Cincinnati-based Black Tech Week, a conference tailored to entrepreneurs of color, is launching a new media division in partnership with several of the biggest names in media. It said the goal of the initiative, announced July 13, is to amplify the stories and work of Black founders, innovators and ecosystems across the world.
Black Tech Weekly, as it will be named, is being launched alongside partners NBCUniversal and Inc. Magazine, among others.
It seems the next natural expansion for Black Tech Week, a premier conference for tech professionals and founders of color. It was born in Miami, Fla., but Lightship Foundation, led by startup investors Candice Matthews Brackeen and Brian Brackeen, acquired it in March 2022 and relocated it to Cincinnati.
It’s set to celebrate its second year in the Queen City next week from July 18-20 with actress, writer and producer Issa Rae slated as the keynote. Attendance is expected to double over last year.
"Black founder stories are not being told with authenticity,” Brian Brackeen said in a release. “Often, the reporting amplifies themes of adversity and struggle, rather than focusing on the innovations and successes. Through Black Tech Weekly, we intend to deliberately change this narrative and realign the way mainstream media frames Black business culture."
Black Tech Week 2022
Black Tech Weekly has secured partnerships with Inc. Magazine and NBCUniversal to bring the stories of Black innovators to a collective audience of more than 100 million people monthly.
With NBCUniversal specifically, Black Tech Weekly will tap into the media giant’s “massive scale; premium, trusted IP; and highly interactive audiences,” the group said.
Audiences will be able to access curated content across NBCUniversal's One Platform, which it launched in November 2022, on CNBC, MSNBC, NBC News and Peacock as well as Black Tech Week's channel on the Apple News app.
Black Tech Weekly said it has reached an agreement with its media partners to retain full editorial control across all channels.
Black-owned publications including Rolling Out and Black Wall Street Times will also join the partnership. Black Tech Weekly said it is accepting new media partners and content creators as part of the launch.
"A media landscape where Black creators and entrepreneurs are at the forefront ... is the future we must strive for at Black Tech Weekly, and it starts today," Candice Matthews Brackeen said.
Black Tech Week will take place across a four-venue span in Over-the-Rhine, including Music Hall and Memorial Hall. Its expected more than 3,000 attendees, more than 100 speakers and more than 50 workshops tailored to tech entrepreneurs, investors and professionals.
Black Tech Week 2022 resulted in an estimated $7.8 million economic impact, the nonprofit said. The event was headlined by tennis star and investor Serena Williams and drew nearly 1,500 startup founders, investors and creatives over three days.
