Anu Hariharan, who led Y Combinator (YC) Continuity, has partnered with two former colleagues and former Brex executive Lucas Fox to launch a new fund, Avra. Helping founders scale their companies YC Continuity was an investment fund supporting founders as they scaled their companies. But this year, it scaled back growth stage investment and cut nearly 20% of its staff before being discontinued. According to TechCrunch, Hariharan finalized plans for launching Avra two months after YC shut the Continuity fund. She draws on her years of experience supporting founders as
Tech Spark AI has raised $1.4 million to create a new generative AI platform, Spark Plug, which aims to create a more inclusive, personalized educational experience for students. The pre-seed funding round was led by TD Bank, with participation from Salesforce, Canada’s government, and NBA Canada. An educational ChatGPT alternative Tamar Huggins and her 13-year-old daughter Talia Grant founded the AI company eight years ago to improve the education experience of Black and brown students across North America. Tech Spark is Canada’s first tech and design school committed to empowering
UpSurge Baltimore has named Kory Bailey its new CEO. Founded in 2021, UpSurge Baltimore is an ecosystem builder focused on making Baltimore the country’s first Equitech city and a launching pad for founders of all backgrounds. Bailey will be the first Black person to lead the company. Meet Kory Bailey Bailey is a noteworthy leader in the startup and tech community that focuses on developing relationships locally and nationally with founders, investors, and startup support organizations. Bailey, from Durham, NC, grew up loving sports and technology and went on to
A Black birthing review app, Irth, is making its way into hospitals to improve Black families’ experiences. The Irth App Irth is a mobile app that collects and shares healthcare reviews from parents of color. The name comes from the word birth, with the ‘b’ dropped for bias. The app helps Black and brown women and birthing people have a safer and more empowered pregnancy experience by allowing users to see how other parents of color experience care from a doctor or at a hospital. The app enables Black birthing
Issac Hayes III’s Fanbase App Raises $4.5M In Crowdfunding Bridging The Pay Gap For Black Creators
Issac Hayes III’s social media platform Fanbase has announced its current equity crowdfunding round has crossed $4.50M. Fanbase Platform Fanbase, launched by Hayes, is a social media platform designed to enable Black creators to cultivate their audiences and monetize their contributions effectively. According to a 2021 study by The Influencer League involving US-based creators, the pay gap between white influencers and influencers of color is 29%. When narrowed further between white and Black influencers, the margin rises to 35%. Fanbase differentiates from other platforms that need brand partnerships or ad
Aphonzo Terrell, who was laid off from Twitter last year, confirmed that his app Spill, which gained popularity within the Black community, has recently raised a $2M extension round and had celebrity investments. The Spill App Terrell and DeVaris Brown – CEO and CTO of Spill – are both former Twitter – now known as X – employees. The two met on their first day working at Twitter after noticing they were the only Black guys on their team. However, when Elon Musk bought Twitter, Terrell was laid off from
Shero Comics, a LA-based multimedia company, is raising funds to bring video games to life that feature women and girls of color. Shero Comics LA-based Shero Comics aims to help women and girls of color find their superpowers in geekdom by building diverse IPs leveraged with technology. The company was founded in 2016 by award-winning writer, creator, and Shero CEO Shequeta L. Smith. After witnessing the lack of Black women and girls in comics and comic book movies, Smith launched Shero Comics, intending to create a renaissance of Black standalone
MM, a dating app that merges technology with real-life experiences, has raised £600K ($750K) in seed funding. The Dating App MM MM, launched in 2019, is a dating and events technology app merging AI with real-life events designed to help singles connect both in the app and in person. The company hosts events and experiences tailored for members to meet and network in person while doing the things they enjoy. MM is available to and has members from all races and genders but considers key cultural nuances within African, Caribbean,
Neon Money Club has partnered with American Express (Amex) to launch the Neon Money Club Cream American Express Card, making it the first Black-owned company to establish an American Express Card. Neon Money Club, co-founded by Luke Bailey and Jackie Liao, is an invite-only money club that aims to create an environment that allows users to become financially empowered while bypassing hurdles often faced. Members get access to invest in the US stock market, hyper-relevant financial content, and now their new Cream Card. The Cream Card Neon Money Club designed
Founder and former CEO of Black Girls Code (BGC) Kimberly Bryant has announced the amicable resolution of a legal dispute between herself and the board of BGC. BGC is a nonprofit organization that focuses on engaging African American girls and other youth of color with computer programming education to nurture their careers in tech. The organization, founded by Bryant in 2011, offers computer programming, coding, website robots, and mobile application building, with the goal of placing one million girls in tech by 2040. Bryant’s History With BGC Kimberly Bryant was
