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Himalaya Rao-Potlapally Says Lessons Learned From Black Founders Matter Inaugural $10M Fund Will Help Create Long-Term Solutions For Others

Building on the work she did at six previous funds, Himalaya Rao-Potlapally is now leading one with a focus on Black entrepreneurship. Black Founders Matter Fund Founded in 2019, the Black Founders Matter Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to investing in Black and diverse founders building solutions across a variety of sectors, including health, wealth, and economic mobility. The fund gained traction one year later following the racial justice movement caused by the murder of George Floyd. At the time, the Black Founders Matter Fund invested in A Kids Company About (founded by Jelani Memory), which launched a series of books co-authored by experts to help children navigate challenging topics such as autism, trauma, and racism. “It was a really cool business model, a really cool impactful model, and so we had invested in them. And then post-George Floyd’s murder, that book [“A Kids Book About Racism”] actually took off as one of the things that people were...

Jul 21, 2025

Anthony Anderson And Cedric The Entertainer Open Their BBQ Brand To A Storefront In An Outdoor Los Angeles Mall

Anthony Anderson is succeeding in business alongside fellow comedian and “Barbershop” castmate Cedric the Entertainer. AC Barbeque The pair fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming owners of a lifestyle barbecue brand named AC Barbeque in 2022, as previously reported by AFROTECH™. According to the company’s website, the brand seeks to uphold pillars of Black excellence and family tradition while helping consumers improve their grilling skills through tools, flavor and community. Speaking on the transition from acting to entrepreneurship, Anderson emphasized that the key to successfully navigating the food industry is surrounding oneself with business-minded individuals who understand how to identify opportunities for success. This was during an interview with AFROTECH™ while at the Essence Festival of Culture — presented by Coca-Cola — in the New Orleans Caesars Superdome. “To know what you don’t know and to prepare for that and to surround yourself with people who are much smarter...

Jul 7, 2025

FBI Probes Detroit Pistons' Malik Beasley Over Wire Fraud and Illegal Gambling

Federal authorities are investigating former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley’s alleged involvement in wire fraud, gambling, and illegal prop betting, according to ESPN. The allegations stem from Beasley’s time playing for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-2024 season, sources told the outlet, with the focus on “unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley’s statistics” starting in January 2024. A gambling industry source shared that o ne or more prominent U.S. sportsbooks noticed the activity. The 18-month investigation is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Beasley’s lawyer Steve Haney told The Detroit News. “It’s a gambling investigation involving Malik. No criminal charges have been issued. It’s nothing but an investigation and Malik is entitled to the presumption of innocence,” Haney said, per the outlet. The investigation has reportedly resulted in the Pistons withdrawing a three-year, $42 million contract offer to Beasley. While...

Jul 3, 2025

Minnesota Teen Earns Both High School Diploma And Associate's Degree And Will Pursue A STEM Dual Degree To Address Health Disparities In Somalia

Recent graduate Sabrin Khalif is ensuring her parents’ sacrifices weren’t in vain. According to CBS News, Khalif has earned not only a high school diploma from Irondale High School in New Brighton, MN, but also an Associate of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from nearby Anoka-Ramsey Community College. This feat holds emotional weight considering her parents, who were raised in Somalia, never had a chance to finish school even at the elementary level. The pair moved to the United States in hopes of creating a better life. “All of the aspirations my parents wanted, it’s now set on me,” Khalif told the outlet. “Not only to fulfill it, but also to show them that all of their sacrifices, everything that they gave up on, they’re able to say, ‘Hey, it was actually worth it.'” What’s Next? Looking ahead, Khalif intends to further her studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in Minneapolis-St. Paul and will be pursuing a bachelor’s in human physiology and a bachelor’s in public...

Jun 30, 2025

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy Confirms Company's AI Push Will Result In A Smaller Total Workforce

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that the company plans to decrease its corporate workforce as it adopts more generative AI tools. “We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. It’s hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company,” Jassy said in a company memo on Tuesday. He added that Amazon is utilizing AI to optimize inventory placement, enhance demand forecasting, and improve its robots, noting that this has resulted in lower costs and faster delivery speeds. Amazon announced in February that it will spend $100 billion on capital expenditures, driven by investments in artificial intelligence, according to CNBC. The company has reduced its workforce in recent years, having laid off over 27,000 employees since 2022, CNBC reported. AI’s Influence...

