Automation Workz, a Detroit-based cybersecurity and tech re-skilling firm seeking to create a real-life ‘Wakanda,’ has secured ByBlack certification. Developed by the US Black Chambers, Inc. and presented by American Express, ByBlack is an extensive national Black business directory and the only national certification exclusively for Black-owned businesses. The certification provides Black entrepreneurs with advanced ways to reach their target client base and access valuable business tools. Creating a real-life Wakanda Automation Workz, founded by urban economist Ida Byrd-Hill, is a cybersecurity reskilling firm and creator of the first tech grit assessment to
Indianapolis-born actor Mike Epps has announced new plans to open an entertainment venue in downtown Detroit featuring Black-owned spirit and wine brands. The instability of our economy has forced many people to look for new innovative ways to increase their income and help others. As a result, celebrity entrepreneurship is rising, and comedian Mike Epps’ latest business venture exemplifies that. One Mike Detroit is a multi-faceted entertainment venue designed to celebrate the people of Detroit. According to Detroit News, the site will host live music, stand-up comedy, spoken word, and a VR experience. The
Several Black celebrities are facing lawsuits and investigations for promoting FTX, the crypto exchange that collapsed earlier this month, costing US investors $11 billion in damages. A Texas regular is investigating Steph Curry, among others, over payments received to promote FTX, as well as any disclosures made to determine whether any unlawful practices took place. “We are taking a close look at them,” Texas State Securities Board’s Joe Rotunda said in an interview with Bloomberg News. Rotunda emphasized that the celebrities under investigation “aren’t the most immediate priority [but] they’re
Following the box-office success of Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Disney is donating $1 million to nonprofits providing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and arts education for young people from historically underrepresented communities. The organizations benefiting from this funding include Girls Who Code, Ghetto Film School, The Hidden Genius Project, and DonorsChoose in the US. Through this initiative, Disney hopes Black youth will feel more empowered and inspired to pursue careers in the science and technology sectors. “From its historic casting to advanced technology to culturally relevant storytelling, Black
The African tech ecosystem has taken a significant hit in Q3 2022 due to a lack of funding from investors. In 2021, fintech startups successfully raised $2 billion in funding and once dominated the African startup funding space, but the significant increase signifies a problematic time for African startups – so why is that? Several factors have contributed to the slowdown, from the economic downturn which has forced many investors to deploy less capital to the decline in venture capital funding for crypto startups together this has caused global fintech
In a recent Twitter thread, Brandon Bryant, partner at the early-stage investment firm, Harlem Capital, broke down the steps every startup should know about VC fund returns. Venture capitalists (VCs) buy a stake in a founder’s idea, investing in their company’s balance sheet and infrastructure, before exiting. What VCs are aiming for are sufficient returns at an acceptable level of risk. This is because they, too, have investors whose money they need to multiply. Why should founders care about this? Bryant explains that by running the math, founders can understand
Bobbi Wilson experienced her first encounter with law enforcement at nine years old after her neighbor reported her to the police for playing outside with lanternflies. When Dr. Ijeoma Opara, a tenure track assistant professor at Yale, came across the story, she decided to reach out to Bobbi’s family. Bobbi Wilson’s Story On Oct 22, Wilson wandered outside her house with an anti-bug spray she had made after learning about invasive species on TikTok. Bobbi used the non-toxic solution to do her part in saving her local trees and the
We recently did a roundup of some of the hottest tech internships currently accepting applications, but we know some of you are also looking for something a little more permanent. On the POCIT jobs board, we’ve got loads of entry-level and junior roles for software engineers in the early stages of their careers. And for those studying at college, taking online courses, or attending a boot camp, tech internships provide a great way to get some much-needed industry experience. So, if you’re intellectually curious, passionate about tech, and eager to
Many crypto traders in Africa who frequently use FTX platforms have been shocked and unable to withdraw their funds after an unexpected collapse. FTX’s collapse hits Africa hard The cryptocurrency exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, and its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, decided to step down from his position. Once valued at $32 billion, FTX, the platform is now valued at nothing with mountains of debts. According to TechCrunch, over 100,000 Africans used FTX to convert their local currencies to dollars and to bump up their savings. This was
Twitter recently terminated the contracts of almost all its staff based in Ghana, but the former employees are fighting back. The team has accused the social media giant of “deliberately and recklessly flouting the laws of Ghana” and, with legal assistance, are demanding national labor laws are followed. Violation of Labor Laws Three days after opening a physical office in Accra, Ghana—the first in Africa—Twitter locked staff out of their emails and work laptops. Since then, the African employees have not been offered any concrete information about compensation or the
