The AFROTECH™ Conference is more than just a place where tech experts and enthusiasts gather. It is also a destination where creativity is fostered and new ideas are birthed.
The budding social media platform SPILL emerged directly from AFROTECH™ Conference 2022. When the company’s co-founder, Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell, was laid off during Elon Musk’s acquisition of the app formerly known as Twitter, he conceived the idea for a new platform alongside his former co-worker and friend, DeVaris Brown, during the technology event’s return to in-person programming in Austin, Texas, that same year.
“We’re not strangers to AFROTECH™,” said Spill’s Global Vice President of Community & Partnerships, Kenya Parham, ahead of the Creator Unplugged discussions hosted by Speedy Morman to kick off Microsoft’s House of Black TechXcellence during this year’s conference. “Last year, we launched Tea Parties and consistently returned and done product releases at AFROTECH. In fact, I’m talking to you now, just a few minutes after we launched our Groups beta.”
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Blavity CEO and AFROTECH™ founder, Morgan DeBaun, echoed the sentiment that the platform she’s built is designed to help people like the team at SPILL make their tech dreams a reality.
“That’s actually the rules, right? When people use AFROTECH™ as a platform, because we have a huge media brand, and we’re the largest media brand for Black entrepreneurship and professionals, we should be launching here,” said DeBaun. “When I see people give exclusives to other platforms, I’m like, what’s going on? We don’t treat you right? It’s essential to me that we support all of these launches because if we can support our products, that’s the ultimate thing.”
She added, “The Black buying power is going to be over a trillion dollars very soon, if not already. So, how do we equip our community to know? How do we ensure that’s our responsibility as the press and as a platform? We also have to have people willing to make that launch. You saw Colin Kaepernick talking about Lumi AI yesterday. So, anyone with a product or innovation wants to get a massive scale, this is a great place to launch.”
While thousands gathered to discuss the top tech trends and conduct on-the-spot job interviews with companies like Amazon, American Express, Riot Games, and more, SPILL’s Kenya Parham says that the team understands the need for togetherness more than ever right now. That is why they were intentional about not only attending this year’s conference, but also using the momentum to bring awareness to the app.
“Our communities are in great need of community right now, and it’s not just for a sense of belonging, but survival,” she continued. “This is very real. The stakes are genuine for us right now. We launched Groups so that we could have more opportunities for identity-based connection and interest rate-based connection at a time when folks are still recovering from social isolationism from the pandemic. The Surgeon General has released a report about how that is a serious issue affecting our communities, and we know something that affects larger communities as well, exponentially impacting ours across the board. So, we’re trying to solve social isolationism by ensuring we have more opportunities and identity on SPILL.”
SPILL has gained recognition as a conversation-driven community platform, celebrated for its inclusive and culturally relevant approach. Designed to prioritize diversity, it features a culturally conscious design that highlights and uplifts Black and queer communities — groups often underrepresented in traditional social media spaces.
Additionally, powered by artificial intelligence, SPILL uses advanced tools to tag content in real time, thus helping app users discover topics and trends faster. Moreover, the platform highlights significant moments for the communities it serves, helping bridge online engagement with culturally relevant current events.
During their time at the AFROTECH™ Conference 2024, Parham notes that SPILL saw the highest single week of growth since the platform’s launch in July 2023 and a four time increase in returning users.
“Our mission at SPILL is to create a safer, more rewarding, and more enjoyable experience for the communities that drive online culture,” Parham concluded. “According to Bloomberg, Since Nov 6th, the rise in hate speech and targeted harassment on legacy platforms has “soared.” Now more than ever, people are looking for community. We are experiencing a migration to spill right now that directly corresponds to world events.”
Looking to attend AFROTECH™ Conference 2025? Secure your early bird tickets now — Oct. 27 – 31, 2025, in Houston, TX.
