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ChurchSpace has secured $1.2 million in an oversubscribed funding round with a goal of better activating underutilized sacred spaces for contemporary community use, a press release states. The technology startup was founded in 2021 by pastors’ children Emmanuel Brown and Day Edwards, per the company’s website. The company, which is relocating its headquarters from Houston, TX, to Detroit, MI, repurposes underused real estate on church campuses — like fellowship halls and classrooms — to create passive income streams for churches and offer small businesses more affordable ways to connect with local consumers, according to the release. The funding round was led by Black Ops Ventures. Michigan Rise and Dug Song of Minor Capital also participated. “From Motown to ministry, Detroit’s always had soul. ChurchSpace is bringing fresh tech to sacred spaces—helping churches thrive, serve, and connect across communities. We’re proud to support their mission and welcome them to Detroit,” Song...
Angel Reese and Magic Johnson have more in common than just their love of basketball. Both Johnson and Reese have found success beyond the sport. In the business world, this has translated into significant achievements for the two: Johnson is now a billionaire , and Reese has established herself as a multi-millionaire student-athlete who successfully transitioned to the WNBA and now holds a multi-year partnership extension with Reebok. Furthermore, the pair share even more common ground: a vision for financially empowering communities. According to its website, the Magic Johnson Foundation’s mission includes providing economic empowerment in ethnically diverse urban communities, while the Angel Reese C. Foundation shares a similar mission, with a specific focus on girls. “The Angel Reese Foundation is dedicated to fostering equity for girls and underrepresented groups through innovative and impactful initiatives. Our main objective is to ensure equal opportunities for all girls in...
BMW and Louis Vuitton’s 2014 collaboration is reportedly considered the most sought-after brand collaboration ever. Through its research, women’s online retailer Public Desire determined the top 10 collaborations by analyzing various factors, including original price, resale value , price growth, accessibility, and public interest. According to information provided to AFROTECH™, the company then calculated a composite score for each collaboration, which was ranked in descending order based on its performance across these criteria. With a composite score of 98.0, the BMX x Louis Vuitton collaboration, which produced highly exclusive luxury luggage, had the highest growth in resale value. When BMW announced the collaboration, Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president of BMW Group Design, highlighted the use of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) in the company’s i8 sports car as an example of its “intelligent lightweight construction philosophy.” “BMW and Louis Vuitton share both...
A Memphis, TN, restaurant owes NBA star Ja Morant a significant sum of money. Commercial Appeal reports that the Memphis Grizzlies point guard became a brand ambassador for The Wing Guru chain of restaurants in 2022, announcing the partnership via X (formerly Twitter) on March 17, 2022. “Honored to be a Brand Ambassador for @TheWingGuru. I always choose the Guru when I get wings #TheWingGuru #BrandAmbassador #GuruGang,” he wrote on X. The agreement between both parties permitted the restaurant to use Morant’s image for advertising in exchange for a payment of $6,250 a month, adding up to about $75,000 per year. However, according to Commercial Appeal, Morant’s attorneys allege that he had not received any payments starting approximately four months after the contract signing, though the company continued to profit off his likeness in locations such as Nashville, TN; Houston, TX; and Dallas, TX. Morant’s attorneys had sent a letter by November 2022 and requested for “the company to...
Reebok is making a comeback in the world of basketball. On Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, Reebok and the WNBA announced a multi-year agreement designating the global sports culture brand as an authorized footwear supplier for the league. “The WNBA continues to grow with iconic brands, and we look forward to Reebok joining us in driving women’s basketball to new heights and inspiring the next generation,” WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said in a statement. “As we continue to capitalize on increased brand awareness, our work with Reebok is another step in bringing more fans to the game.” Reebok has been producing basketball shoes for women since the 1980s. Throughout the 1990s, the brand sponsored some of the best women’s collegiate basketball teams in the country and, in 1997, launched a signature shoe for WNBA player Rebecca Lobo. It’s no secret that Nike is the leading shoe brand among NBA and WNBA players, but other brands have a presence. As of October 2024, six active WNBA...
