Certain innovations shaping the world today owe their existence to the ingenuity of Black inventors. Among these notable figures stands the luminary Garrett Morgan, whose groundbreaking invention of the three-light traffic signal revolutionized urban transportation safety. Marie Van Brittan Brown’s pioneering work was developing one of the earliest home security systems. Additionally, Alexander Miles’ creation of automatic elevator doors is proof of the profound impact of Black inventors, alongside countless others who have left their mark on various fields. Sometimes the work of these heroes goes unnoticed in society. Black History Month serves as an annual reminder to amplify the voices of these changemakers, a mission that has become paramount for Kobie Fuller, a general partner at Upfront Ventures since 2016. Work In Venture Capital His work in amplifying Black voices has been a constant across his more-than-20-year career in venture capital, which began one year after he...

Authenticity and research fuel successful brand partnerships — and Aaron Walton recognized this long before it became the norm. At AFROTECH™ 2024 , Walton, CEO and founder of award-winning ad agency Walton Isaacson, joined Shardé Marchewski, Wayfair ‘s Head of Supplier Diversity , for a conversation on how aligning values and culture with the right celebrity can elevate storytelling and impact consumers. The session offered creatives a behind-the-scenes look at major brand collaborations and practical strategies for securing and executing high-impact campaigns. Walton’s brand story began after graduating from Babson College in 1983. With a passion for advertising , he joined the Pepsi-Cola Company as a research analyst, learning how to tell stories with data before being promoted into brand marketing , marking the start of a game-changing career. “The truth is everything that we do now, whether it is an event or some type of communication, starts with looking at what the business...

President Trump is back on his trade war wave — and this time, it’s rolling straight through the auto industry. With a fresh round of 25% tariffs on cars and auto parts set to take effect on April 3, people from the auto industry, from C-suites to dealership floors, are bracing for the impact. The administration says it’s about protecting national security and strengthening the U.S. manufacturing base. But if you’re thinking about buying a car this year, or if your job has anything to do with auto production, here’s the truth: You may be paying more, waiting longer, and dealing with fewer options. And that’s just the beginning. Why The White House Is Saying This Is Necessary According to an official statement from the White House, these tariffs on cars are aimed at keeping America safe. The administration is emphasizing that too many imports are “undermining” the “domestic industrial base” and weakening the U.S. supply chain. The idea is to hit foreign-made cars and parts with a 25%...

Swizz Beatz is one of the most influential producers and entrepreneurs in the music industry, known for crafting chart-topping hits while expanding his business empire beyond music. His career spans decades, from producing for top artists like Jay-Z and DMX to co-owning major brands and making strategic investments in art and real estate. With multiple revenue streams, Swizz Beatz has built substantial wealth, but how much is he actually worth today? Let’s explore his music career, business ventures, and financial success before revealing Swizz Beatz’s net worth in 2025. Swizz Beatz’s Rise in the Music Industry Born Kasseem Dean in The Bronx, Swizz Beatz entered the music industry as a teenager in the late 1990s. His uncles founded Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and through their connections, he started producing tracks for DMX, Eve, and The LOX. His breakout came with DMX’s 1998 hit “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” which became a defining moment in hip-hop. As a producer, Swizz Beatz developed a...

Nearly 630,000 Fortnite players were reportedly “tricked” into making purchases through the game and will receive a refund. According to a press release, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reportedly accused Fortnite developer Epic Games of leading gamers to make “unwanted purchases” by carrying out tactics through its game button configuration. “For example, players could be charged while attempting to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing an adjacent button while attempting simply to preview an item,” the press release from the FTC read. It had also been brought to light that Epic Games had allowed minors to accumulate charges without parental approval and blocked gamers who filed disputes of unauthorized charges, preventing them from obtaining items they had purchased. For these reasons, the company received an order from the FTC to refund players in December 2022 who had been subjected to these “unlawful billing practices.” The...

Khaby Lame is letting the numbers do the talking. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Lame, now one of the most-followed creators , was once a factory worker in Chivasso, Italy. “I was really poor,” he said on a panel during Forbes Creator Upfronts in partnership with Walmart Creator on Oct. 29, 2024. Lame was later fired from his job, returned to live with his family, and decided to not look back. Instead, he chose to bank on what was once merely a hobby — TikTok — during the onset of COVID-19. “When I started making videos, people told me to get a proper job,” he mentioned to Forbes in 2023. “But I continued to make videos because that’s what I like doing, even though no one was watching them.” It would ultimately become a money machine because he stood out for reacting to memes and viral videos without saying a word. “It’s my face and my expressions which make people laugh,” he told The New York Times in 2021. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khabane Lame (@khaby00)...

As we step into 2025, high-end property investments continue to be a lucrative avenue for investors seeking to diversify their portfolios and secure stable, long-term returns. The luxury real estate market is known for its resilience, even in the face of economic volatility. Here’s a guide to help you navigate high-end property investments in 2024, focusing on trends, strategies, and key considerations. High-End Property Investment Trends In 2024 Sustainable Luxury In 2024, sustainability is a top priority in luxury real estate. High-end properties that incorporate eco-friendly features, such as solar panels, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable building materials, are in high demand. These properties appeal to environmentally conscious buyers and are often located in eco-friendly communities. Smart Home Technology The integration of advanced technology into homes continues to grow. In fact, there’s been a 25% increase in smart home integrations in 2024, which sheds light on...

Women-led hair startup Parfait continues to champion Black women. As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, Parfait is reportedly the first to integrate facial recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide buyers with customizable wig products. It previously raised $5 million in April 2022, backed by a funding round led by Upfront Ventures and Serena Ventures. “It’s widely understood that facial recognition systems perform less well for women and people of color,” said Parfait Co-Founder Isoken Igbinedion, a former Target and Amazon executive . “Training models used in facial recognition technology are largely unbalanced, often relying on training datasets that are similar in makeup, and do not represent the visual composition of faces worldwide. This often results in poor performance for users who do not fit into that dataset, often represented by white faces and male features.” She continued, “Parfait seeks to be the first to make major progress in improving product and service...