Thank you to the organizations consistently highlighting and celebrating the achievements of Black people in the tech and venture capital industries, including Black Enterprise, Afrotech, POCIT, Blavity, BLCK VC, The Plug and many more. It’s important to recognize and amplify the voices and contributions of Black individuals in these fields, and these organizations play a crucial role in doing so.
Black people have a long history of innovation and leadership in the tech industry. BAM's Black Titans in Tech list is an annual celebration of the achievements and contributions of some of these individuals. Over the past four years, our list has featured over 250 Black leaders. This list is not only a way to recognize well-known figures, it's a resource for discovering emerging Black leaders in tech and venture.
White founders have historically dominated the tech industry, receiving 77% of VC dollars. The metrics are worse for women and even dryer for Black founders, who receive less than 1% of VC dollars. This lack of diversity and representation is not limited to funding. Only 6 CEOs on the Fortune 500 list are Black. This lack of representation and opportunity affects not only Black individuals but many other marginalized groups and people of color, who often face an "invisible ceiling" in their careers. It’s important to acknowledge and take action to address these systemic issues and create a more inclusive and equitable industry.
One important step in addressing the lack of representation and opportunity for Black individuals in the tech industry is first to identify and understand the root causes of the problem. This can involve examining the systemic barriers and biases that have contributed to the underrepresentation of Black people in leadership positions. One solution to this issue is to challenge and eliminate the narrative that Black startups and employees are not present or capable within the tech industry. This can be done through initiatives like creating lists of successful Black leaders in tech, which showcase the talent and potential of Black individuals and help to redefine the broken narratives that have perpetuated a lack of representation. By highlighting the ideas, business minds, and culture of Black people in tech, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse industry.
Don't see your favorite Black Tech Titans? Explore last year's list: 101 Black Tech Titans 2022.
Please enjoy the BAM Black History Month Playlist as you scroll through the list.
Crystal Adesanya is the founder of Kiira Health, a women’s healthcare provider for college and university students. In 2021, Crystal was honored as a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, and in 2020, Entrepreneur Magazine recognized her as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in business. She has also been featured in publications like TechCrunch, Med City News, and Forbes.
2. Toyin Ajayi
Toyin Ajayi is the co-founder of Cityblock, a tech-driven healthcare provider for communities with complex needs. The company has raised almost $900 million in funding with a $5.2 billion valuation.
3. Janice Omadeke
Janice Omadeke is the founder of "The Mentor Method," an HR startup. In April 2022, the company closed a $1.4 million seed round.
4. Henri Pierre-Jacques
Henri Pierre-Jacques is the managing partner at Harlem Capital. In 2021 the company raise a $134 million Fund Two. He has received recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30, Inc. 30 Under 30, EBONY Power 100, Root 100, Crain's New York Rising Star, and Business Insider Rising Star. Additionally, he has been highlighted in WSJ, Black Enterprise, and PitchBook.
5. Erik Moore
Erik Moore is the founder and managing director of Base Ventures, investing in seed-stage tech innovators to support the next big thinker.
6. Arian Simone
Arian Simone is the co-founder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, the first venture capital fund built by women of color to support women of color.
7. Larry Baker
Larry Baker is an investor at Madison Dearborn Partner, a leading private equity investment firm based in Chicago.
8. Tiffanie Stanard
Tiffanie Stanard is the founder and CEO of Stimulus, a relationship intelligence SaaS platform using data and analytics to aid companies in enhancing purchasing decisions, regardless of their size or industry. She has been designated as a U.S. representative for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.
9. SaLisa Berrien
SaLisa Berrien is the founder and CEO of COI Energy a digital energy management company on a mission to repurpose energy waste in buildings for good. She has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry.
10. DeShuna Elisa Spencer
DeShuna Spencer is the founder and CEO of kweliTV, a global streaming service that curates the largest library of independent Black films & documentaries from across the globe.
11. Miles Dotson
Miles Dotson is the founder and director of Sanctuary for Sustainable Artistry, a 501(c3) organization empowering food and artist sustainability through unique solutions and programs.
