Ruby Jackson, a 23-year-old student midwife at the University of Brighton, has developed an app, “Melanatal,” to address gaps in the recognition of maternal and neonatal conditions on Black and brown skin. Her app aims to educate both clinicians and patients on how conditions such as jaundice, pre-eclampsia, and mastitis appear on darker skin tones, a subject historically underrepresented in medical training. Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Maternal and Neonatal Health Jackson’s inspiration for Melanatal came during her placement at a neonatal unit in Ghana, where she realized that key
Bolt Kenya has awarded 10 drivers with KSh 288,000 ($2,200) each in seed funding as part of its first-ever accelerator program. The awards, amounting to a total of €20,000 ($22,400) mark the culmination of a six-month program aimed at creating innovation in Kenya’s mobility sector. A Platform for Innovation The Bolt Accelerator, launched in April 2024, provided drivers with business training, mentorship, and funding to create innovative solutions for transport and delivery services. The program attracted over 800 applications from Bolt drivers and couriers, including ideas for electric vehicle charging
Nigerian e-health startup, Field, has unveiled a new service aimed at addressing Africa’s maternal mortality crisis. Backed by a $11 million investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Field’s initiative focuses on emerging therapies for maternal, newborn, and child health as well as improving nutrition across the continent. Helping healthcare access Co-founded in 2015 by Michael Moreland, Justin Lorenzon, and Peter Bunor, Field has already made significant strides in transforming healthcare delivery through its pharmaceutical supply chain solutions, operating in Nigeria and Kenya. The company has supported over 800
Los Angeles-based tech startup See Computing is introducing Speakimage.ai, an AI-powered tool designed to make communication more inclusive and accessible. Unlike most GPTs which prioritize text, Speakimage.ai generates text, images, and video from a single input, revolutionizing communication for visual thinkers, the hearing-impaired community, and neurodivergent people. A Groundbreaking Tool for Inclusive Communication What sets Speakimage.ai apart is its holistic approach to communication. Set to launch on October 1, 2024, Speakimage.ai caters to the specific needs of different cognitive and sensory styles. Whether it’s creating vivid images for visual thinkers, captioned
Kofa Technologies, a Ghanaian company specializing in portable clean energy solutions, has announced an expansion of its battery-swapping network, supported by a £6.15 million (approximately $5 million) initiative. The project, led by Kofa and impact investor PASH Global and backed by Shell Foundation, the UK Government, and PASH Global, aims to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and clean energy access in Ghana. EV Battery Swapping Kofa’s battery-swapping network aims to provide a sustainable, cost-effective solution to reduce urban pollution and boost EV adoption. The system allows users to swap depleted
Wells Fargo has closed and emptied the business accounts of Beautiful Curly Me without warning, according to its 12-year-old CEO Zoe Oli and her mother, Evana. Zoe Oli founded the company at age seven to boost confidence in young Black girls through dolls and other products and recently became the youngest CEO to have a toy line at Target. Account Closure Leaves Business in Crisis The closure of Beautiful Curly Me’s three business accounts has put a severe strain on the company’s operations. According to Zoe and Evana, Wells Fargo
Black Eyed Peas frontman and tech entrepreneur will.i.am has launched RAiDiO.FYI, a free AI-powered set of interactive radio stations focused on topics like sports, pop culture, and politics. RAiDiO.FYI uses OpenAI’s language models to create a unique experience where listeners can ask questions, request songs, and get news updates from an AI DJ. A New Era of Interactive Radio With RAiDiO.FYI, will.i.am aims to bring a new level of interactivity to radio. Unlike traditional radio or even AI music tools like Spotify’s AI DJ, RAiDiO.FYI allows for tor two-way communication. Listeners
The Black Founders Programme, by Digital Catapult and Sony Music UK, is back for its second year, supporting Black British entrepreneurs in creative technology. Ten new startups have joined the 2024 cohort, applying immersive technologies like virtual, augmented and mixed reality to creative industries. Supporting Black Deep Tech Innovation The initiative focuses on improving investment readiness through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and partnerships. Last year, over 80% of participants saw growth in investment readiness, securing key corporate partnerships and investor interest. This year’s cohort explores immersive technology in storytelling, music production,
The Black Farmer Fund (BFF) is raising $20 million for its second fund, BFF Fund 2.0, aimed at strengthening the Black food system across the Northeast. BFF is a community-driven investment fund that supports Black agricultural and food businesses to build a more equitable food system. This milestone will provide financial support to Black-owned agricultural and food businesses, with $2 million of the integrated capital fund already invested in four innovative enterprises. The fund is part of BFF’s mission to create a sustainable, equitable food system by offering patient, low-interest
Red Lobster, the iconic seafood chain, has officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy following its acquisition by RL Investor Holdings LLC, a group backed by Fortress Investment Group. The company has named 35-year-old Damola Adamolekun as its new CEO, marking a milestone in both the restaurant’s history and the career of this rising Black business leader. New Leadership Ushers in a Fresh Chapter for Red Lobster With a new ownership structure in place and fresh leadership at the helm, Red Lobster is positioning itself for a comeback. Adamolekun, who previously served
