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Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne is gaining traction in the investment world for her medical device known as the “Band-Aid for nosebleeds.” As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Dr. Clayborne is the founder of NasaClip, which was inspired by her time in residency in Washington, DC. Various patients were coming into the emergency room for an issue professionals in the medical field described as a “lower acuity issue.” “Nosebleeds are most common in kids age 2 to 10, older adults 55 to 80, who might be on blood thinners, it’s really the least likely population to manage it well. So when they can’t get that bleeding to stop, they show up to me in the ER, and they want me to treat them right away. They’re bleeding all over the waiting room demanding to be seen. But for us as ER docs, this is a lower acuity issue, but it happens to be really kind of time-consuming and cumbersome to deal with,” she said over a Zoom webinar held on Oct. 31, 2024. She continued, “I was frustrated as a resident. Often...
“Stay smooth, don’t be ashy” is the slogan behind Abena Boamah-Acheampong’s Hanahana Beauty. The Ghanaian-American founder and chief executive officer launched the skincare and wellness brand in 2017 to provide consumers with clean products to include in their skincare routines. According to Hanahana Beauty’s website, the shea butter in its products is sourced directly from the Katariga women, who are producers based in Tamale, Ghana. Seven years officially into the beauty industry, Boamah-Acheampong’s mission statement to “increase accessibility, transparency, and sustainability” in their products has continued to spark people’s interest in backing her brand. During an interview with Forbes’ “New Money” podcast, she shared how she built Hanahana into a multi-million dollar company with over $2 million in sales. A pivotal part of the Hanahana Beauty journey was when the company received its first check in 2022 from a Black woman investor , per the outlet. From there,...
If we’ve learned anything over the last year, it’s that technology has the power to transform, influence and shape entire industries with the latest tools and resources. While the pandemic completely turned the music industry on its back, technology became its saving grace to show us all our future possibilities. From virtual concerts to emerging platforms, the music industry was under pressure to still deliver entertainment, and innovative tech made sure that happened. Some of the best things birthed out of the pandemic stemmed from tech startups, apps and social media — including things like Verzuz and hybrid awards shows . And what’s better, Black leaders and changemakers were at the center of it all. To close out Black Music Month, we’re highlighting some revolutionary Black-owned companies that are shifting the way the industry will operate in years to come. Check out some of the hottest tech innovations that the music industry is betting on to shape its future. Music Breakr...
If you love streaming platforms, allow us to introduce you to Chris Witherspoon — the founder behind what is about to become your new favorite app, PopViewers. A veteran in the TV and film space, Witherspoon knows a thing or two about attending screenings and premieres, but he says one thing has been missing in the industry. “I recognize that oftentimes, the problem of critics is that they don’t adequately reflect the viewership and the people that are actually paying to go see the movies,” said Witherspoon in an interview with AfroTech. He explains that while people are paying to subscribe to a service, it doesn’t always reflect the audience and how they consume content. “Sometimes it aligns, but more often times than not, it doesn’t,” he continued. “And more recently I recognize the opportunity that I have now to amplify the voices of viewers and marginalized communities of Black and brown people that I think show up and engage around entertainment in a way that Hollywood really...
These entrepreneurs are reaping all the benefits from having turned down an offer during an appearance on “Shark Tank.” Kim and Tim Lewis are the founders of CurlMix, a haircare line geared toward all textures of our tresses! AfroTech previously reported that while on “Shark Tank” the couple turned down a $400,000 offer. Now they’re slated to make history in the equity crowdfunding space having already raised over $3.6 million within 30 days of launching their campaign, per Black Enterprise. To date over 6,000 investors have tapped into their campaign powered by Wefunder. “Anytime you have a community backing you and they are hype about [your brand], what you are doing will be successful,” said Tim during an interview with Black Enterprise. “I don’t have rich people [involved] who put in half a million dollars. About 90% of our investors have contributed less than $1,000 so it really is the people that are driving this campaign.” In just four hours of launching the campaign, the...
Black-owned parent company Listener Brands — which is home to award-winning textured hair care brands CurlMix and 4C ONLY — has just announced the launch of its new equity crowdfunding campaign for CurlMix to aid consumers in unlocking their chance to achieve generational wealth. The brand shares that the campaign aims to empower consumers to invest in the brands they already shop with and also contribute to Listener Brands’ future growth as they make noise in the beauty and wellness spaces. “Many of us spend years supporting companies with our hard-earned dollars, but we see nothing for it when the brand eventually sells, transferring the wealth outside of our community,” Listener Brands CEO and Co-Founder, Kim Lewis, shares in a press statement. “Our goal is to create opportunities for our community to increase their wealth. Our vision is to change the narrative on what ownership looks like. We aim to become the first Black-owned publicly traded beauty conglomerate.” As told to...
There’s a new platform on the market that’s putting the value power back in creative freelancers’ hands. Entrepreneur Leah Hill — f ounder of Kindred Media & Entertainment — has announced the launch of a new app dedicated to connecting creatives with job opportunities and transforming them into investors. Kinfolk App is a first-of-its-kind platform that’s offering these creatives a unique opportunity to both invest and generate funds. By eliminating the pressure of networking between creatives and project leads, Kinfolk App is creating a two-sided solution to help simplify the marketplace. “Creating an app like Kinfolk was sparked out of personal necessity. There have been numerous times it seemed impossible to fill a role for a team I was working on. In fact, finding a mobile app developer to work with on Kinfolk proved to be a much harder task than I anticipated,” Hill shared. “Also, whenever I went on social media I was seeing posts searching for creatives with certain skill...
This Black-owned wine shop is making its way to Oakland’s Black Arts Movement District. CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar was co-founded by Bay area natives Mari Kemp and Alicia Kidd and will open during the first quarter of 2021 with a focus on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) along with women-owned brands made around the country. They will also work globally to pair them with a curated menu of small bites, reports EURweb . “We founded CoCo Noir to be a disruptor in the wine industry by offering a platform and a space for winemakers of color and women producing amazing wines and also expose those wines to an amazing demographic of people,” said Kidd, wine distributor and founder of The Wine Noire. Both of these women entrepreneurs aim to influence the wine culture that has continuously risen in Oakland’s nationally recognized culinary scene. Located at 13 th and Webster, Kemp and Kidd want CoCo Noir to be a place where all wine lovers (no matter the level) can not only...