12. Christina Whatley
Christina Whatley is a member of the Growth Equity strategy at Generation Investment Management, a financial services and investment management firm.
13. Yasmin Cruz Ferrine
Yasmin Cruz Ferrine is a general partner at Visible Hands, the most trusted platform for early-stage, overlooked founders.
14. Jillian Williams
Jillian Williams is a partner at CowboyVentures, investing in fintech startups at the earliest stages.
15. Detavio Samuels
Detavio Samuels is the CEO of Revolt, the world’s largest Black storytelling engine on the planet.
16. Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart is the founder and CEO of Hartbeat Ventures, an early-stage VC firm with a focus on lifestyle, media and technology.
17. Kelauni Jasmyn
Kelauni Jasmyn is the founder & CEO of Black Tech Nation and one of the founding partners of Black Tech Nation Ventures.
18. Nasir C. Qadree
Nasir C. Qadree is the founder and managing partner at Zeal Capital Partners, a new investment franchise partnering with exceptional diverse management teams across Financial Technology and Future of Work categories.
19. Dacod Magagula
Dacod Magagula is the South African co-founder of Foondamate, which assists students with their revision by providing quick answers to their questions using AI. They recently secured $2 million in seed funding through a round led by LocalGlobe.
20. Jon Carter
21. Linda Oramasionwu-Leverette
22. Rodney Sampson
Rodney Sampson serves as vice chairman & CEO at Piksel Technology Corporation. He is a general partner at 100 Black Angels & Allies Fund, as well as a venture partner at Draper Goren Holm and a managing partner at the Legacy Opportunity Fund.
23. Kalina Bryant
Kalina Bryant is the founder of UnapologeTECH and the head of impact community engagment and partnerships at Asana. She was listed on Forbes' 2022 30 Under 30 for Enterprise Technology for her innovations generating millions in revenue and advancing diversity for people of color in tech.
24. Jess Adepoju
Jess Adepoju is the lead producer at Bad Robot Games. They were named to Forbes' 2022 30 Under 30 for Games.
25. Folasade Ayoola
Folasade Ayoola is the co-founder of ElectricFish, a climate tech company developing and deploying Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) stations using microgrid scale energy storage. She was listed on Forbes' 2022 30 Under 30 for Energy.
26. Jermaine Murray
Jermaine (Jupiter) Murray is the founder of JupiterHR, a consulting firm where he provides interview and career consulting services.
27. Markea Dickinson
Markea Dickinson and her mother Debbie Dickinson are the founders of Thermaband, a platform that uses technology to destigmatize menopause and empowers women to control their thermal health through a smart wearable thermostat.
28. Sean Mitchell
Sean Mitchell is the co-founder and CEO of REZI, which makes leasing your next home or apartment simple, accessible, and free. In November 2022, REZI raised $100M in debt financing.
29. Lo Toney
Lo Toney is the founding managing partner at Plexo Capital, an institutional investment firm he incubated and spun out from Google Ventures.
30. Nicole Cardoza
Nicole Cardoza is the founder of Anti-racism Daily (ARD) and Reclamation Ventures, an impact investing fund that elevates underestimated entrepreneurs closing the wellness gap through early-stage investments, content, and community.
31. Aaron Holiday
Aaron Holiday is the co-founder and managing partner at 645 Ventures, an early-stage investment firm with over $550M AUM.
32. Paul Judge
Paul Judge is the managing partner Panoramic Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Atlanta that takes a “wider-view” approach to investing by targeting the southeast and Midwest and placing a focus on diverse founders and university startups.
33. Kanyi Maqubela
Kanyi Maqubela is the managing partner at Kindred Ventures, an early-stage investment fund established in 2014.
34. Brian Dixon
Brian Dixon is the managing partner at Kapor Capital, a seed stage venture capital firm in Oakland, CA that has invested in over 130 tech startups.