Equity-focused work may be a point of contention in today’s political environment, but it has not stopped the commitment of those dedicated to ensuring justice. Recently, Operation HOPE Inc. hosted its Hope Global Forums Annual Meeting. This convening brought together community stakeholders and influencers to discuss how to move into the future through economic, technological, and cultural advancements. During the meeting in Atlanta, GA, Hope Global Forum leader and CEO of Operation HOPE, John Hope Bryant, announced one of his goals to raise $100 million to fund the organization’s work of providing financial literacy and economic growth tools for individuals and small businesses. While providing his final remarks, Bryant confirmed that he is well on his way to receiving that fundraising amount through partners and corporations including Delta, Shopify, Truist, and Bishop T.D. Jakes. “Shopify, they’re ready for $60 million,” Bryant said. “Why did they do this? They are good people,...
Stephen Curry stands by his decision to choose Under Armour over Nike. In 2013, in what was arguably the fumble of that decade for Nike, the shoe brand conducted a pitch meeting with the Golden State Warriors point guard. He had been signed to the company since being drafted to the NBA in 2009, according to Basketball Network. Sports Illustrated notes Curry began setting up meetings with leading shoe companies, and the new Under Armour ultimately came out on top. Under Armour offered a $4 million annual contract that included the promise of a signature shoe and the chance for him to become a key figure for the brand. Nike’s offer was $2.5 million without the additional perks, and the meeting reportedly didn’t go so well. A representative was said to have mispronounced Curry’s first name, calling him “Steph-on” instead of “Steph-en,” and a slide presentation allegedly had Kevin Durant’s name on it and not Curry’s. With Curry choosing Under Armour, the deal kicked into gear in 2013....
Ray Allen turned down a lucrative offer as a rookie to sign with Nike. The California-born athlete was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1996 during the first round as the fifth pick, according to ESPN. He was traded that same day to the Milwaukee Bucks with a three-year rookie contract valued at $6.2 million, per Spotrac. Allen’s earnings helped him remain level-headed when he was receiving offers from FILA and Nike. He already had his mind set on Nike and was not even swayed by a six-figure offer from FILA, despite having a prior sponsorship deal with the company. “ I almost ended up wearing FILA. My agent at the time tried to make me accept a check for a $100,000 but they were telling me they were going to give me a signature shoe,” he told Sports Illustrated in a 2017 interview. “It was either FILA or Nike at the time, and (FILA) told me (I’d get) the signature shoe for five years years but the first two I had to lead the team in scoring, rebounding, steals or assists....
Sometimes, the perfect collaboration starts with genuine interest and collaboration. As founder and CEO of the award-winning ad agency Walton Isaacson, Aaron Walton’s career exemplifies the mastery of leveraging celebrity and influencer partnerships to elevate brands to new heights. Walton’s impressive portfolio spans iconic collaborations, from the Spice Girls’ November 1997 campaign with Polaroid to Michael Jackson’s enduring partnership with Pepsi. Most recently, he helmed Beyoncè’s partnership with Lexus during her “Renaissance World Tour.” Walton’s work on some of the most creative advertising campaigns has made him an expert in the field. He shared his keys to success with attendees during the AFROTECH™ 2024 Conference. “Something as a brand that is important, when you’re looking at connecting with a celebrity, you have to make sure that you do your homework and make sure your cultural values are aligned,” Walton told AFROTECH™ following his session “The Art of Brand...
For the first time, an undergraduate HBCU will be making its way to California. The Austin American-Statesman reports, Huston-Tillotson University has been approved to provide remote coursework to California students starting in January 2025. The Austin, TX-based Historically Black College and University (HBCU) also plans to open a physical campus by August 2025 — pending approval from several California agencies — in partnership with San Diego Unified School District and National College Resources Foundation. Huston-Tillotson University President Melva Wallace states that the school was approached by the foundation and the objective is to create more inclusive career pipelines. “If it’s working for the corporate and workforce, why don’t we take the lead on building the pipeline for workforce by training more California students to enter into the workforce here?” Wallace told the outlet. “Being the first undergraduate HBCU in California, it’s just an amazing thing.” Wallace also...
