Billionaire investor Vinod Khosla publicly distanced himself and his firm from comments about ICE made by Keith Rabois, a managing director at Khosla Ventures. Rabois had defended federal agents following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, in Minneapolis. Tech leaders from companies including Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic have also condemned the shooting and criticizing what they described as unnecessary escalation by ICE agents. Rabois’ Remarks Draw Internal Criticism Rabois wrote on X that “no law enforcement has shot an innocent person” and claimed that “illegals are
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is bringing his education technology startup, Lumi, into K–12 classrooms through a new partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). The collaboration launches a phased district pilot that introduces students to AI-powered storytelling tools designed to support literacy, creativity, and responsible technology use. Kaepernick’s AI Storytelling Platform Founded by Kaepernick in 2024, Lumi Story AI emerged from stealth with $4 million in seed funding led by Alexis Ohanian’s venture firm, Seven Seven Six. The platform is built to position AI as a creative assistant, helping
The CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Apple have spoken out against violence involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen, in Minneapolis last weekend. Their comments come as more than 450 workers from companies including Google, Amazon, Meta, Salesforce, and OpenAI signed an open letter urging their CEOs to pressure the White House to “demand that ICE leave our cities.” The petition also calls for the immediate cancellation of all company contracts with ICE, arguing that the tech industry’s tools
Nigerian mobility financing company MAX has raised $24 million in a mix of equity and debt after reaching profitability in Nigeria, its largest market, multiple reports confirm. The funding signals renewed investor interest in electric mobility across Africa, where rising fuel prices and falling battery costs are making electric two- and three-wheelers increasingly attractive for commercial drivers. The round includes equity from Equitane DMCC, Novastar, Endeavor Catalyst, and other global investors, alongside asset-backed debt from the Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund and development finance institutions. Profitability Brings Investors Back Founded in 2015 as Metro
Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a new cryptocurrency called NYC Token on January 12. The token immediately spiked and then collapsed after an account linked to the token withdrew $2.5 million. Adams, a longtime crypto enthusiast, now faces accusations that the launch was a “rug pull”: a common crypto scam where insiders hype a token and then quietly cash out. NYC Token’s Launch And Collapse Within minutes of going live, the token, built on the Solana blockchain, reached a market value of $600 million. The New York
Steven Bartlett, the founder and host of “The Diary of a CEO,” said he hired a candidate with a two-line CV after reading her behavior in the building as a stronger signal than formal experience. Bartlett told Fortune that “much of the reason why I gave her the job was that she thanked the security guard by name on the way into the building.” He framed that moment as evidence of humility, respect, and social awareness, traits he considers difficult to train compared with job skills. During the interview, she
Howard University will launch an “Intro to Artificial Intelligence” course in spring 2026, partnering with CodePath and with financial support from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, according to a press release shared with AfroTech. Howard faculty and CodePath’s faculty network will jointly teach instruction spanning data structures, AI literacy, and agentic workflows, the release said. The program positions applied AI-assisted software development inside a core academic setting rather than treating it as an extracurricular credential. “Our work is rooted in the idea that HBCUs are not only equipping students for
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened investigations into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at several major companies, including Google and Verizon, The Wall Street Journal reports. The DOJ is using the False Claims Act to assess whether companies misrepresented their hiring or promotion practices while receiving federal funds. DOJ Targets DEI Using Fraud Law In a May memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche instructed prosecutors to investigate and pursue cases against federal funding recipients that knowingly engage in “preferences that create benefits or burdens based on
Flutterwave, Africa’s largest payments technology company, has acquired Nigerian open banking startup Mono in an all-stock deal valued between $25 million and $40 million, TechCrunch reports. The acquisition brings one of Africa’s most prominent open banking companies under the Flutterwave umbrella, as the payments giant looks to expand its infrastructure beyond transactions into data and financial services. According to a press release, Mono will continue to operate independently under its existing leadership team. Mono: Africa’s Answer To Plaid Founded in 2020 and backed by investors like Y Combinator, Mono builds
Rent is often the largest monthly expense for American households, yet for decades it counted for little when it came to building credit. Esusu, a Black-owned fintech company, is working to change that. Founded in 2018, Esusu partners with large property owners to report renters’ on-time payments to credit bureaus. The approach allows millions of renters to build credit without taking on new debt, creating clearer pathways to homeownership and long-term financial stability. The company has now raised $50 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to more than