35. Ollen Douglass
Ollen Douglass is the managing partner at Motley Fool Ventures, an early stage, technology-focused venture capital fund powered by The Motley Fools' brand
36. Mercedes Bent
Mercedes Bent is a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where she focuses on consumer early stage investing
37. Adeyemi Ajao
Adeyemi Ajao is the managing partner at Base10, an early stage venture capital firm partnering with entrepreneurs who are bringing automation to traditional sectors of the economy. He is also the co-founder of Identified (Acquired by Workday) and Tuenti (Acquired by Telefonica) as well as the founding investor and founding team at Cabify & Jobandtalent.
38. Abir Liben
Abir Liben is the principal at Primary Venture Partners, a premier early stage venture firm working alongside founders to build unicorns
39. Baratunde Cola
Baratunde Cola is the founder and CEO of Carbice Corporation, a maker of Carbice Carbon, a product that lowers device temperatures and dissipates heat away from product packaging.
40. Jen Nwankwo
Jen Nwankwo is the founder and CEO of 1910 Genetics, a biotechnology company integrating AI, computation and biological automation to accelerate the design of small molecule and protein therapeutics
41. Garrett Price
Garrett Price is the founder and CEO of Towne, a real-time, location-based shopping platform that makes it more convenient for customers to find, buy and get products from local merchants.
42. Shavone Charles
43. Adadesi Osunsade
Abadesi Osunsade is the founder of Hustle Crew, a career advancement community on a mission to make tech more inclusive through talks, training and mentorship. She is also the author of "Dream Big. Hustle Hard" and co-host of Techish podcast.
44. Sherrell Dorsey
Sherrell Dorsey is an American data journalist, strategist, and entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of The Plug—a subscription news and insights platform serving as the business intelligence source for Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and ecosystem leaders across the country. Featured in the Washington Post, The Information, Fortune Magazine, and more, the venture-backed company serves thousands of subscribers.
45. Sumorwuo Zaza
Sumorwuo Zaza is the founder and of NICKLpass, a platform that gets you through paywalls. In December 2022, NICKLpass was named to Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech. Previously, Sumorwuo Zaza worked for the Huffington Post.
46. Will Lucas
Will Lucas is a serial entrepreneur and content creator. Will is the founder and CEO of Creadio, a marketing and production agency. He also serves as Brand Manager for AfroTech and Black Tech Green Money, where he leads brand strategy. In 2023, Will's podcast, Black Tech, Green Money, was nominated for an NAACP Award.
47. Lisa Dyson
Lisa Dyson is the founder & CEO of Air Protein, a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer company that is reinventing how food is produced in order to sustainably feed 10 billion people by 2050.
48. Felix Ejeckam
Felix Ejeckam is co-founder and CEO of Akash Systems, which makes the world's most energy efficient and powerful RF Power Amplifier modules for commercial space satellites. In 2021, Newsweek named him to America's 50 Greatest Disruptors.
49. Ty Mitchell
Ty Mitchell is the founder and managing partner at Akash Systems, who make the world's most energy efficient and powerful RF Power Amplifier modules for commercial space satellites. Ty has grown and led public-company technology businesses from $10M to $500M+ in revenues.
50. Joanna Smith-Griffin
51. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji is a faith driven investor and founding partner at Future Africa. Aboyeji’s startup Andela, gained attention when the venture received $24 million from Mark Zuckerberg.
52. Nadayar Enegesi
Nadayar Enegesi is the co-founder and CEO at Eden Life, a single platform for all domestic services. Prior to Eden he was of the co-founder and Director of Andela
53. Donnel Baird
Donnel Baird is the founder of BlocPower, a smart buildings platform that markets, engineers, and finances renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to buildings in underserved market segments.
54. Mike B. Ndimurukundo
Mike B. Ndimurukundo is the managing partner at Anela Rwanda, they connect brilliant global talent to meaningful opportunities to create sustainable, high-performing technology teams.
55. Allan Jones
Allan Jones is the CEO and founder of Bambee, a HR platorm on autopilo. In 2021 he was named to Goldman Sachs 100 Entrepreneurs and he was ranked in Forbes 2020, 2021 & 2022 Best Startup Employers in America.
56. Brandon Richardson
Brandon Richardson is the co-founder and CTO of Aperia Technologies, which improves fuel economy and road safety while reducing tire expenditures, downtime and maintenance costs for commercial fleets.
