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Memphis is widely considered to be the birthplace of the music we love today. It’s also the hometown of George Monger, the founder and CEO of Connect Music — a Black-owned music startup launched in 2020. More specifically, the Memphis-based company is a music monetization platform that provides distribution and publishing administration services. As Black creators are disproportionately affected by the downfalls of the industry, Monger has been dedicated to proving that music is an asset class by helping the group own their music and become profitable during today’s streaming era. The founder has gone on to have over 200 label clients and developed editorial partnerships with streaming giants Pandora, Spotify, and Apple. Addiontally, Monger has also gotten Boosie Badazz on board as part-owner of Connect Music.
Vori is a digital B2B wholesale app that is shaking up the traditional ways of the grocery industry. Co-founded by Brandon Hill, Tremaine Kirkman, and Robert Pinkerton, the online wholesale marketplace uses its technology to modernize the process of ordering for supermarkets. Its technology is a win-win for local retailers and local distributors as it has created easy steps for wholesale ordering. AfroTech previously shared that in 2021, Vori secured $5.7 million in funding from YCombinator, Greylock Partners, South Park Commons, and more — earning Hill and Kirkman spots on Forbes’ 30 Under 30. Since the startup’s launch, the Vori team has received praise and recognition from people who have expressed that they’ve “been waiting on a solution like this their entire career.” Their innovation has led to investments including Mollie Stone’s Markets, an independent family-owned grocery store chain with locations in California — where Vori is based. The heart of Vori’s mission is...
The psychedelic medicine industry is expanding rapidly, with areas like Washington, D.C., and Cambridge, Massachusetts decriminalizing magic mushrooms in recent elections. This Black woman-led biotech company recently launched to show how psychedelic medicines can be used for women’s health. Aphrodite Health — a woman-focused biotech company — is introducing psychedelic medicines to address women’s mental and physical health challenges often overlooked by modern medicine. The startup launched on May 31 and is led by CEO Tesla La Touche, a Black woman healthcare professional with 20 years of experience. La Touche is clinically published and brings a wealth of experience in the surgical, biopharmaceutical and advanced, clinical technologies sector to her team. S he was confident in her work as she was launching Aphrodite Health. Still, she takes a lot of pride coming into this space as the first Afro-Indigenous CEO in the psychedelic medicine industry. “I have very intimate knowledge...
Stories of online harassment have made news headlines for years during the increased age of social media. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, last year it found that 41 percent of U.S. adults have personally experienced some form of online harassment in at least one of six ways. This is why Black-owned tech company, Yappa was formed to intervene and create a more humane way for users to communicate online. Forbes reports that this week, the tech startup has raised a $3.5 million Series A funding round to double down on its exemplary efforts to restore positive virtual interactions online. Funding from the round — which was led by Future Media Limited — will reportedly go toward expanding the company’s existing features and launching new ones to further enhance its capabilities. Yappa — which was founded by Jennifer Dyer and Kiaran Sim back in 2015 — is a development-stage company that offers audio and video commenting services for Internet websites, its...
AI messaging company Holler is well on it’s way to proving that Black founders can obtain VC funding to help power their startups and fuel their missions to change the world. According to TechCrunch, the Black-owned tech company has just announced the raise of a $36 million Series B funding round, bringing its total funding to $51 million overall. The round was co-led by CityRock Venture Partners and New General Market Partners, with participation from other investors such as Gaingels, Interplay Ventures, Relevance Ventures, Towerview Ventures and WorldQuant Ventures. MarTech Series reports that Holler plans to use the new funds to “invest in the research, engineering and development around conversational media, and the original creative content intended to drive its use.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Holler (@holler.io) Holler — which is described as a conversational media company — initially launched with a mission to become a news and video content app before...
Atlanta-based startup company Carbice Corporation recently closed a funding round to invest in future expansion efforts. Carbice Corp. — founded by scientist Dr. Baratunde Cola in 2017 — produces multi-functional material solutions such as Carbice Carbon, a thermal-management material for spacecraft and other applications, to enhance the world’s most important electronic, energy and industrial products, according to its website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Paul Judge (@pauljudge) The startup announced this week that it raised $15 million in a Series A investment round largely led by London-based investment firm Downing Ventures and additional funding provided by Toyota AI Ventures. We're excited to welcome @Carbice to the Toyota AI Ventures portfolio! Carbice's carbon nanotube technology lowers electronic device temperatures and dissipates heat. Read @Jim_Adler 's blog post to learn why we invested: https://t.co/6CAGcBbYu4 pic.twitter.com/W134JuX3z1 — Toyota...