Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated annually from September 15 to October 15, honors the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latine communities in the US. It began as a week-long event in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was extended to a month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The dates are significant because they coincide with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile. In keeping with this year’s theme, “Inspiring Innovation and Empowering Communities,” here are
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
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
Enerpoly, a cutting-edge battery technology company led by Eloisa de Castro, has opened the world’s first zinc-ion battery megafactory. This new facility, located in Rosersberg, near Stockholm, is a massive step in the global efforts to transition from reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy. Safer, Greener Batteries Batteries are vital to the transition away from fossil fuels, but energy storage needs to increase six-fold to meet COP28 goals of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030. The new 6,500m² Enerpoly Production Innovation Center (EPIC) aims to produce 100 MWh of
SOJO, a Deliveroo-style clothing repair and alterations collection and delivery app, has announced a new partnership with a major UK retailer The Black woman-owned platform will power Marks and Spencer’s (M&S) new clothing repairs and alterations service. Making clothing repairs mainstream Founder Josephine Philips was driven by a belief in a slower and more considered approach to society’s relationship with fashion, leading her to start SOJO in 2021. The collaboration with M&S aims to make clothing repairs more accessible and mainstream, aligning with both companies’ commitments to sustainability. The partnership
Since early May, the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has experienced devastating floods due to torrential rain which also lead to AI-generated misinformation. At one point, the region saw four months’ worth of rainfall in just three days. This catastrophe has left over half a million people displaced and much of the state capital still submerged weeks later. It is the worst flooding disaster in Brazil’s history, with the ongoing rainy season likely prolonging the situation. AI-Generated Misinformation Spreads Amid Crisis Amid the chaos, misinformation has flourished with
El Salvador, the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, has mined nearly 474 Bitcoins worth approximately $29 million using geothermal energy from the Tecapa volcano, according to Nasdaq. Harnessing Volcanic Power for Bitcoin Mining Since September 2021, El Salvador has been leveraging the geothermal power of the Tecapa volcano to fuel its Bitcoin mining operations. This initiative, a collaboration with prominent mining firms like Foundry USA, Antpool, ViaBTC, F2Pool, and Binance Pool, taps into the 102 megawatts generated by the state-owned geothermal power plant. Of this, 1.5 megawatts are
African tech startup Kubik has announced a $5.2 million seed funding round, making it the first Ethiopian company to raise a multi-million dollar investment in climate and sustainability solutions. Ethiopia’s First Company To Raise Multi-Million Climate Investment Kubik, named the Global Startup of the Year 2023, is an environmental company that uses tech to help countries reduce their carbon and plastic footprint. They turn hard-to-recycle plastic waste into low-cost, low-carbon, interlocking building material by removing environmental waste and creating ultra-durable, safe, affordable buildings. They are on a mission to build dignity through clean and affordable
Women’s History Month 2024 shines a spotlight on ‘Champions of Change,’ celebrating women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). This month-long observance in March honors the role of women in American history and acknowledges their ongoing efforts to create a more equitable world. This year’s theme particularly resonates with the tech industry, where women, especially Black women, are significantly underrepresented, undermined, and excluded. In this context, we have spotlighted some Black women in tech whose startups are breaking barriers, building bridges, and making the world a more equitable place. Laura Weidman Powers – Code2040
Idris Elba, renowned British actor and DJ, is steering his creative process towards building a “smart eco-city” on Sherbro Island, off Sierra Leone’s coast. Elba’s Plans According to CNN, Elba, a Sierra Leonean citizen, focuses on blending technological innovation and environmental consciousness in this project. The initiative, in collaboration with Sherbro Alliance Partners and the Sierra Leone government, is an investment venture and a heartening return to his roots, as Elba’s father hailed from Sierra Leone. Sherbro Island, approximately the size of Chicago and historically significant in the slave trade
