Rise Up Crowdfunding has collaborated with The Coca-Cola Company to transform funding for women and minority-owned companies. Rise Up Crowdfunding, a FINRA and SEC registered funding portal, is on a mission to enable people to invest in diverse-owned small businesses and the future those businesses believe in. The Collaboration With Coca-Cola Company In collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company, the platform is giving women and minority-owned companies the chance to now raise up to $5 million through equity crowdfunding. “Although women and minority-led startups are launching daily, women receive less than
SheMatters has recently secured a significant $2 million investment to launch its symptom tracker app. Founded by Jade Kearney (CEO) and Marguerite Pierce (COO), SheMatters is a pioneering digital health platform dedicated to improving maternal mortality in minority communities. The Symptom Tracker App The Symptom Tracker app is a new tool designed to empower expecting and new mothers in tracking vital signs and symptoms associated with serious complications. These complications could include preeclampsia, eclampsia, and Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome. This technology is especially crucial for
MeVitae, a UK-based Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) startup, has successfully secured a $1.8 million (€1.7 million) seed round spearheaded by Apex Black. MeVitae Founded by Oxford University alumni, Neuroscientist Riham Satti and Computer Scientist Vivek Doraiswamy, MeVitae specializes in offering a comprehensive DEI ecosystem of HR tools. These tools, developed from a blend of AI ethics and neuroscience perspectives, are designed to detect and mitigate biases, to enhance smarter, faster, and fairer hiring decisions. “Growing up, I never considered that my gender or skin color might impede opportunities. It
Uncle Nearest, the top-selling Black-owned spirits brand globally, is close to reaching unicorn status with a valuation nearing $900 million. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey Black and woman-owned distillery Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey was launched in 2016 by Fawn Weaver and has quickly ascended to global recognition. Uncle Nearest’s rise is a tribute to Nearest Green, the first-known African American master distiller, and to the resilience and vision of its founder. Fawn Weaver navigated the brand through an industry where only 0.48% of all venture dollars went to Black founders last year.
Actress, author, and entrepreneur Malinda Williams has launched the ESTEAM Project for women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The coding bootcamp emerges from her Arise And Shine Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering women from diverse backgrounds. “As a professional actress and someone who has experienced first-hand the support of my community, I understand the value of collaboration and paying it forward,” said Williams in a press release. “The Arise and Shine Foundation exists to empower women to reach their goals, and coding is a powerful
Women-led healthtech companies in Africa secured $52 million in funding in 2023, compared to just $2 million the year before, a report has found. The report by Salient Advisory shows findings on investment activity covering grant, equity, and debt investment for African healthtech startups in 2023. A Surge In Funding For Women-Founded Companies According to the 2023 Roundup Investments in African Healthtech report, gender financing gaps in African healthtech ecosystems narrowed in 2023. In 2022, women-founded companies received a mere $2 million, just 1.4% of all investment, but the following
Brennan Nevada Inc., reportedly New York’s only Black woman-owned PR and media agency for tech companies, has partnered with SoLo, the US’s largest Black-owned personal finance company. Building Brennan Nevada Inc Founded by Brennan Nevada Johnson in 2021, the agency has quickly established itself as a formidable force in the industry. Johnson, a descendant of Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Black History Month, channels her heritage into her work, emphasizing the promotion of Black and BIPOC stories in the tech world. Johnson’s background in journalism and experience in a
Two computer science majors, Leslie Jones-Dove and Devshi Mehrotra from the University of Chicago, have raised $3 million for their AI platform, JusticeText. Making the criminal justice system fairer Jones-Dove and Mehrotra developed their idea during a class project that they both worked on during their university years. Following protests after the shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, the duo decided to interlink their interest in technology and the criminal justice system. “Across the country, there are a number of public defender’s offices where they’re underpaid and overworked,” James-Dove told AfroTech. “It means that they have a
In recognition of this year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and the Arts, we will explore the intersection of Black arts and tech throughout February. The origins of digital art can be traced back to ideologies present in the first half of the 20th century. While artists were keenly interested in innovations, the rich potential of modern technologies as tools in art only began to be explored as access increased in the 1950s and beyond. Digital art is a term used to describe art that is made or presented
10Pearls, a global, purpose-driven digital technology partner, is launching a “Women in Tech” program for Latin American women in Costa Rica on February 10th. Founded by brothers Imran and Zeeshan Aftab, 10Pearls partners with clients to imagine, design, build, and deliver innovative mobile and digital products. The company has a diverse clientele that includes Global 1000 enterprises and high-growth startups and has offices in the US, Costa Rice, Colombia, the UK, Pakistan, and Peru. Women in Tech Program The Women in Tech launch event in Costa Rice will consist of a series of
