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Apple is on the lookout for bright developers. The tech giant will soon be jumpstarting its 2025 Swift Student Challenge, which was created to empower rising developers, creators, and entrepreneurs. Its website mentions they will be tasked with scaling their ideas into an application leveraging tools that include Swift Playgrounds and Xcode. Previous winners include Keitaro Kawahara of Japan (PuzzlePix), Ruoshan Li of China (Deep Blue Tangram), and University of Alabama at Birmingham student AJ Nettles, who submitted an application named CryptOh. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, his app includes an interactive guide that explains the importance of password security and serves as a password manager and generator. “I wanted to make it easier for people to store their passwords and not have them on a random sticky note on the edge of their computer,” he told AFROTECH™. Nettles was among the 50 Distinctive Winners out of 350 winners of the challenge in 2024, and he was able to meet...
In the gaming world, there are a lot of upcoming talents who work tirelessly to get eyes on their work. Add into the equation being a designer from a marginalized community, and your chances become even slimmer. In light of this, Xbox has announced a partnership providing a platform for young Black developers.
A common challenge companies experience is having to navigate a disjointed technological ecosystem, and solving for it can add more difficulty when the tools being used aren’t in sync. That’s why Kinesso built Kanvas , a platform to help developers, brands and marketers craft adtech and martech solutions that complement what they’re already doing. This enables them to connect people with more relevant experiences. Kanvas allows teams to work within their existing framework with APIs that connect to Kinesso’s award-winning solutions. Here are some real-world examples of how Kanvas is helping companies create meaningful, effective customer experiences. Turning the Tide In the spirit of innovation and collaboration, Kinesso launched a beta version of Kanvas in 2020 with select partners The Trade Desk and Acxiom. The developer community was given access to proprietary tools and systems to help gain more understanding around audiences, data and reporting. The Trade Desk used Kanvas to...
Erik Murray began his journey in commercial real estate in 2004, and 17 years later, the same thought crosses his mind: There’s not enough diversity. The lack thereof drove him to envision the possibility of him creating his own company to create what he wanted to see within the industry. Owing gratitude to becoming one of a few from his background to get his foot in the door, Murray was dedicated to finding a way to pay it forward in bringing more who looked like him into the space. “It’s almost a secret that is kept from us,” Murray told AfroTech. “Even though I grew up in a highly educated, middle-class, Black family, my mom and dad always kept saying, ‘Son, you have to be a doctor or a lawyer.’ No one said you can be a real estate broker. You can be a real estate developer.” He continued: “So, I made it my goal that once I ‘learned the game,’ I was going to build a firm that was not only Black-owned but went out of our way to create pathways and opportunities for other aspiring...
FLOW, the blockchain created by Dapper Labs designed to be the foundation for a new generation of games, apps, and the digital assets that power them, has announced a new grant program to bring Web3 diversity to the forefront. In a blog post, it was revealed that the company is currently accepting applications “for Black developers, platforms or creators looking to build large-scale dApps and create innovative experiences on the blockchain.” FLOW also announced its $1 million grant. “In addition to the Token grant, recipients will receive promotional and customized support from a team and network of experts including technical, design, product, and marketing,” read the blog post, which also makes it clear that this is in addition to its other initiatives in celebration of Black History Month. “This grant is one step in FLOW’s commitment to creating a welcoming environment for all people to join the ecosystem and that it is a true representation of our diverse world” The company has...
The opportunities in Detroit, MI are about to be endless thanks to Apple and its latest move. In partnership with Michigan State University, the tech giant has officially opened the doors to its first US Developer Academy, where diverse developers and entrepreneurs will gain resources to positively impact their communities. As a first-of-its-kind facility, the Detroit Apple Developer Academy will be home to an inaugural class of over 100 students ages 18 to 60. Each student will gain comprehensive app development and entrepreneurial training within a 10-month span. “We believe apps for everyone should be designed by everyone, and that all aspiring developers and entrepreneurs should have the opportunity to be a part of the thriving app economy,” shared Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, in a press release provided to AfroTech. “Detroit has an incredible entrepreneurial spirit, powered by creativity and inclusion, and we’re thrilled to...
Today, Black Ambition founder Pharrell Williams announced the winners of the Black Ambition and Black Ambition HBCU (Historically Black College and University) Prizes during the initiative’s Prize Celebration. “These are the founders I dreamed would represent Black Ambition. Today we celebrate their determination, resourcefulness, and creativity. Because of Black Ambition, the world will be much more equitable. More people of color can pursue their ventures and get what they need to thrive,” said Pharrell Williams. “There’s been too much disparity and discrimination. Black Ambition will continue to create and push for more seats at the table, so that your talent, not your color, determines your results.” The winner of the $1 million grand prize, according to Billboard, is Livegistics, which features a collective of software developers, accounting professionals, and former construction managers that used their combined expertise to create a new cloud platform for civil projects....
As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to Black communities and creating opportunities for aspiring business leaders, the tech giant has announced a cohort of Black founders and developers for its latest Entrepreneur Camp. A recent blog post shares that Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp is welcoming a class of founders and their teams from 13 different app-driven companies to join its newly-launched program. Chosen participants for the program include: David Bosun-Arebuwa (B3am) Adam Taylor (Black) Cedric J. Rogers and Shaun Newsum (Cultural Genesis/ Bar Exam) Abdou Sarr (Film3D) Brent Brinkley (FormKey) Lybron Sobers (Health Auto Export) Casey Pollock (Hologarden) Ailton Vieira, Gabriel Taques, Maykon Meneghel, Mariana Lech, and Rodolfo Diniz (Hubli) Quintin Rodriguez-Harrison (Justice Royale) David Alston (Kickstroid) Aurelia Edwards (Nailstry) Ashley McKoy, Harold Lomotey, and Ositanachi Otugo (The Peek: TV Shows and Movies) Matt Garrison (TuneBend) The inaugural program — which is...
