Business & Innovation

Founder image photographed by Mason Poole. Bottle in hand image photographed by Julian Dakdouk. Beyonce is now getting into the whisky business. The multiple award-winning artist has partnered with Moët Hennessy, a division of LVMH, to launch SirDavis, a new American whisky brand. This collaboration marks a significant venture for both parties, combining Knowles-Carter's cultural influence with Moët Hennessy's expertise in luxury beverages.The whisky, SirDavis, draws inspiration from Knowles-Carter's family […]

Colin Kaepernick, former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist, has launched Lumi, a new platform for independent creators. The company recently raised $4 million in seed funding led by Seven Seven Six, with additional backing from Kapor Capital, Impellent Ventures, and various angel investors. Lumi aims to provide creators with tools to independently produce, publish, and merchandise their stories in digital and physical formats. The platform intends to leverage artificial […]

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its rapid evolution, reshaping industries and everyday life, a pressing question emerges:: How will this technology affect the Black communities in the United States? The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI) has issued a white paper, "Exploring the Impact of AI on Black Americans: Considerations for the Congressional Black Caucus's Policy Initiatives."This paper, prepared by a group of […]

Photo by John Murray on Unsplash State Senator Julian Bradley has announced the formation of an AI committee to study the impact of technology on Wisconsin. While this initiative marks a significant step for the state, it has also ignited a discussion about representation in tech policy-making. Senator Bradley, who will chair the committee, expressed optimism about the group's mission. "I look forward to working with this team of experts […]

In a move that reflects the changing attitudes towards diversity initiatives in corporate America, Microsoft has reportedly laid off its entire Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team, citing "changing business needs" according to a recent report from the Business Insider. This decision, which took effect on July 1, 2024, has sparked internal criticism and raised questions about the tech giant's commitment to diversity efforts. The layoffs come at a time […]

According to the National Black Brewers Association's (NB2A) 2024 State of Black Brewers report, Black-owned breweries remain significantly underrepresented in the U.S. brewing landscape. Out of 9,761 total breweries in the country, only 86 are Black-owned, comprising less than 1% of all U.S. breweries. Even more notable, just 12 Black-owned breweries operate their own production facilities, representing a mere 0.01% of breweries nationwide. Despite these low numbers, Black-owned breweries are […]

Photo by Desola Lanre-Ologun on Unsplash In a significant advancement for computer science education, Code.org has joined forces with Stanford University's Piech Lab to unveil an AI Teaching Assistant. This innovative tool represents a new era in computer science instruction. It is designed to empower educators as they prepare students with the fundamental skills necessary to thrive in an AI-driven world. By leveraging intelligent technology, the AI Teaching Assistant aims […]