Jun 18, 2025

Coco Gauff, The World's Highest-Paid Female Athlete, Celebrates $2.9M In Prize Earnings After French Open Victory

Tennis champ Coco Gauff continues to win and inspire. For the past two years, Gauff has been the highest-paid female athlete in the world, AFROTECH™ previously reported. The 21-year-old earned $30.4 million in 2024, which includes her prize earnings and endorsement deals such as Naked Juice, Bose, Wheaties Cereal, Carol’s Daughter, and Rolex. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ROLEX (@rolex) The Atlanta, GA, native won the 2025 French Open on Saturday, June 7, in Paris, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to secure her second Grand Slam singles title after winning the 2023 U.S. Open. The win marks Gauff’s 10th career title and first Women’s Tennis Association title of the year. Earning $2.9 million from this win brings her total prize earnings to $27.3 million, according to Sportico. She took to Instagram to reflect on what the win meant to her, shedding light on the doubts she had previously held and overcome. “Waking up and starting to realize it was indeed not a...

Jun 10, 2025

How To Identify Silent Churn In Your Small Business

Silent churn is one of the biggest threats to small businesses , often going unnoticed until it significantly impacts revenue. Unlike active churn, where customers cancel their subscriptions or explicitly stop purchasing, silent churn happens gradually. Customers disengage, reduce usage, or stop buying without officially severing ties, leading to a slow decline in business performance. Identifying silent churn early allows owners and entrepreneurs to take proactive steps to re-engage customers before they are lost entirely. Recognizing The Early Signs Of Silent Churn Silent churn does not happen overnight. It begins with small shifts in customer behavior . If ignored, these shifts lead to long-term disengagement. One of the most common signs is a decline in customer interaction. Warning signals include: users logging in less frequently, reducing their purchases, or spending less time engaging with emails and content. A drop in feature usage or product engagement is another...

Apr 25, 2025

Howard University Tackles Decline In Black Male Enrollment With 'Kings Of Campus' Initiative

Howard University is on a mission to reverse the decline of Black male enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities ( HBCUs). On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the university hosted its third annual Kings of Campus Day, welcoming 150 young Black boys from the District of Columbia Public Schools and Prince George’s County Public Schools for panel discussions emphasizing the importance of Black men attending college, according to a LinkedIn post from Dr. Calvin Hadley. Hadley, the assistant provost for Student Engagement and Academic Partnerships at Howard University, said he created the event to show young males why they deserve a place at the HBCU and college in general, while urgently conveying to them how valued and needed they are. “If we are serious about increasing the number of Black males at Howard [and in higher education in general], we have to go back and contribute to building up the pipeline,” Hadley said via LinkedIn. “We are committed to this work and look...

Apr 21, 2025

Kevin Hart's Coramino Fund To Launch $10K Grants That Will Make AI Education Accessible To Small Business Owners

Kevin Hart wants entrepreneurs to be equipped in artificial intelligence (AI). AI is sweeping across various industries. While some remain skeptical, adopting it will be essential to avoid being left behind in a rapidly changing landscape. “The train is coming and coming fast,” Hart told Fortune. “Either you’re on it, or if not, get out of the way.” As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Hart partnered with the Fifteen Percent Pledge and A16z’s Cultural Leadership Fund for the AI Illumination Grant that will disperse $35,000 in funding to Black founders, with the winner receiving $20,000. Considerations for recipients include: High potential for growth Sustainable competitive advantage Strong management team Strong use case for AI tools Grant dollars to manage growth challenges and expansion Prioritizes inclusivity and centers community impact Coramino Fund Hart is taking further action through his Coramino Fund — the investment arm for his tequila company Gran Coramino that is in its...

Apr 21, 2025

Op-Ed: Small Business Owners Can’t Afford To Make Their Products In The US And, As A Result, They’ll Suffer

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Trump’s tariffs have upended multiple industries. For bigger companies like Apple and Microsoft, or fast fashion behemoths like Zara, tariffs can be easily avoided by moving their distribution elsewhere. But for smaller businesses that don’t possess the same infrastructure, they don’t have that ability. Most Americans would agree that manufacturing should come back to the United States. Over the past decades, companies have moved their work abroad to take advantage of lower wages and the lack of unions that protect workers from abuses. In short, it’s easier to take advantage of the cheap labor offered in other countries like China, Thailand, and Vietnam. The whole system is inherently problematic, especially when we look at how workers in the United States are constantly berated and not treated properly. Moving manufacturing back to the states will also mean, unfortunately, that prices for goods...

