LOS ANGELES, Nov. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blavity Inc.the company behind AfroTech, 21Ninety, Travel Noire, Shadow and Act and Blavity News, today revealed the lineup for the AfroTech Conference – a global gathering of inclusive technology companies and innovators. This year’s event expands to Austin, bringing together more than 300 brands and thousands of black professionalsmany of which shape Equity Initiatives and DEI at America’s Largest Companies including Amazon, vmware, Google, American Express, Selling power, Apple, Difference, dream city,Intuitive and Shopify and more. AfroTech Conference returns in person, November 13-17, 2022, at the Austin Convention Center.
The AfroTech conference will also host key innovators and entrepreneurs from the technology, entertainment and business sectors. This year, the AfroTech conference will also feature its inaugural music experience, with special musical performances by down, bias, MELA, DJ MOMA, Chef Cleopatra, Zaytoven, The Trio of Sauces, and more, including a performance of Wales to Official AfroTech Party.
Highlights include:
- NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace will speak in partnership with DoorDash discuss strategies to thrive while being the First, being the Only, and being Different in your industry, company or board.
- Rapper and businessman Chamillionaire will take the stage with Silicon Valley Bank to share his journey from rap star to successful founder and investor. He will discuss his entrepreneurial ventures, investment philosophy, and how he works to make the tech ecosystem more inclusive and accessible to the Black community.
- Marc CubanGovernor of the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team National Basketball Associationco-founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, Haywood L. Perry III and Ansley Carlisle of Mark Cuban Companies will share information about their journeys to entrepreneurship and how they support founders and emerging investors today.
- Creative director, activist and fashion designer Aurora James will be joined on stage by the CEO and founder of Blavity Morgan DeBaun to discuss how to hold companies accountable.
Web3 companies and startups will have the opportunity to pitch their company and product(s) to be voted on in the final, where they will compete to win a grand prize of $50,000 at the AlphaNoire™ Web3 pitch contest final. disney will host a screening of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will begin with a fireside chat with the star of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Dominique Thorne (Riri Williams).
“We continue to tackle the diversity divide in Big Tech and AfroTech Conference serves as a destination for those fueling more inclusivity in the industry. As we return in person, our mission remains the same: to further build the Black Silicon Valley helping fast-growing companies effectively hire Black professionals and close the wealth gap,” said Morgan DeBaun, CEO and Founder of Blavity Inc. “We are excited to announce our largest lineup of speakers and diverse brand partners who seek to engage in meaningful discussions about technological disruption and black innovation. I am excited about the insights, funding, and career advancement that will come from this experience and look forward to enhance the celebration with our first-ever music festival from Afro-Latin and Black artists.
More than 100 speakers will attend this year’s AfroTech conference, which will cover hot topics such as: Securing the Bag: Navigating Technology from Cradle to Career; Climbing to the top of the technological ladder for engineers and managers; Web3, Crypto and the Dark Economy: Unlocking Inclusive Access with a New Wave of Commerce; Inclusive product design: what it is and why it matters, and more.
The programming news follows the conference’s recently announced move to Austin, TX to accommodate the thousands of attendees expected to experience the AfroTech conference in person for the first time in two years.
The AfroTech 2022 conference will see the activation of new and existing partners this year, including VISA, Riot Games, Meta, In effect, Selling power, Technology Unit, Intuitive, Expedia Group, Apple, Dell, DoorDash, American Express, Difference, Amazon, and more.
The full agenda for the AfroTech 2022 conference is now online HERE – The program will include panels and Q&A with speakers such as:
- Marc CubanGovernor of the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team National Basketball Associationco-founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank
- Bubba Wallace, driver – NASCAR with DoorDash
- Anré Williams, Chief Executive Officer of American Express National Bank and President of Business Services Group – American Express
- Cristina Jones, Engagement Office Manager – Salesforce.org
- Krista Bourne, COO – Verizon Consumer Group
- Arlan Hamilton, Founder and Managing Partner – Backstage Capital
- Benjamin Bronfman, Founder and CEO – Electric Tree
- Nikki Forman, Amazon DEI Global Communications Manager – Amazon
- Rob Collier, General Manager – Rally
- Aurora James, Founder and Director – Fifteen Percent Pledge, Brother Vellies
- Ruben Harris, President and CEO – Career Karma Inc.
- Chelsea Roberts, Chief Operating Officer – HBCU Venture Capital
- Daquan Oliver, Founder and CEO – WeThrive Education
- Samir Goel, co-founder and co-CEO – Esusu
- Felecia Hatcher, CEO – Black Ambition
- Frederick Hutson, President and CEO – Pigeonly
- Hope Wiseman, Founder and CEO – WISECO
- Iman Abuzeid, MD, Co-Founder and CEO – Incredible Health
- Isaac Addae, Ph.D., Chief Strategy Officer – Pivot Technology School
- Julia Collins, Founder and CEO – Planet FWD
- Melissa Bradley, Founder – 1863 Ventures
- Travis Holoway, Co-Founder and CEO – Solo Funds
- Telva McGruder, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – General Motors
- Tanya Van Court, Founder and CEO – Goalsetter
- Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Founder and CEO – Goodr
To purchase your tickets for the AfroTech 2022 conference, please visit https://experience.afrotech.com/tickets/and to stay up to date with speaker announcements and entertainment, follow @afro.tech on Twitter.
ABOUT BLAVITY INC.
Blavity Inc. is a technology and news media company founded in 2014 around a simple idea: to empower black millennials to tell their own stories. Today, we’re home to the largest network of lifestyle platforms and brands serving Black Millennials and Gen Z through original content, videos and unique experiences. The company has become a leader in the black media market, reaching over 250 million millennials per month through our growing portfolio of brands, including Blavity News, 21Ninety, AfroTech, Travel Noire, Shadow & Act and Blavity TV.
Journalists interested in covering the event can request credentials here. Please note that an application does not guarantee entry.
Contact information:
Metro public relations
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Elisabeth Schmidt
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
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