Snoop Dogg was advised by longtime friend Dr. Dre to turn down a multi-million-dollar deal. During a sit-down interview with Stephen A. Smith on his eponymous YouTube channel, the pair discussed their history and how they found success in both music and business. The Pair’s Success Dr. Dre is among the wealthiest figures in Hip Hop. Eleven years after co-founding the legendary Hip Hop group N.W.A, he attached himself to the venture Aftermath Records in 1998 and later sold his stake for $35 million to Interscope Records. The “million-dollar man” then nearly became a “billion-dollar man” as a co-founder of Beats Electronics, which was purchased by Apple in 2014 for $3 billion, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. As of 2024, his net worth reportedly sits at $500 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Speaking on the feat, Dr. Dre told Stephen A. Smith, “Let’s just say life is good and I’m very comfortable right now. It’s very comfortable.” As for Snoop Dogg, he has become one of the...
Levi’s is capitalizing on its feature on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter.” The clothing company recognized for its denim jeans was a listed track on her country album, which was released on March 29, 2024, by Parkwood Entertainment and Colombia Records and featured artists like Post Malone and Miley Cyrus. While the iron was hot, Levi’s took the opportunity to change its Instagram handle by inserting an additional I, aligned with the spelling of the song on the album, “Levii’s Jeans.” However, Kenny Mitchell, chief marketing officer at Levi Strauss & Co., believed the company could push the brand even further if they partnered with the Houston, TX-born artist. “Once that album came out, it was obviously a moment where we said, ‘Hey, maybe we can start to have some conversations about whether a deeper partnership makes sense,’” Mitchell told The New York Times. Having already planted a seed of familiarity with Beyoncé in the past, as she sported the jeans as a Destiny’s Child member and has...
A grocery store considering its community first has opened in Baltimore, MD. The Baltimore community will now be able to shop at the Pratt Free Market, which will operate as a full-service grocery store following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held by the city’s Enoch Pratt Free Library. The market is inside the library’s Southeast Anchor location in the Highlandtown neighborhood. M’Balu “Lu” Bangura, chief of equity and fair practices at the Enoch Pratt Library, shared on Instagram that no income verification or ID will be required at the grocery store, and all items will be available for free to those living in a state where one-third of the population experiences food insecurity. Per WBAL-11 TV, customers will be able to stock one library-supplied bag each day. “Just come as you are and fill a bag with groceries at NO COST,” Bangura wrote on Instagram. “This market is for the City. All are welcome…I dreamt of this almost 2 years ago, I’m so proud to cut the ribbon on the first 100%...
The founders of Eastside Golf continue to build on their momentum in the golf apparel space while staying true to their roots. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Morehouse College graduates Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper founded the brand without a fashion background in 2019 after working full-time in corporate America. The company boasts products such as polo shirts, sweatshirts, pants, shoes, and accessories including bags, all tailored towards men and women. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eastside Golf (@eastsidegolf) Beyond the product offerings, the founders have continued to pave their own way through their mission that centers moving the sport forward among the youth and non-golfers while increasing diversity in a predominantly white sport. Their vision has led to an increase in support as they scaled their annual revenue from $100,000 in their first year to $4 million in 2023. They kicked off 2024 with a $3.4 million raise led by EP Golf Ventures, and the...
Kordell Beckham spoke his dream partnership into existence. Beckham, a Houston, TX, native and brother of NFL player Odell Beckham Jr., was among the Season Six cast of “Love Island USA” and ultimately won the coveted $100,000 cash prize with fellow contestant and love interest, Serena Page, US Weekly reports, with the two still a couple today, according to Forbes. Beckham plans to invest his portion of his “Love Island USA” earnings, per Access Hollywood. Beckham’s knack for business was highlighted during the season in a chat with Page, with whom he explained his career as a model and an aircraft fueler. Blavity reported he has even worked for Odell Beckham Brands, which offers men’s grooming products. Beckham also mentioned that he would like to be a homeowner in the future and is interested in securing a sponsorship with snack brand Cheez-It. “I can’t get enough of Cheez-It,” he told Page. Upon exiting the villa, Beckham and Page conducted a series of interviews, including one...