The training development company, CyberVista, has announced its new partnership with the not-for-profit organization BlackGirlsHack (BGH Foundation). What is BlackGirlsHack? The BGH Foundation, founded by Tennisha Martin, aims to provide Black women and girls with the resources, mentorship, and resources needed to succeed within the cyber sector. The non-profit organization’s mission is to empower Black women to break into an industry that lacks diverse representation by supplying them with the essential training resources they need. BlackGirlsHack does not only advocate for diversity within the cyber security space, but they also use
Chicago entrepreneur Arthur Burton is working to increase access to the clean energy sector by providing job training to youth in underrepresented communities. Who is Arthur Burton? After establishing his company in 2019, Arthur Burton has been committed to providing opportunities for members of disinvested communities by making training for green jobs more accessible. Before launching his clean energy initiative, Burton focused on expanding his experience within the sustainability sector. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in telecommunications, the entrepreneur worked at AT&T for 18 years as a technical
Despite making moves in the investment world, Kevin Hart has made it clear that he has not taken his eye off entertainment. After investing $500,000 in Black Sands Entertainment earlier this year, Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Productions has announced it is working with the Black-owned comic house to adapt its “Black Sands” comic series into an animated film and television series. The move has been described as “one of the most significant moments in Black entertainment history” and will see Hartbeat provide Black Sands Entertainment with strategic advisory services as part
In June, Solo Ceesay, a 27-year-old first-generation immigrant, spearheaded a $26 million raise for Calaxy, an open social marketplace he co-founded with NBA star Spencer Dinwiddie. At the time, only 8% of VC funding had gone to Black startups. In this thought piece, Ceesay breaks down why funding for Black founders continues to fall short, despite efforts to turn things around. In Q3 2022, Black entrepreneurs raised $187 million in venture funding, equating to merely 0.12% of the $150.9 billion that venture capitalists deployed in totality. This figure is severely
Black founders Kim Knight and Shanelle McKenzie are the women behind the wellness platform, The Villij, which provides Black women with a safe space for healing and wellness. Why is it important to have wellness spaces for Black people? The wellness industry has struggled to welcome Black and brown women. Instead, for many years, the wellness industry has reconstructed a narrative that has seen self-care become synonymous with wealth and class. Despite holistic practices being hugely beneficial for the Black community, especially when it comes to healing from racial trauma,
Black entrepreneur Luke Cooper is redefining the meaning of success. In a recent interview, the Baltimore entrepreneur opened up about his rollercoaster journey into the tech industry, which unexpectedly saw him generate tremendous success. Who is Luke Cooper? Luke Cooper, a partner at Preface Ventures and founder of Latimer, describes himself as an ‘intentional entrepreneur.’ Cooper has a proven track record of growing sales and closing multiple $50 million exists while supporting women and BIPOC founders. The Baltimore entrepreneur is also a father of two with a deep passion for making the world a
Dealing with constant harassment online can be incredibly distressing. Not only does it make you feel helpless, but it can also make you hyper-exposed when your social media account is under attack. Block Party gives users more control when dealing with online harassment. The app uses protections to filter out abuse from troll accounts, which tend to be new accounts without a profile photo or a page with less than 100 followers. The latest update allows users to record their reasons for blocking an account, so they don’t have to
Dealing with a co-founder breakup can be the most challenging experience business owners face on their entrepreneurial journey. According to Noam Wasserman, a professor at the University of Southern California, 10% of co-founders end their relationship within a year of starting a business, and an additional 45% within four years. Although co-founder splits are normal, they can be emotionally taxing for all parties involved. Regardless of what might have led to the co-founder’s divorce, both parties must reach a mutual understanding before choosing to go their separate ways. In a recent post,
Founder and CEO of Resilia, Severtri Wilson, is the definition of #BlackGirlMagic. Nearly two years after raising $8 million in a Series A funding round, Wilson has made history again for making the largest raise ever for a Black female-founded tech company, according to AfroTech. Who is Severtri Wilson? Severtri Wilson is the founder of the SaaS platform, Resilia. The entrepreneur has been described as “different from your average tech company founder” as a Black woman with no coding experience and no co-founder. A year after earning her master’s degree from
One hundred years after the Tulsa race massacre saw the US’ wealthiest Black community burn to the ground, Tulsa is experiencing a resurgence of Black entrepreneurial community. The Black Tech Street, founded by Tyrance Billingsley II, is a network committed to scaling and cultivating Black potential through tech and entrepreneurship. The community provides a safe space for Black entrepreneurs and visionaries to thrive and grow, creating a model that creates space for people to build inclusive and equitable economies. The global Black tech hub, based in the heart of Tulsa, has
