Los Angeles, CA-based venture capital firm Slauson & Co. has announced a new cohort of its Friends & Family program. According to its website, the Friends & Family program benefits founders of emerging category-defining businesses across various sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI) , consumer technology, health and wellness, and fintech . The initiative offers essential capital, connections, and community support to help the founders advance business operations, attract investment, and connect with like-minded individuals in its early stages. On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the firm announced 10 founders selected from over 800 applications, including Ballin AI, which provides AI-powered scouting and recruiting tools for athletes and athletic departments worldwide, and Coblr, a streamlined platform that connects fashion repair shops, brands, and consumers to unlock the $700 billion circular fashion market. “I couldn’t be more excited to learn from, and grow alongside, this...

When passion exuded by investors matches that of the founders, it could be a win-win situation. On the latest episode of AfroTech’s Black Tech Green Money (BTGM), Blavity COO Aaron Samuels is joined by Slauson & Co. founders Austin Clements and Ajay Relan to discuss all things venture capital, which includes sharing their expertise on the world of investing. As an early-stage venture capital firm, Slauson & Co. invests in the tools and platforms of people to grow and expand small businesses. Their belief is rooted in the power of entrepreneurship with a focus on empowering founders regardless of their proximity to the traditional venture capital ecosystem. They truly believe that intentionality and inclusivity will take investors a long way when it comes to finding the best pool of founders to partner with. “There are a lot of diversity funds popping up, or a lot of people that are going after those markets and the question that comes with that is — ‘Is it too crowded or too niche...

Nipsey Hussle’s mantra , “The marathon continues,” lives on through his older brother, Blacc Sam, who has opened a restaurant near the late rapper’s Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles, CA . Blacc Sam — born Samiel Asghedom — is the permanent administrator of his brother’s estate. In an interview with CBS News Los Angeles, he said Marathon Burger, which had its grand opening on March 1, 2025, reflects Nipsey Hussle’s dedication to uplifting the community around him. “I think [the] Marathon brand, created by Hussle, was kind of like to inspire and to just motivate, and it just means to keep going,” he said. “It’s not a race, it’s a pace, do it on your own. …Anything that we can continue doing in that spirit is always a blessing.” Marathon Burger, located on Melrose Avenue, serves its famous Wagyu beef burgers and wings. The restaurant also offers vegan-friendly options such as a plant-based burger, a portobello mushroom burger, and a grilled vegetable salad.   View this post on...

Piersten Gaines wants to bring luxury to the textured hair community. Her mission stems from several trips to the salon and not receiving proper care. She describes some visits as even “traumatic” after losing all her hair under the care of two licensed stylists. Gaines would later attend Harvard Business School and conceptualized Texas-based silk blowout bar Pressed Roots following a class presentation that allowed her to pitch the concept to “ Shark Tank” judge Kevin O’Leary. “Once I matriculated into business school, I became hyper-aware that there was a huge underserved market who were searching for the same hair care experience that I had been searching for for years — one that was reliable, affordable, luxurious, and one where the stylists actually understood the needs of my hair texture,” she said in email interview with AFROTECH™. “That is how Pressed Roots was conceptualized. I envisioned a chain of luxury, silk blowout bars that celebrate and specialize in the specific...

In less than five years, The Folklore has set itself on a path of consistent evolution. Launched in 2018, founder Amira Rasool created her company as an e-commerce retailer to help African fashion designers gain more economic opportunities . Now, in addition to Africa and the diaspora, The Folklore is catering to more marginalized communities and pivoted to a B2B wholesale platform that’s expanded its services. Moreover, new and existing investors have joined in for its expansion. According to a press release shared with AFROTECH™, The Folklore has raised $3.4 million in a seed funding round, bringing its total amount raised to $6.2 million. As previously shared by AFROTECH™, in 2022, the company raised $1.7 million in a pre-seed funding round — making Rasool one of the youngest Black women to raise over $1 million in a pre-seed round for a fashion and lifestyle brand. The Folklore’s seed round was led by early-stage VC firm Benchstrength, the press release discloses. Fellow...

Derek “MixedByAli” Ali has a decade of experience in the music industry and remains dedicated to enhancing the field. Forging A Lane In Music Fresh off a recent Grammy win, the 33-year-old recording and mixing engineer, who has stamped his name alongside hit records such as “The Box” by Roddy Ricch, “This Is America” by Donald Glover, and Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” and “Humble,” was not raised with a musical background or training. Growing up with severe ADHD, he began to tinker with remote-controlled cars and computers and became fascinated with their functionality. When he learned he could experiment with music, it birthed a new passion. “I started in high school — making ringtones. I was a hustler when I was playing football. I found out how to crack the Nextels and Boost Mobile chirp phones and put real songs on there rather than the model ringtones that were out during that time,” Ali told AFROTECH. “I would have friends come over after football practice and come record and put...

It’s no secret that the startup world needs more Black investors and venture capitalists. Inc. Magazine reports Black founders are raising “record amounts of venture capital” in 2021, even though they only rang in 1.2 percent of all venture capital in the first half of the year. Last year, Black founders received only 0.6 percent of venture capital (VC) deployed. That’s unacceptable, and Black investors are stepping up to the plate to change that. Some notable Black venture capitalists making major moves in the VC world include Jarrid Tingle, co-founder and managing partner of Harlem Capital; Marlon Nichols, managing general partner at MaC Venture Capital; and Austin Clements, partner at Slauson & Co. The trio will hit the virtual stage at AfroTech 2021 during the “Black VCs: Raising Millions with a Mission” panel to discuss how they are working to raise millions of dollars to diversify venture capital investments. Ultimately, Nichols, Clements and Tingle want to put more dollars in...

Recently, HBCU students and alumni founders across America gathered virtually to compete for a $20,000 grand prize for the Pitch:HBCU competition hosted by multimedia platform The HBCU Advocate, and sponsored in part by Base10 Partners and Plexo Capital. Of the 75 startup ideas submitted, from high-tech fashion brands to AI companies, only one winner was selected — At Ease Rental Corp — a startup that assists military families and other government workers with their temporary housing needs. It was founded by FAMU graduate and U.S. Marine Anthony Gantt, who submitted his company for the competition so he could take it to the next level. The idea behind Gantt’s startup was inspired by his own experience with limited housing options as a Marine. He wanted to create a better solution for other military families and federal workers. For Gantt, the $20,000 prize was perfect timing as he shared he needed the capital to expand his team and hire more military spouses. “I was looking for...