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Former NBA Player And Memphis Head Basketball Coach Penny Hardaway Becomes Investor In Tradeblock

Former NBA player and Memphis head basketball coach Penny Hardaway is teaming up with Tradeblock.

Apr 10, 2023

Sneaker Trading App Tradeblock To Disrupt The $30B Sneaker Resale Category With The Intro Of Public Offers

Houston-based startup Tradeblock is delivering on its promise to ensure sneakerheads can have a more frictionless experience. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tradeblock – Sneaker Trading (@tradeblock.us)  

Nov 3, 2022

These Founders Are Building A Diverse Community For Sneakerheads Through Their Startup Tradeblock

There’s a difference between being for the culture and doing it for the culture and the three visionaries at Tradeblock — a sneaker trading app where kicks are currency — are committed to the latter for the sneaker community. The Austin -based startup officially hit the ground running earlier this year in May, but the initial vision for Tradeblock was birthed in 2009 by co-founder Tony Malveaux. While inspired by ESPN’s Trade Machine, Malveaux connected with his longtime best friend and now fellow co-founder Darren Smith about his idea — but it was a dream deferred until bringing their fellow childhood friend Mbiyimoh Ghogomu — Tradeblock’s CEO — onboard and from that moment they’ve become trailblazers in the sneaker marketplace.

Oct 11, 2021

Tradeblock's Cassidy Edwards Is Creating Spaces For Women In Sneaker Culture

Cassidy Edwards’ introduction to sneaker culture began during the glory days of basketball legend Michael Jordan. Repping Third Ward Houston, TX, Jordans and Air Max shoes have always reigned supreme in her city. “You would always see Air Maxes and growing up that’s probably what I saw the most down South,” Edwards told AfroTech. “I was always intrigued by the girls with the big bamboo earrings and grills. That’s always been a part of Houston culture and then sneakers intersect those things. Music, DJ Screw, grills and Jordans was kind of the thing.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cassidy Edwards (@cassidyonthegram) Since high school, Edwards’ love for sneakers has always been a creative outlet for expression and now 20 years later, it still continues to follow her throughout her life. The Houston native’s journey transformed her into a certified sneakerhead, but her passion runs deeper than just collecting sneakers. Within her career, her mission in the sneaker...

Sep 16, 2021

These 3 Students Have Made HBCU History After Winning Astronaut Scholarships To Pursue STEM Careers

Three Black women are making history at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. According to WXII-12 in Winston-Salem, NC, students Kristi Barnes, Maya Odom, and Breyana Robinson have been selected as recipients of the 2023 Astronaut Scholarship. The scholarship is offered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF), which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 1984 by a group including the six surviving members of the “Mercury 7,” the U.S.’s first astronauts, per its website. The organization provides over 60 scholarships yearly. Additionally, this scholarship is “among the largest merit-based monetary scholarships” distributed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate juniors and seniors.” Those who are recipients are supported with $15,000 and will receive mentorship and guidance from astronauts, top-tier executives, and industry leaders. “I was thankful to get the scholarship,” Odom, an aspiring...

Mar 26, 2024

Cordell Broadus' Champ Medici Arts Fund Scholarship Award Selects University Of The Bahamas As Recipient To Support Artists In The Web3 Space

Cordell Broadus persists in his quest to foster opportunities for artists. On Thursday, March 7, 2024, Broadus was seen in The Bahamas to distribute scholarships through t he Champ Medici Arts Fund, a $1 million philanthropic initiative in collaboration with the Tezos Foundation. The purpose of the financial commitment is to ensure “emerging and legacy musicians and artists” are supported in their creative endeavors on the Tezos blockchain, the foundation’s website mentions. “The power of community is at the center of everything I create,” Broadus told AFROTECH™. “My vision and the inspiration behind the fund have been to provide opportunities and access to new technology and innovative forms of artistic expression for up-and-coming artists, especially for minority groups.” Broadus’ focus on the country follows years of visitations, igniting his desire to support local artists in a meaningful manner. Hence, the University of The Bahamas (UB) emerges as one of the recent recipients...

Mar 8, 2024

Black Founders Snag $300K From Mark Cuban And Michael Rubin For Their AI Startup, Which Helps Users Create Bots To Secure Concert Tickets And More

This company is trying to bring hope to consumers thanks to the help of its bots. Bot-It Founder Maurice Bachelor is behind a platform that allows users to develop their own online bot, regardless of their knowledge in coding, Eqvista reports. Bachelor conceived the idea after seeing a friend struggle with completing an online task. He then surfed the internet for a solution, knowing an automated bot would lessen the burden. However, he recognized there was a gap in the market and believed he could create a solution. “I saw a big opportunity for consumers to start automating. So I started to build out the proof of concept for Bot-It,” Bachelor told Eqvista. “I wanted to build an affordable web and mobile application where you could simply tell the system what website you want to automate and the system would handle the rest. That is how Bot-It was born.” According to the platform’s website, beginning at a price point of $9.99 per month, users can create a bot to complete tasks that...

