Serena Williams is convinced that Silicon Valley is making a mistake by not investing in startups founded by Black women, and that’s why she launched Serena Ventures. This venture capital firm invests in early-stage entrepreneurs. The mission is to support dreamers and visionaries of the future, allowing them to capitalize on their genius. Serena Ventures is making waves in the VC world by investing in mission-driven companies with over 50 portfolio companies with a $33 billion market cap and 60 percent diverse founder investments. Besides her VC firm – we
Utah-based customer communications innovator Weave was led into the public markets by a Black CEO. Pretty big deal right? The firm has gone from strength to strength after it achieved rare Unicorn status in 2019, an industry term used for privately backed startups that reach the $1 billion valuation mark. But CEO Roy Banks is no stranger to the top of the corporate pyramid – before his job at Weave he had already worked as the chief executive’s office for four other companies. Banks replaced Weave’s interim Co-Chief Executive Officers
A total of 4.55 billion people worldwide now use social media, with 400 million new users having just come online within the last 12 months. In other words – social media apps like Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok have an undeniable impact on today’s world, and they can either be used for good or for bad. As we know already, the tech industry lacks serious diversity, especially when it comes to minorities, and that’s why we always take the time to celebrate those who are doing something about it. This Friday, we’re spotlighting
Apple has just announced its supports for the Propel Center, A Global HBCU Leadership Hub, With $2M In Research Grants. Through the company’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, support from Apple will give HBCUs tools and resources to pursue new research and learning opportunities. Propel, and Apple are working together to help develop curricula and provide ongoing mentorship, learning experiences, and internship opportunities. Imagined in January 2021 by Ed Farm—an ed-tech nonprofit committed to transforming classrooms to uplift communities— and supported by founding partners Apple and Southern Company, the Propel Center
Deciding on the right type of funding for your business can be difficult. In fact, it’s considered one of the hardest and most stressful things you could do as it can make or break your startup. Every funding option has advantages and disadvantages, and some are better suited to certain types of businesses and business models. It’s important to explore the funding options available before deciding how to build your company as the route you take will have some serious consequences. Here we break down what some of the keywords
There have been dozens of stories written this year about people that used lockdown as a way to better themselves or to learn a new and beneficial skill but I don’t think many have had the privilege of hearing Asia Sharif’s story. The proudly Black and Muslim woman is inspiring for many reasons – one being that she is a self-taught ‘Junior Software Engineer and Blockchain Developer’ that used the pandemic as an opportunity to change career paths and teach herself how to code. The second reason is that she
Earl Newsome is the Chief Information Officer at Cummins, Inc. He has over 30 years of global IT leadership experience with Fortune 500 firms. In this interview, Earl discusses going from being raised all across the country by a single mom, to his career in the military, to now working for a global company. Hi Earl. Let’s Talk About Your Work At Cummins. I’ve been at Cummins for almost five months, and I’d describe my journey with Cummins in three words. First, it’s a very courageous company. During the onboarding
Seventh-grader Serenity Marie and her mother Quyionah Wingfield recently launched Gen Connect Game, a platform to spark more family engagement through a curated list of questions and in-app activities. With the help of Carleton College’s Hack4Impact, a program of engineers that provide nonprofits with software, Wingfield and Serenity took what started as a brainstormed idea into an app that aims to tackle emotional isolation that comes with a loss in families for all generations. Gen Connect also comes with a specific Parent Guide, designed in tandem with Emory University, and provides tips on various topics
The opportunity for transformation and growth starts with access to mentorship. Dozens of studies have shown the benefits of having a mentor are endless and these include having increased confidence, improved communication skills, strengthened leadership skills, and a stronger sense of empowerment.
Shuttlers, a “tech-enabled scheduled bus sharing” company, has raised $1.6 million in seed funding from several investors to blitz scale within and outside Nigeria. Via its ridesharing platform, the firm provides companies with better mobility options for their employees. It also offers a fully functional app that allows mobile professionals on its three plans to book rides. In addition, through the platform, commuters can book a seat on one bus that goes along predetermined and scheduled routes. The company said that some of its other features include live bus tracking, optimal routing
