Showing 5 results for:
the-folklore
Popular topics
All results
Investor and “Shark Tank” judge Barbara Corcoran has high praise for Kevin Hart. Hart made an appearance as a guest judge on the show during its 13th season alongside Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner and others. The purpose of “Shark Tank” is to provide a platform for entrepreneurs across industries to pitch in front of powerhouse investors with hopes of securing their investment. Speaking of the importance of appearing on the show, Hart said, according to ABC Audio, “If I can reach back and give opportunities to others, to people of my community, to the younger generation that is coming up that should be our future leaders of tomorrow and our future groundbreakers of today and tomorrow, why not? I’m not in the business of just doing it for me. You know, I think that’s the role that we all play when we get to sit in these chairs, is the role of opportunity for not just ourselves but others.” Hart’s expertise in entertainment and business has made him an...
Kevin Hart is laughing all the way to the bank. The comedian, actor, and entrepreneur scaled his presence in Hollywood, launching multi-platform media company, HARTBEAT in 2022. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, its launch was supported by a $100 million raise from Abry Partners to support content creation, hiring new teams, and the expansion of existing brands and franchises. HARTBEAT went on to debut 23 projects in TV, film, digital and audio in 2023, Variety mentions. Additionally, it has secured strategic partnerships with NBCUniversal, SiriusXM, Sundance Institute, P&G, Walmart, Chase, Draft Kings and even Netflix, releasing “Lift” on the streaming platform on January 12, 2024. His collaborations have proven to be a wise business move for HARTBEAT. According to Boardroom, it is now valued at $650 million. Reflecting on the feat during an interview on “60 Minutes” Hart explained, “I’m no longer just a comedian. I’m an investment. I’m a student. I’m a partner looking for...
East Chop Capital has closed its funding and will deploy capital to Black investors. According to a press release provided to AFROTECH™, the private equity firm’s founders and HBCU graduates Calvin L. Butts Jr. and Carrington Carter have closed an $11 million fund, which draws equity investments from 93 limited partnerships, including Liberty Financial Services. This brings East Chop Capital’s total raise to $15 million. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, $4 million in 2021 had been raised to support its presence in the global vacation market, which is projected to reach $132.7 billion in 2033, as reported by Future Market Insight. East Chop Capital is poised to achieve a 25% return, taking into consideration the fees or expenses involved in overseeing the fund. With additional capital at its disposal, East Chop Capital is poised to amplify its efforts in the initial round, with plans already set in motion to invest in Florida and Texas. “Fund II is about scale and pattern...
In less than five years, The Folklore has set itself on a path of consistent evolution. Launched in 2018, founder Amira Rasool created her company as an e-commerce retailer to help African fashion designers gain more economic opportunities . Now, in addition to Africa and the diaspora, The Folklore is catering to more marginalized communities and pivoted to a B2B wholesale platform that’s expanded its services. Moreover, new and existing investors have joined in for its expansion. According to a press release shared with AFROTECH™, The Folklore has raised $3.4 million in a seed funding round, bringing its total amount raised to $6.2 million. As previously shared by AFROTECH™, in 2022, the company raised $1.7 million in a pre-seed funding round — making Rasool one of the youngest Black women to raise over $1 million in a pre-seed round for a fashion and lifestyle brand. The Folklore’s seed round was led by early-stage VC firm Benchstrength, the press release discloses. Fellow...
Black designers just want credit for their work, so they’re making sure the industry holds those who rip them off accountable. In regards to her forthcoming album, singer Taylor Swift received major backlash this week from Black-owned brand The Folklore — a website for up and coming designers from Africa — and founder Amira Rasool who accused Swift of ripping off the brand’s logo for her album’s merchandise, Business Insider reports . InStyle reports that after a friend of hers pointed out the brand’s logo on Swift’s merchandise, Rasool feared her plans to highlight “The Folklore” logo — for her upcoming in-house line — would be ruined as consumers may assume she’s copying off of the singer’s line. “Initially I was so shocked,” she told InStyle . “I’d heard of so many different Black women in particular who had been ripped off by large corporations by celebrities. And I just couldn’t believe that it was happening to me.” Rasool took to social media to call more attention to her...