline insurance via a single platform, in Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo where Bluewave already has operations. Bluewave insurance, also a Kenyan startup, was founded by Adelaide Odhiambo, who now joins Lami as the head of commercial partnerships. Since its inception, Bluewave has
This week, a new networking platform was launched to help Black tech workers make connections and grow their careers. Launched by Lekan Olawoye, founder and CEO of Black Professionals In Tech (BPTN), the Obsidi platform will serve as a conduit to opportunities for black professionals. The site allows users to upload resumes, build professional relationships, network, and leverage career development resources. His platform is a multi-sided marketplace focused on reducing the “network gap” in tech. Users can be invited to join the platform or may join themselves directly through the
