Showing 312 results for:
marketplace
Popular topics
All results
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...
Megan Holston-Alexander and Andreessen Horowitz’s Cultural Leadership Fund is shifting the investment mindset of cultural leaders. The Montgomery, AL, native is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz’s Cultural Leadership Fund, which connects global leaders such as athletes, entertainers, musicians, and C-level executives with emerging technology companies and champions the next generation of Blacks in technology. According to TechCrunch, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has a stake in at least 300 companies in sectors that include crypto, consumer, enterprise, fintech, healthcare, and biotech. It is also “Silicon Valley’s first venture capital fund consisting exclusively of Black cultural leaders and organizations,” its website mentions. Holston-Alexander is dedicated explicitly to wealth generation in technology for the Black community and is tasked with finding and sourcing deals. She has remained in her role at Andreessen Horowitz since 2020. “When you think about companies that have grown...
Andrea Wallace has reportedly secured funding for an entertainment marketplace. In 2018, Wallace, a professional DJ with a business degree from Grand Valley State University, founded and launched Opnr, an “all-in-one data-powered” solution designed to simplify the booking process for musical talent. According to the company website, it provides concert organizers with data and analytics to help them book the right talent for local events. It also helps musicians showcase their work through an electronic press kit generator that serves as a resume, and through its FAN-CLAIM™ software, they can connect with their local fanbase. According to MLive , Opnr has been used by nearly 12,000 musicians and 800 organizers. “We’ve got pretty good traction,” Wallace said of the company, which is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, according to the outlet. Even so, it has not been easy to gain support in funding. “There are plenty of people in Grand Rapids who are super helpful,” Wallace mentioned,...
Kyrie Irving had quite the year on the online marketplace StockX. The company, founded by Greg Schwartz, allows users to bid on or purchase shoes, streetwear, electronics, and collectibles, its website notes. To ensure a positive experience for all parties involved, several safeguards have been built into its platforms, such as a multi-step verification process, true market pricing, and security and fraud systems. According to information shared with AFROTECH, over 100 brands broke sales records in their marketplace. These include Saucony, Timberland, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Stanley. “The resale market proved its resilience in 2024,” said Greg Schwartz, StockX co-founder and CEO, in a statement shared with AFROTECH™. “Whatever 2025 has in store – whether it’s new names in streetwear, viral collectibles brands, or a fresh set of players in the sneaker space – our platform will continue to diversify to serve our customers as new trends take hold.” Moreover, Irving’s partnership with...
LimeWire is back for good. LimeWire_is_back_for_good.mp3 #LimeWire returns in full power, with high-profile #NFT drops from the world’s best-selling artists. Don’t miss out on all exclusive drops. Register now: https://t.co/4Vf39XgF7w #digitalcollectibles #web3 pic.twitter.com/pGI4oF7dur — LimeWire (@limewire) July 7, 2022
Searching for beats can be a daunting task for musicians, but this new platform aims to make it an easier process. UnitedMasters and Grammy Award-winning producer Hit-Boy have joined forces for Beat Exchange — a curated marketplace to buy and sell beats — per a press release shared with AfroTech.
Non-fungible tokens (NFT) are all the rage, and the technology shows no signs of slowing down. With so many artists and influencers launching their respective NFT collections, the following steps are clear — the industry has to have more options and diversity around how they are sold. Ariana Waller — known as Ariana The Techie — is a Miami-based blockchain engineer and the owner and founder of Mueshi, Inc. The company launched to be a marketplace where users will be able to buy, sell, and fractionally invest in fine art NFTs. In 2021, Ariana came up with the idea for this marketplace while listening to Jay-Z’s solo album, “4:44.” On the album, the Grammy-award-winning rapper had several songs discussing the importance of investing to build wealth. Immediately inspired, Ariana jumped into the metaverse to create this emerging marketplace. “I was listening to ‘4:44’ for almost three hours a day. In a song, Jay-Z mentioned how he wanted to leave his art to his children as a part of his...