UrbanGeekz

Looking forward to joining an impressive lineup of powerhouse women speakers 👩working in STEM and Tech at next month's BCH2025 🔥in Atlanta. Organized by blackcomputeHER, BCH2025 is an annual empowering three-day conference that kicks off on April 4. The goal is to support our community of Black women and girls in technology through education and workforce development. Check out the agenda to find out who else is speaking, and register to attend while tickets last! 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 https://lnkd.in/efb-ryQ4 https://lnkd.in/ew4X_m3s cc blackcomputeHER Be sure to check out some of the other speakers: Tamara Pearson, PhD  Khalia Braswell, Ph.D. Titilayo Craig Zariah Nicole Raquel Hill Dr. Shaundra (Shani B.) Daily Cara J. Person, PhD, MPH, CPH Ida Pierce Errika Moore Allison Higgins Anu Bourgeois #BCH2025 #UpSkillInTech #ModernFigures #ItsAboutYou

Michael Seibel, an influential Black entrepreneur and investor in Silicon Valley, is transitioning to a "partner emeritus" role at Y Combinator. He made the announcement late Wednesday on his X account after more than 12 years at the famed startup accelerator. “This role allows me to continue to do office hours with the 1000+ companies I’ve worked with in the past decade while giving me the free time to explore new adventures,” he said on X. “It also means that the W25 batch was my last batch funding new YC companies.” Seibel first joined YC as a partner and Ied the accelerator at YC from 2016 to 2024. Notably, last year, Seibel stepped back into a less operational group partner ahead of this week's announcement. Read the rest of the UrbanGeekz story here https://lnkd.in/ezvB48VH

The United States is home to some of the largest and most influential brands, yet Black-owned U.S. businesses with at least one employee represent a fraction of these companies. They face significant obstacles, from access to capital to other institutional barriers. Challenges include everything from getting venture capital to discriminatory lending practices. Still, in recent years, Black businesses have grown, with regions like Washington D.C., Maryland, and Georgia leading the way. And, of course, some Black-owned brands have consistently exceeded expectations, crossing the billion-dollar mark in assets, revenues, and valuations. 💰 Today, we highlight these Black U.S.-based billion-dollar businesses and their inspirational journeys to the top. These businesses from different industries dominate their respective fields and achieve immense success for their owners. Read the rest of the UrbanGeekz story here https://lnkd.in/eVmJPv2i

Kenyan Leta has raised $5 million to help businesses move goods cheaper and faster across Africa. European VC firm Speedinvest led the seed funding round, which was supported by Google’s Africa Investment Fund and Equator, an Africa-focused climate tech fund. The new funding will be used to scale its solution and to double revenue in the coming months as it expands into more countries across Africa. Read the rest of the @urbangeekz story here https://lnkd.in/eKpwE9wN

Kenyan Leta has raised $5 million to help businesses move goods cheaper and faster across Africa. European VC firm Speedinvest led the seed funding round, which was supported by Google’s Africa Investment Fund and Equator, an Africa-focused climate tech fund. The new funding will be used to scale its solution and to double revenue in the coming months as it expands into more countries across Africa. Read the rest of the @urbangeekz story here https://lnkd.in/eKpwE9wN

This Women’s History Month, we continue to honor powerful women in our community who are leading in business, technology, and beyond. Their work is shaping the future, and we are here to celebrate them! 🔹 Kunbi Tinuoye – CEO, UrbanGeekz 🔹Makisha Boothe – Founder & Head Business Coach, SistahBiz Global Network 🔹 Torin Darling Brazzle – Founder & Executive Director, Ignite From building thriving business networks to amplifying diverse voices in media, these women are changing the game for all of us. Let’s uplift them and continue to support women who are making history today! Tag a woman innovator in your network and celebrate her impact! ⬇️ #WomensHistoryMonth #WomenInBusiness #BlackWomenLead #Leadership #Innovation #BlackInnovationAlliance #BIA

Honored to share the stage with Kunbi Tinuoye and Salim Ben Hassim SOUMBOUNOU! It was truly an insightful discussion on unlocking funding opportunities for African tech startups. Excited to see the continued growth in the Francophone African tech ecosystem and Africa as a whole.

Marques Brownlee, better known as MKBHD, has cemented his status as one of YouTube’s most influential tech creators, amassing over 19.6 million subscribers and more than 4.3 billion views on his main channel alone. His empire extends beyond YouTube, with multiple channels covering everything from in-depth tech reviews to automotive content, podcasts, and behind-the-scenes insights. Recognized for his impact, Brownlee earned a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2020. He has since expanded his influence into fashion and business, collaborating with Atoms on the Sneaker 251 and joining Ridge as a board member and chief creative partner in 2024. But his journey from a teenager filming in his bedroom to an industry titan is as compelling as the devices he reviews. Read the rest of the UrbanGeekz story here https://lnkd.in/e2cejJYa

In a historic first for Women’s History Month, Create Labs Ventures has partnered with TONL, the Black-owned stock photography company co-founded by Nigerian-American social entrepreneur Karen Okonkwo, to launch the first AI image generator exclusively trained to create a Black-owned stock photo library. The move marks a groundbreaking moment for artificial intelligence and the creative industry, addressing one of the most overlooked biases in AI development: visual representation. Most AI image generators are trained on datasets that skew heavily toward white subjects, leading to skewed, inaccurate, or outright offensive results when attempting to depict Black, Brown, and other marginalized communities. Read the rest of the UrbanGeekz story here https://lnkd.in/eFGFdQkU

Ulysses Lee “Junior” Bridgeman, a former NBA legend-turned-business billionaire, has passed away at the age of 71. His death came after he experienced chest pains during a Leadership Luncheon on Scouting in Louisville, Kentucky. Bridgeman was seen grabbing his chest and expressing pain during the luncheon on Louiseville television stations. Emergency medical personnel were then called, and he was taken away by an ambulance. NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent his condolences via social media platform X, saying that “Junior was the ultimate entrepreneur who built on his impactful 12-year NBA playing career by becoming a highly respected and successful business leader.” He also sent heartfelt condolences to Junior’s wife, Doris, and their children, Eden, Justin and Ryan. Read the rest of the UrbanGeekz story here https://lnkd.in/ej_D6sWg