Their stories are inspiring. Meet 9 young and talented entrepreneurs who are committed to solving problems within their communities. They have launched and built businesses from the ground up before 30; these founders are leaving incredible contributions to the tech world. We wanted to highlight stories of a few young African entrepreneurs making a big impact in their communities and across their continent. Jean Bosco Nzeyimana, Rwanda Founder: Habona Jean Bosco Nzeyimana was named one of Forbes 30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs in Africa in 2017. At the age of
Elise Smith is leading the way in developing more conscious leaders in the workplace. She is the co-founder of Praxis Labs, a company that has created a virtual-reality-based platform that allows users to take on identities of different racial and gender backgrounds. Their mission, to help employees and leaders to change their perspectives over time by virtually stepping into the shoes of others. Elise joins the small list of Black women in the U.S to have raised more than $1 million for a venture-backed business. We had the pleasure of
You’ve likely noticed by now that the world has finally decided to amplify a long, on-going conversation about racism — at least for the moment. In the US, underpinning the headlines about policing and excessive use of force on Black and Brown bodies is the conversation about how systemic power disparities affect the Black community. As a Black, gay man from the South, I live this conversation. As a Black designer, I see my lived experience reflected in the perpetuation and preservation of white supremacy across the design field, both
With the global pandemic confining many to their homes, it seemed like everyone was talking Crypto, GameStop, and Dogecoin. Many wondered, “am I the only one not getting rich?” Hello FOMO… The year indoors provided many with newfound disposable cash. The upside is a significant investment boom amongst Black millennials – with Black Americans investing in the stock market at three times the rate of their white counterparts. The investment gap This surge of activity by US Black millennials investors is closing the “investment gap”. According to an Ariel Investment and
In the tech industry, less than 5% of the workforce is African-American, and we know the tech sector has a long way to go in fixing diversity issues. The following list is a short intro to just some of the Black product designers who are flourishing in Silicon Valley, the corporate world, and beyond. They are creating incredible experiences, and invaluable products, and are supporting the next generation of designers. Mariam Braimah Mariam is a product designer at Netflix. She is also the founder of Kimoyo Fellowship, a design program teaching the
Now, more than ever, mental health is making national headlines. Yet when it comes to treatment for mental illness, Black people are at a severe disadvantage. This past year alone, the pandemic, Black Lives Matter and fighting a system of oppression and racism has taken a significant toll on our mental health. However, due to the stigma in the community of seeking help, we aren’t supported in our struggles. When we seek help, it isn’t easy to find providers who understand us, trust us, and relate to our experience. There are
No, I didn’t join an ashram in India. When I was 17, the thought of postponing college for a gap year never crossed my mind. While it may have sounded nice to spend a year traveling, volunteering, and doing other activities to further “personal growth” — for financial and cultural reasons, it was neither a consideration nor a real option. And so, I went to college. After college, I started working a full-time job and did so for the next several years. In that time, I worked many a late-night;
As a Black designer working in predominately white spaces, I have to think about how I show up in my professional environment. I make sure my tone is friendly. Non-threatening. I edit my speech so that others won’t doubt my intelligence. I am mindful of my brightly colored locs and try to dress in a way that signals I am a professional. I didn’t realize it for a long time, but I designed a different version of my Blackness: a created version to fit into white society. To some extent,
Tara Reed is a true tech rebel. She’s a Black founder who travels the world working from her laptop, building tech companies and teaching others how they can do the same. Tara runs a multi-million dollar school teaching people how to build apps, without needing to know how to code. Her TED talk went viral, inspiring unlikely entrepreneurs to launch their own businesses. We had the opportunity to speak with Tara about her entrepreneurial journey, Apps Without Code, and her advice to other founders. This interview was edited for clarity Tell us a
Growing up as a child of immigrants had its struggles. I could see my parents’ difficulty adjusting to a new country, culture, and language. I didn’t want to have the same challenges, so I got into a habit of not mentioning my heritage. While doing volunteer work, I learned a lesson. I shared with colleagues that I grew up in the U.S., but one of them realized I was leaving out vital details, my heritage. With a sparkle in her eyes, she wanted to know all about my home country and its culture. Her