Feb 6, 2024

Inside Thaddeus Young's Investment Portfolio Of Over 300 Companies — ‘I Don’t Want The Whole Pie. I Just Want A Piece Of It’

Getting to the bag is one thing, but having multiple bags to tap into takes it to another level. NBA player Thaddeus Young is a modern example of that elevation. Young is from Memphis, TN, and quickly rose as a breakout star in basketball in the city. After playing with Georgia Tech University, he would be drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers. Since entering the league in 2007, Young has spent most of his career with the 76ers, and played with other teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets. Young is currently playing for the Toronto Raptors. According to ESPN, Young joined the Toronto Raptors after signing a two-year deal in 2022. Spotrac reports that the deal was worth $16 million for two years, with $9 million guaranteed at signing. Now at this point in his career, the 34-year-old is impacting the court and using his wisdom to help guide younger players. A report from The Athletic describes Young as a main staple for the team. “Big time vet. Been in the...

Jun 16, 2023

How Black Girl Ventures Founder Omi Bell Has Supported 450 Black And Brown Companies

Omi Bell is perseverance personified. During AfroTech Executive D.C., the Black Girl Ventures Founder and CEO recalled her journey to get to where she is today. Bell shared that her mother was her first investor. Believing in her daughter’s dreams, she gave Bell $10,000 from her retirement fund.

May 24, 2023

These Are The Most Profitable Shoe Deals In The NBA

The most profitable shoe deals in the NBA, in total, generate billions of dollars for the sneaker industry. And yet, the most profitable shoe deal on this list goes to a man who hasn’t stepped on the basketball court in more than two decades. “Wholesale revenue at Nike’s Jordan Brand subsidiary hit $3.14 billion in the fiscal year ending May 2019, up 10% from 2018,” reports Forbes, who compiled the initial list of the most profitable shoe deals in the NBA today. “ MJ’s annual take is an estimated $130 million, four times more than that of James, the No. 2 earner, with $32 million. Arguably, 16 years after he last laced up his own high tops on the court, more Jordan-branded shoes and apparel are being sold than the signature lines of every other current NBA player. Combined.” The business of sneakers is a profitable one and one that has made millions of dollars for basketball players that have been lucky enough to get into it. In fact, according to Forbes, the vast majority of NBA...

eBay Taps Offset To Help Curate Exclusive Store That Rewards Sneakerheads For Sporting Their Kicks

If you’re a sneakerhead, you might want to listen up for this one. According to a press release, one of the oldest and most successful e-commerce websites known on the Internet has just launched a flagship store in Los Angeles that rewards avid sneaker wearers for sporting their kicks. As one of the places to go when on the hunt for both new and pre-owned sneakers, eBay now wants to reward people who not only purchase shoes from their new store but for leaving out with them on their feet. For the forthcoming holiday, the Wear ‘Em Out store will become home to some of the most exclusive, top-notch sneakers available to sneaker lovers outside of eBay’s normal online platform. “Most people can identify with that feeling of getting a new pair of shoes that you love so much, you just HAVE to wear them out of the store,” said Garry Thaniel, GM of Sneakers at eBay. “The Wear ‘Em Out Store celebrates a love of sneakers while acknowledging that sneakerheads are often balancing what they wear...

May 23, 2022

Jeff Staple Reflects On The Evolution Of Marketing And Building An Empire That Spans Generations

A visionary is someone who continuously shows up and out for the culture — a person like Jeff Staple, who holds a direct ear to the streets. Staple pulled up to AfroTech World 2022 to chat with Blavity co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Jeff Nelson. During the conversation, he shed light on his passion for developing brands — whether they are rooted in streetwear, fashion, sneakers, or design and how it all intersects with technology. In 1997, he founded STAPLE, a pioneering streetwear brand that stems right out of New York. “It’s definitely a blessing what I’ve been able to transcend decades and generations,” said Staple, on the latest episode of Black Tech Green Money. “I see fathers and their kids both rocking STAPLE and both rocking other stuff that I’ve done so it’s really cool.” He continued: “Technology and how it plays a role in fashion started really early on for me. When we first started marketing, the idea of going viral or marking meant that you would make a...

Apr 27, 2022

Rares Opens Secondary Market Trading To Further Make The Sneaker Market More Inclusive For Investors

The inception of Rares, a fintech startup, came with the purpose of turning sneakerheads from once just collectors to investors. Having a love for kicks himself, former athlete Gerome Sapp took his insight of them being alternative assets and created a platform that gives back to the Black community by providing accessibility to the collectible sneaker space — leading them to build wealth off of being the pioneers of the culture — as previously reported by AfroTech. Now, the social investing platform is creating even more room for sneaker enthusiasts to lock down wins in the market. On April 5, Rares announced the addition of secondary market trading, according to a press release shared with AfroTech. “Secondary trading has always been part of the product roadmap for Rares,” Sapp told AfroTech. “We want to provide use rs an opportunity to trade shares after sneakers IPOs are sold out, increasing the liquidity of the asset. Every day, sneakers continue to appreciate in value year...

Apr 5, 2022

Salehe Bembury's Latest Collab Could Be Deemed A Success As $80 Crocs Go For $800 Online

Salehe Bembury seems to be coming for the “Designer of the Year” title once again, as he nearly broke the Internet with his latest collaboration. As previously reported by AfroTech, last year was a celebratory one for Versace’s Vice President of Sneakers & Men’s Footwear, since he was named the 2020 Designer of the Year by Footwear News for bringing the fashion brand to the forefront of the sneaker scene. Now, Salehe Bembury may just have had one of the most anticipated footwear releases of 2021. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Salehe Bembury (@salehebembury)

Dec 15, 2021