57. Harold Hughes
Harold Hughes is the founder and CEO of Bandwagon, an analytics company that uses data, and our proprietary blockchain technology, to help teams and event organizers eliminate ticket fraud and while increasing fan engagement.
58. Michael Berhane
Michael Berhane is the co-founder & CEO of People of Color in Tech (POCIT). Michael is a software engineer and co-host of the Techish podcast. He previously worked at Node.js and Urban.
59. Barry Givens
Barry Givens is the managing partner at Collab Capital; and the Managing Director at Techstars. Notable publications such as CNN, CNN Money, Wired, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur Magazine, Huffington Post, Fast Company and more have featured Barry.
60. Felicia Williams
Felicia Williams is an accomplished leader in the tech industry with extensive experience in user experience design. She currently serves as the UX Director at Google and has previously held positions as the Design Director for Twitter and a Creative Strategist for Facebook. Williams is known for her design strategy expertise and ability to create compelling user experiences. Felicia is also the founder of Black Hound, a travel and lifestyle brand that finds beautiful objects to present unique stories from travelers and artisans worldwide.
61. Ahmed Elnaiem
62. Lauren Ruffin
N'Gai Croal is a well-respected figure in the gaming and technology industries. He is currently the Editorial Director at Microsoft Game Developer and the founder and CEO of consulting firm Hit Detection which specializes in video games, consumer technology, and media strategy. Before that, N'Gai worked as a Senior Writer for technology at Newsweek, where he wrote about consumer technology and launched the successful videogame blog Level Up. He also wrote a monthly column called "Playing In the Dark" for the U.K. magazine Edge. N'Gai currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.
63. Melissa Bradley
Melissa L. Bradley is a highly successful entrepreneur and venture capitalist. She co-founded Ureeka, a community that helps small businesses access the expertise and support they need to grow. Melissa is also the founder and Managing Partner of 1863 Ventures, a business development program that helps New Majority entrepreneurs achieve high growth.
64. Chipo Sachirarwe
Chipo Sachirarwe is the COO/CFO at Living Cities. Through creative investments and the building of entrepreneurial ecosystems, Chipo guides the organization's efforts to bridge the racial wealth gap and promote economic opportunities for BIPOC communities. With a wealth of experience in leadership positions, Chipo has held roles at numerous notable companies, including Arthur Andersen, Fox Sports, Universal Music Group, and Brunswick Group. Currently, she is also a member of the team at BLKGRVTY.
65. Trinity Mouzon Wofford
Trinity Mouzon Wofford is the co-founder and CEO of Golde, a health and beauty brand that focuses on superfoods. At 23, she started the company with her partner Issey Kobori to make wellness more inclusive, fun, and approachable. After launching in 2017, Trinity successfully distributed her products to over 100 retailers, including Urban Outfitters, Goop, and Sephora. Trinity was named one of the top 100 Female Founders by Inc. Magazine in 2019 and currently resides and works in Brooklyn.
66. Garry Cooper
As Co-founder and CEO of Rheaply, Garry Cooper is revolutionizing how Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and universities manage their physical resources through innovative visualization and quantification technology. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including being named to the Forbes Next 1000, Chicago Magazine's The New Power 30, and Crain's 40 Under 40, and being honored as a Scholar at Google for Entrepreneurs
67. Farah Allen
Farah Allen is the founder and CEO of The Labz, a no-code-required digital design platform that creates high-end, communication-rich websites for virtual experiences. Her career spans over 20 years, from management consulting to founder and CEO.
68. Fatima Dicko
Fatima Dicko is the founder and CEO of Sugar, a venture-backed prop-tech company that helps apartment residents feel more at home. Sugar has raised over $3.5M in VC funding from some of the leading investors in the prop-tech sector. Before Sugar, she worked as a senior engineer at Procter & Gamble. She was included in INC.'s 18 Inspiring Women to Watch list, the 2021 Forbes Next 1000 list and featured in numerous publications such as TechCrunch, Business Insider, Crunchbase, Black Enterprise and CNBC.
