Microsoft has appointed a new leader to take charge of the future of one of the top brands it owns.

In 1986, the Commodore 64 had become the bestselling single personal computer model of all time. More than 17 million were sold, including one to my parents. I remember the C64 and its place of prominence in the living room of our home in Cleveland, OH. It was there even when there wasn’t any furniture (And I was on it a lot). That Commodore 64 was my first real exposure to computing and it helped catalyze my interest in technology. A few years after college I dove into startup life, and from there I went on to build a career in cybersecurity, to become a CEO, and it all led me to my role today, which is to help Microsoft identify the partnerships and investments that will shape the future and tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges. Unfortunately, many people do not have access to technology, even in 2023. The Pew Research Center estimates that today in America, four out of ten low-income households are without computing devices of any kind. A 2022 National Urban League...

With millions of new businesses started by Black founders, it’s more important than ever to connect visionaries in our community with the resources to turn ideas into profitable opportunities. Microsoft has created a solution to empower more startup founders at any stage with tools for success. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a digital platform to connect startup founders with the resources, mentorship and tools to go from product ideation, to launch, to long-term expansion. Equipped with free Microsoft tools, platforms and resources, founders can design businesses and products that run more efficiently from the ground up. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is democratizing innovation to help create a startup world that reflects the world around us by being open to all. By offering resources and tools, Founders Hub is leveling the playing field by giving more Black founders the opportunity to be successful without needing personal connections to Silicon Valley. Here are our...

A moment of frustration and despair led Carah Lockett to LinkedIn, where she would write a viral post garnering half a million views from job recruiters and users who shared similar sentiments. Amidst the pandemic, many reconsidered their current job positions as transitional periods trickled into the workforce economy. The same went for Lockett, who would bravely quit her most recent Navy Federal Credit Union job in August 2021. “There was a lack of growth for me. I want to know that my efforts are working towards something — that there’s an end goal in mind,” she told AfroTech. “Unfortunately working in that branch, I was not able to move up in the way that I wanted to.” Lockett joins a cohort of millennials who have tapped into “The Great Resignation.” Approximately 63 percent of millennials are on the search for new employment opportunities, according to Bankrate’s August jobseeker survey. A push for higher pay is just one factor contributing to the growing quitting spree. The...

When it comes to the gaming industry, oftentimes Black women are completely left out of the conversation, but not Cierra McDonald. McDonald has worked within the Xbox organization for 13 years and has experience in everything from billing to achievements to documentations. For her, the love of gaming started at a young age when she was first introduced to the world of technology by purchasing a floppy disc of Monkey Island. From there, she learned to navigate DOS through the installation process and the rest is history! Now, as the Principal Program Manager for Xbox at Microsoft, McDonald is on a mission to shift the narrative of Black female characters in the gaming industry. “I think too often folks start with ‘male’ and ‘white’ as the default when envisioning game characters or stories, even if it’s not intentional or done explicitly,” said McDonald in an email interview with AfroTech. “So, that becomes the baseline. When they want to add a female character, she is likely created...

Be Nimble Foundation has received a $300,000 grant from Microsoft to launch an upskilling program for Black tech professionals, according to a press release. The foundation is an Indianapolis-based social enterprise helping to build inclusive tech ecosystems. Microsoft awarded Be Nimble Foundation the grant as part of its community skills program, a commitment it made to invest $15 million over three years into 50 nonprofits working to increase skill development and economic opportunities. The program has a focus on accelerating Black-led nonprofits providing digital skills and workforce development to Black communities, a press release states. “Last June, our CEO Satya Nadella committed Microsoft to put its data, technology, and partnerships to work to help improve the lives of Black and African American people across the country,” said Kate Behncken, VP and lead of Microsoft Philanthropies, in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with Be Nimble Foundation, led by and serving Black...

Microsoft and Warner Bros. are kicking off an all-star brand partnership with Xbox and NBA superstar LeBron James. The joint campaign is meant to celebrate gaming and coding education, as well as the anticipated release of James’ upcoming 2021 film, “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” In addition to Xbox and James, the campaign launch recruits the film’s characters like Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes Tune Squad to amplify coding education in the gaming world and create an original Xbox arcade-style video game that draws inspiration from the movie, a news release shares. The announcement also shares that Microsoft Stores are helping beginner coders jump-start their creativity by hosting free, one-of-a-kind “Space Jam: A New Legacy”-themed virtual workshops on video game creation. Students will be able to build a playable-prototype of a video game utilizing block-based coding on the MakeCode Arcade platform, while also learning more about the skills and STEAM careers involved in...

More and more companies are putting their heads together to find effective ways to fully support minority founders and entrepreneurs amid the widespread protests of systemic racism across all industries. Investment firm Siebert Williams Shank and software giant Microsoft have decided to partner to launch the Clear Vision Impact Fund L.L.C. for small businesses, with an initial $25 million seed investment from the latter, Forbes reports . “This is just the first step  to building a more  diverse and equitable  playing field and we look forward to the opportunities that this investment will help create,” Microsoft CIO Tahreem Kampton said in a press release announcing the fund’s launch. The newly-launched joint fund has a target size of $250 million total, according to Black Enterprise , and aims to invest both growth and operating capital in small and medium-sized businesses, with a focus on minority-owned businesses to emphasize social impact. “We are extremely pleased to have...