One of the most magical times of the year is on the horizon — Black History Month. With February right around the corner, this HBCU alumni created a national family game night to celebrate Black game developers and Black wealth all while focusing on Black history. According to PRWeb, Ruby L. Taylor, MSW is the founder of Legacy! Card Games and the mastermind behind National Family Game Night for Black History Month — an event that attendees can enjoy right from the comforts of their own home. She is a double HBCU alumnus having graduated from both Virginia Union University and Howard University. “It’s my mission to celebrate the history of black wealth and black board and card game developers and do so in a fun, exciting way,” shared Taylor. Corporations, churches, organizations, and families are all invited to join a night of celebration of the rich history of Black wealth and Black game developers. On Feb. 26, 2021, all are encouraged to not only play a game created by a Black...
When it comes to the gaming industry, Black people are severely underrepresented within companies. According to the 2017 International Game Developers Association Satisfaction Survey , only one percent of professionals within the industry identify as Black. This lack of representation often leaves some titles with frustrating content. From games that either replicate stereotypes or just pretend Black people don’t exist, it’s an understandably frustrating experience. However, there are developers outside of the major companies that everybody knows. Black developers have been around since video games’ beginnings, and they’re not going anywhere. To celebrate their work, we’ve compiled a list of ten gaming apps by Black developers that you should all check out. 1. Hair Nah After getting tired of people putting their hands in her hair, Momo Pixel decided to create Hair Nah . This video game has you play as a Black woman traveling between three destinations — Osaka, Havana, and Santa...
Over the past few years, social justice movements have continued to pop up across the country. Activism is often thought of as something that takes place through protests or other forms of direct action. However, developers are also using tech as a way to combat social injustices. Tech is a powerful tool that can be used to tackle a large number of issues throughout communities. From crowdsourcing bail funds to helping people gain access to water again, many developers are bringing technology into the social justice sphere. Here is a list of five apps that you should know: 1. Appolition There is a growing movement to end cash bail within the United States. Every single day, hundreds of thousands of people remain in jail without a conviction because they cannot afford to put up bail money. Bail is yet another way in which the criminal justice system further penalizes poverty. After all, poor people are more likely to be criminalized and in a country with an ever-growing racial wealth...
Apple has quietly updated its App Store guidelines following the decision to remove several top parental and screen-time control apps from its platform. In April, Apple removed at least 11 of the 17 most popular apps, sparking backlash from developers. As the company comes closer to an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Apple has now reversed its decision and allowed the apps back into the App Store pending the companies’ agreements to not share or sell users’ data to third-parties. Apple began making stricter rules on iPhones’ ability to control other smartphones, the use of certain APIs and the release of its own screen-time monitor; however, developers claimed the move were reminiscent of a monopoly and claimed Apple wanted total control over the competition in the App Store. An Apple spokeswoman told the New York Times that the company has removed some apps because they collect too much user data, which violates the company’s rules. “We treat all apps the same,...
For creators online, it can be difficult to sustain themselves while still putting out good work. Now, some sites are making it easier to help out. Today, Github launched a new tool called Sponsors that will allow you to support open source developers through monthly recurring payments. “Funding developers through GitHub Sponsors is one more way to contribute to open source projects you appreciate,” GitHub wrote on its site. “Help developers get the resources they need, and recognize contributors working behind the scenes to make open source better for everyone.” Developers can opt to have a “Sponsor me” button on their Github repositories. In addition, open source projects can highlight their own funding models, whether that’s individual contributions or using other platforms. What is most unique about Github’s tool is that all the money will go directly to the developers. “GitHub will not charge fees for GitHub Sponsors. And to celebrate the launch, we’ll cover payment processing...
Facebook’s struggles with privacy are well known, from the Cambridge Analytica scandal to the company storing passwords in plaintext . Every time, Facebook says it’ll do better, but it seems it still hasn’t done enough. Recently, researchers from security firm UpGuard found that third-party Facebook app developers left hundreds of millions of user records on publicly visible cloud servers. Most of the data came from Cultura Colective, a media company based in Mexico. They were responsible for a 146 gigabyte dataset that contained 540 million records detailing comments, likes, reactions, account names, FB IDs, and more. UpGuard reported they tried contacting Cultura Colective on January 10th, 2019 and again on the 14th to no response. In addition, researchers found data from an app titled “At the Pool”. It contained personal information along with 22,000 passwords. Although researchers assumed those passwords were for the app itself, they noted it put users at risk if they reused the...
Epic Games — the makers of Fortnite — just announced its newest grant program to help fund developers, entrepreneurs, and educators who use its Unreal Engine. The grant could be a great chance for black game developers and techies to get their names out there. According to a Nielsen study , more than 70 percent of African Americans are likely to start gaming. However, this group is has a dismal population in the developer community. Another study by the International Game Developers Association said that the game development industry isn’t necessarily a welcoming a place and more than half said they witnessed or experience inequality on the job. Epic Games is extending the grants to a wide variety of professionals in an effort to enhance various industries. “There are many ways to build something incredible in or around the UE4 and 3D graphics universe,” Epic Games said . “For example, 3D digital creation tools, and learning materials about UE4 such as books, lesson plans, and...