69. Vernon Coleman
Vernon Coleman is the founder and CEO of CLICK, aka RealtimeX inc., a fresh approach to community building where members can connect authentically and spontaneously hang out via video and IRL.
70. Chad Munroe
Chad Munroe is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Jupiter. Before Jupiter, Chad founded MylaBox, a cross-border e-commerce company, during his first year at Stanford and successfully grew the company to generate $100k in revenue while still in school. Chad was also a member of the Y Combinator Summer 19 cohort.
71. Chandler Malone
Chandler Malone is the managing partner at Underground Ventures, a global venture studio seeking to support the most promising underrepresented founders. He is also the CEO of Bootup, an educational labor marketplace that helps individuals get their first jobs in the technology sector regardless of their educational background while assisting companies in filling their talent pipeline problems through access to our pre-qualified talent.
72. Eric Coly
As a big advocate for mental health, Eric Coly is the founder and CEO of Ayana. Through virtual communication, this technology company connects marginalized communities with licensed therapists who share similar cultural traits, identities, and experiences. Before Ayana, Eric was the founder and CEO of Le Dessein, a socially responsible fashion line that uses art to educate underprivileged girls in West Africa.
73. David Dindi
David Dindi is the co-founder and CEO of Atomic, a product that allows businesses to provide investment services within their own branded apps. In 2023 Forbes named David to their 303 under 30 list in finance
74. Yoan Dipita N'Komba
75. Jarrid Tingle
76. Marlon Nichols
77. Austin Clements
Austin Clements is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Slauson & Co., an early-stage venture capital firm in Los Angeles that prioritizes economic inclusion. Austin's focus at Slauson is on investing in technologies that benefit small business owners. The firm has the support of major tech companies like Google, Meta, Twitter, PayPal, and others.
78. Daniel Motaung
79. Ifeoma Ozoma
Ifeoma Ozoma, founder and principal of Earthseed, consults individuals, organizations, and companies on issues related to tech accountability, public policy, and health misinformation. As a tech policy specialist, she has extensive experience leading global public policy partnerships, developing content safety measures, and engaging with policymakers at companies such as Pinterest, Facebook, and Google. Ifeoma received recognition in InStyle's 2022 The Badass 50 list for women making a positive impact on the world and The Root's 2021 list of the 100 most influential African Americans.
80. Mandy Bowman
Mandy Bowman is the founder and CEO of Official Black Wall Street, the leading app and digital platform that assists consumers in discovering, reviewing, and supporting Black-owned businesses. Throughout her professional career, Mandy has held social media and digital marketing positions at Atlantic Records, Complex Magazine, and Essence Magazine.
81. Isacc Barnes
Isaac Barnes serves as the President of Eminent Future, a company specializing in digital product development and innovation to drive societal change. Under Isaac's leadership, the company has secured federal contracts totaling over $13 billion from the Pentagon, White House, and Department of State. He has also led software development teams for both the Obama and Trump administrations.
82. Darva Satcher
Darva Satcher is the director of engineering, Create at GitLab. She has worked in the Software Development field for 20+ years and was a speaker at the Black is Tech Conference in 2022.
83. Mac Conwell
McKeever Conwell II, also known as "Mac," is the managing partner at RareBreed Ventures. He has a background in software engineering and founded two companies, and before starting RareBreed, Mac worked as the Portfolio Manager at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO).
84. Brandy Byrd
Brandy Byrd is the Program Director, Software Development at IBM's Call for Code organization. Call for Code is developing sustainable, open-source technology to address some of the world's biggest humanitarian challenges by bringing technology to the communities that need it most.
85. Amanda Obidike
Amanda Obidike is a data scientist and General Manager for the Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation. She is also the founder of STEMi Makers Africa, an organization dedicated to providing young Africans with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. She received recognition for her hard work and dedication on the Most Distinguished African Women Changemakers list by Humanitarian Awards Global. In 2021, she became a Global 20 Goldman Sachs Fellowship Winner and emerged Winner of the UK’s foremost award, the FDM Everywoman in Technology.