Apr 18, 2025

Dr. Christine Izuakor Launched A Marketplace Connecting Small Business Owners To Top Cybersecurity Experts

Dr. Christine Izuakor is making it easier for people in technology to forge meaningful connections. The Houston, TX, native is a cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience leading cybersecurity functions at Fortune 100 companies. Her career journey could have looked very different had she pursued the medical field, a path favored by her Nigerian parents. However, she “failed miserably” in her attempt to become an eye doctor. Her pivot came after taking a course on encryption, which sparked her interest in cybersecurity. “I immediately switched my major and went on to earn a Ph.D. in security engineering. From there, I spent about 10 years leading different security functions at United Airlines, was a graduate cybersecurity professor, and so that’s what really kind of got me into this space and then allowed me to grow,” she told AFROTECH™ in an interview. Cyber Pop-up Today, Izuakor works part-time as an adjunct professor in cybersecurity at various schools and...

Apr 17, 2025

UK Insurance Startup Marshmallow Founded By Twin Brothers Raises $90M, Hits $2B Valuation

Twin brothers and co-founders Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham are now behind a multi-billion-dollar company alongside David Goaté. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the siblings founded U.K. -based digital car insurance startup Marshmallow to combat “unfair insurance prices” for migrants. “We now help 100,000s of UK newcomers get a fairer deal on their car insurance every year. We do this by building our own technology, developing pricing and fraud models that let us cater to their unique experiences, and investing time in getting to know them on a deeper level,” a statement on the company’s website reads.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Marshmallow (@getmarshmallow) According to TechCrunch, Marshmallow made history in 2021 as one of two Black-founded startups in the U.K. to reach a $1 billion valuation. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the company raised $85 million in a Series B funding round with investors that included Passion Capital, Monzo, Investec, and...

Apr 15, 2025

Who Owns Blue Origin? Plus, Everything You Need To Know About The All-Female Rocket Launch

With space being the next great frontier, many big names have been throwing their hat in the ring to venture beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Space exploration has become the name of the game for several companies that strive to make humans a multi-planetary species. Mankind’s growing need for resources has seen an increased interest in galaxies far, far away, however, the vision of life on Mars will take plenty of money and research before it can be realized. While many people know of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, there is another contender that is making headlines for its’ out of this world exploration . Blue Origin, another privately owned space company, has made headlines over the last year for launching space missions with iconic crew members . On Monday, Apr. 14, they continued that trend by sending the first all-female crew (including celebrities like Gayle King and Katy Perry) on a mission. Here’s what we know about Blue Origin’s owner , history and latest ventures. Blue Origin Is Owned By...

Target's Foot Traffic Declines For 8th Straight Week Amid 40-Day Boycott Led By Rev. Jamal Bryant

Target’s foot traffic has taken another decline amid a 40-day boycott. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the retailer reversed its three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments, dismantling a program that helped Black and minority-owned businesses secure shelf space. Additionally, the company is no longer required to submit reports to external diversity-focused groups. “Many years of data, insights, listening, and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” said Kiera Fernandez, chief community impact and equity officer at Target, according to NBC News. “And as a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape, now and in the future — all in service of driving Target’s growth and winning together.” This comes as other major companies , like Walmart , have removed race and gender as factors for granting supplier contracts. McDonald’s also discontinued its...

Apr 3, 2025

Does Insurance Cover Small Business Bankruptcies? What Small Business Owners Need To Know Before Filing

Small business owners face a variety of risks, from economic downturns to lawsuits and unexpected disasters. When financial difficulties lead to bankruptcy, many business owners wonder if insurance can provide any protection. While insurance is designed to mitigate risk, not all policies cover bankruptcy-related losses. Understanding which types of insurance can help and what limitations exist is essential for business owners navigating financial uncertainty. The Role Of Business Insurance In Financial Protection Business insurance serves as a safety net against potential financial losses, but most policies are structured to cover specific risks such as property damage, liability claims, or employee-related incidents. Traditional business insurance does not directly cover bankruptcy, as bankruptcy itself is not considered an insurable event. Instead, insurance policies focus on protecting businesses from events that may contribute to financial distress, such as lawsuits, theft, or...

Mar 26, 2025

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