Spelman senior Inglish Hills has won the grand prize at BearWay Capital’s HBCU New Venture Challenge for her recycling system startup, Save Cycle. The start-up will undercut waste management services and pick up recyclables for businesses at a lower price. Businesses can use the Save Cycle app to schedule pick-ups and rent dumpsters. They can also track their environmental impact, making them eligible for tax advantages. Individuals will use the Save Cycle app to locate deposit boxes. Then, after disposing of their recyclables, they can scan a QR code and
A damning report has found that inflation is hurting the wallets of everyday citizens as it hits a 30-year-high in the US and people of color and rural households are the most affected. Researchers from the Bank Of America have reported that those with less income and wealth are less likely to have savings to buffer the current “inflation shock,” and because of this, their spending power is greater. But lower-income families are also more “exposed” to the goods with the most inflation, researchers wrote in a report released last week. The
Popular social media platform, Pinterest, has settled a shareholder lawsuit that alleged that top executives enabled a culture of discrimination. The move, which took place on Wednesday, was followed by a commitment by the firm to pay up $50 million to a series of reforms to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion across the company and its product. But financial details of the settlement between Pinterest, which was founded in 2008, and the shareholder, the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island, have not been shared publicly. In a statement to NBC
A total of 4.55 billion people worldwide now use social media, with 400 million new users having just come online within the last 12 months. In other words – social media apps like Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok have an undeniable impact on today’s world, and they can either be used for good or for bad. As we know already, the tech industry lacks serious diversity, especially when it comes to minorities, and that’s why we always take the time to celebrate those who are doing something about it. This Friday, we’re spotlighting
So – apart from our pretty awesome podcast – Techish – that gives you the rundown on all things tech, business and money with a hint of culture news – there are plenty of other podcasts for Black tech entrepreneurs. People of color lack representation in tech yet these podcasts may help unlock some doors. Here’s a breakdown of the podcasts you should probably check out whether you’re interested in learning more about what makes a good pitch deck, if bootstrapping is the way for you or you just want
At POCIT News, we’re always trying to make life simpler for our community, and that’s why we’ve created a list of Black Programmers and technologists who are inspiring the next generation of innovators. Let’s begin. Sofia Ongele She’s a 20-year-old coder, student, and activist. Back in 2016, she attended Kode with klossy, a summer program and organization dedicated to teaching girls aged 13-18 how to code. In turn, she learned the ins and outs of web development, and learning to code has since opened countless doors for her, taking her to
Like many industries, the tech sector still has some way to go in addressing diversity and bias issues and although there has been some progress with big companies like Google creating initatives specifically for minority communities – the work shouldn’t and doesn’t stop there. After diverse intake in companies – what roles are they being given, the salary disparity once in the role, the treatment among colleagues and the handling of racism allegations. We’ve heard countless of stories of Black employees and their allies being sidelined for speaking out against
Software developer Charlene Hunter is on a mission to close the diversity gap in the tech industry and is set on helping other Black women get their foot in the door. East Londoner Charlene founded Coding Black Females back in 2017 after feeling fed up with being the only Black woman in her role at her company. Her non-profit network is a community that uplifts Black female developers and helps them find opportunities. Coding Black Females, which Charlene runs alongside co-CTOs Tanya Powell and Efua Akumanyi and their team, has become a
Inspired by cinema, music video experiences, and interactive gaming, Cycmode is a boutique fitness studio offering multiple fitness offerings under one roof — indoor cycling, strength training, and yoga. The VR and in-studio space was launched in January by Tasha White. The first-floor indoor cycling studio features 35 bikes and a wall-to-wall massive 60-foot-wide curved video screen set in a cycling theatre. Workouts such as THE TRIP™ give riders the sensation of climbing and sprinting through digitally-created worlds paired with indoor cycling bikes that mimic an actual cycle, allowing riders to lean, turn
The technology industry’s academic and professional spaces have a long reputation of exclusivity and discrimination that has led to an industry that is predominantly all white and male – but some people are working hard to change this picture. POCIT sat down with Rose Robinson, Executive Director of Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in IT (CMD-IT), for an in-depth conversation on the barriers facing people of color with disabilities in tech. Robinson has more than 25 years under her belt. Her role at CMD-IT means she can use