86. Marcus Whitney
Marcus Whitney is a founding partner of Jumpstart Health Investors (JHI), the most active early-stage healthcare venture capital firm in America and the founder and managing partner at Jumpstart Nova, the first venture fund in America to invest exclusively in Black founded and led companies at the forefront of healthcare innovation. Marcus is also a bestselling author, with his book "Create and Orchestrate" reaching the top of Amazon's charts. His expertise and insights are featured in various media outlets, including Entrepreneur, CNBC, Inc., NPR, Fast Company, and The Atlantic.
87. Travis Montaque
88. Aniyia Williams
Aniyia Williams is the principal at Omidyar Network, a social change venture that reimagines critical systems, and the ideas that govern them, to build more inclusive and equitable societies—for the benefit of the many, not just the few—across the globe. Aniyia is also Founder and Board Chair at Black and Brown Founders, which aims to aid Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in launching and building tech businesses with modest resources.
89. Ashley Edwards
Ashley Edwards is the first Black woman in New Jersey to raise over $1M in Venture Capital. She is the founder and CEO of MindRight Health, a tech startup that advances health equity by making mental health care radically accessible and inclusive.
90. Ade Adesanya
Ade Adesanya is the co-founder & president of Moving Analytics Inc., the leading national tele-health provider of remote cardiac rehab and cardiovascular prevention programs. Ade is also erving as independent non executive director on the board of the stock broking division of Stanbic IBTC, a public listed bank across Africa.
91. Alessandra Knight
92. Maia Tekle
Maia Tekle is the founder of Dispatch Goods, a marketplace that facilitates the use of reusable containers by partnering with restaurants, businesses, and consumers. Last December, Dispatch Goods received $3.7 million in seed funding during a round led by Congruent Ventures, with participation from Bread and Butter Ventures, Precursor Ventures, and other investors.
93. Shiloh Johnson
Shiloh Johnson is the founder of ComplYant, a technology platform offering business owners and entrepreneurs a simple way to manage tax rules and requirements. Rooted in the firm belief that complex tax laws and nuanced regulations often create barriers for small or underrepresented business owners, her company’s mission is to ensure that organizations of all colors, shapes, and sizes have access to accurate fiscal guidance.
94. Tanya Van Court
Tanya Van Court is the founder of Goalsetter, a goal-based saving, smart spending, and financial literacy platform, made just for kids and families. Tanya is also responsible for leading (and playing) all board activities for the Institute of Play, a groundbreaking organization whose mission is to design experiences that make learning irresistible.
95. Mandy Price
Mandy is the co-founder of Kanarys, a technology company that provides the tools organizations need to create long-term, systemic change around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) challenges. In 2022, they closed a $3M round by partnering with 100 Black Angels Fund and Zeal Capital Partners.
96. Crystal Etienne
Crystal Etienne is the founder of Ruby Love: a femtech company that supports women living their best lives, even while on their period. In 2022, they closed a $3 million bridge round led by SteelSky Ventures and Base Ventures.
97. Shanea Leven
Shanea Leven is the founder and CEO of CodeSee, a coding platform that automates app services, directories, file dependencies and code changes. They recently closed a $3 million seed round led by venture firms Boldstart Ventures and Uncork Capital.
98. Felix Brandon Lloyd
Felix Brandon Lloyd is the co-founder and CEO of Zoobean, Beanstack helps public and school libraries effortlessly facilitate reading challenges and reading fundraisers.
99. Steven Bartlett
Steven Bartlet was the co-founder and co-CEO of Social Chain. Steven Bartlett launched Flight Story Fund, a $100M Fund. He is well known for being youngest investor in BBC One's show Dragon's Den
100. Phil G. Joseph
Phil is an investment associate at Real Ventures, an early-stage venture firm focused on serving daring founders with the ambition to create successful, global companies. In 2023, SHIFTER Magazine named him outstanding Blackmen in Canada.
101. Khari Johnson
Khari Johnson is the senior staff writer at Wired focusing on artificial intelligence. Previously he was the senior writer at VentureBeat. He covers Wired's AI channel,writing about natural language processing, computer vision, and applications of AI by businesses that impacts people.