
June 15-17, 2022
Join more than 2,500 tech founders, investors, professionals, and enthusiasts virtually and IRL for our 6th Annual Roadmap to Billions!

Pitch Competition Applications are Open!
Register now to enter for a chance win $25K









About Roadmap to Billions

















Roadmap to Billions returns IRL to Brooklyn, NY June 15th – 17th.
Kickoff your Juneteenth Weekend with Black Women Talk Tech and 2,000 founders at the Brooklyn Navy Yard! Join us for the only annual tech conference created exclusively by Black women founders for Black female founders and their supporters.
A conference built from the perspective of women, the goal is to showcase the brilliance of Black women in tech, create a stage for our experiences, foster deep connections, and create real funding opportunities. We believe in learning from those who are paving the way. Through their successes, (and failures), gain insight and valuable lessons to inspire and guide you on your path to success.
Join investors, tech evangelists, and founders who are just starting out and those who have been in the game for years at the largest gathering of black women tech founders in the world.
Host Hotel – Sheraton Brooklyn New York
With 50,000 square feet of space, you already know we’re pulling out all the stops for you at Roadmap to Billions. You’ll be blown away by picturesque views overlooking Downtown Brooklyn and have your edges snatched by the content we’re bringing you live and direct this year. Come ready with lots of paper, a backup pen to your backup and make sure your devices are charged. We’re making sure the information you leave with will have you ready-to-launch.









Your ticket gives you access to
It’s our 6th year and we’ve
pulled out all the stops.
Roadmap to Billions 2022 is designed for you, by women like you. Full of exciting, engaging, and enlightening experiences, you’ll leave the conference feeling powerful, motivated and ready to take the next steps on your journey.
4 KEYNOTE SESSIONS
EXPERT SPEAKERS
25K CASH PRIZES
LIVE CROWD
FUNDING
Agenda
Leadership
DAY 1
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-16 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-16 AllOpening Remarks
Esosa Ighodaro Johnson, Regina Gwynn9:10 am - 9:35 am
2022-06-16 AllKeynote: Master Your Mind and Empower Your Thoughts to Achieve Business Success
Carla Harris, Regina Gwynn11:05 am - 11:45 am
2022-06-16 FoundersTed Talk: How to Structure Your Startup's Marketing Team
To successfully scale your business, you need more than just a Social Media Manager. Marketing roles are often the last to be hired and the budget first to cut. This session will teach you how to structure your marketing team, work with freelancers, and turn up or down your marketing spend appropriately.
Gabrielle Deculus11:45 am - 12:35 pm
2022-06-16 AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:35 pm - 1:15 pm
2022-06-16 AllCreating an Ecosystem of Support and Breaking Down Barriers to Economic Opportunities sponsored by Paypal
Andrea Donkor1:15 pm - 1:55 pm
2022-06-16 AllPanel: IRL and URL
Take advantage of the metaverse using events! Entrepreneurs are utilizing Meta to maximize IRL and URL engagement. Learn from founders who are blending IRL and URL to participate in Web 3.0.
Tahira White, Kezia Williams2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-16 AllSponsor Spotlight: Bank of America
N/A3:25 pm - 4:05 pm
2022-06-16 FoundersRound Table: No CTO, No Problem: Launch Differently
You don't have to have a CTO to launch a tech company! In 2022, there are more ways than ever to launch your startup- you can use no code, offshore developers, or white labeling. Listen to these founders share their experiences launching differently.
Daniel Smith, Spencer Charles, Sheena Collier, Jordana Wright4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsPanel: Black Women Fund Managers: The ABCs of Managing a Fund
27% of Black-led VC funds have launched in the last two years. Black women who start their own funds have a very different journey than our less melanated counterparts, to put it lightly. In this conversation, we explore how Black women fund managers access capital, craft their thesis, and the unique opportunities and strategies they create as fund managers. Also, as Black women, the way we run our funds is drastically different than an A16z or Kleiner Perkins as a result of the systemic barriers
N/A, Mandy Bynum McLaughlin, Candice Brackeen, LaKiesha Landrum Pierre4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsRound Table: How do you become an angel investor?
A casual discussion with four investors on
building their syndicate.
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
2022-06-16 AllNetworking Happy Hour
N/ADAY 2
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-17 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-17 AllOpening Remarks
Welcome Back! How has the landscape changed since we last connected IRL?
Esosa Ighodaro Johnson, Regina Gwynn9:10 am - 9:50 am
2022-06-17 AllKeynote: Tech Founder Success Story
N/A9:50 am - 10:00 am
2022-06-17 AllDo You Know the Silent Killer of Black Women? Hosted by BreastCancer.org
Ricki Fairley10:45 am - 11:25 am
2022-06-17 AllOperate Your Business to Scale - Hosted by Intuit
Managing and Growing Your Business | What are the Pain Points and how can you take a Strategic Approach to Solve Them
Shani Boston11:25 am - 12:05 pm
2022-06-17 FoundersTed Talk: What You Need to Know about CannaTech
Cannabis has evolved! Make sure you're up to date on the newest regulations and policies from state to state.
Jordan Coleman, Keisha Reed11:25 am - 12:05 pm
2022-06-17 ProfessionalsRound Table: The Future of Tech: Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, Intuit, Bank of America, Hinge
Future Tech Roles, Growth Seen in Space, Metaverse, How Diversity plays a role, Opportunities at their respective firms…etc.
N/A12:05 pm - 12:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:50 pm - 1:30 pm
2022-06-17 AllBuilding Blocks to Launch a Tech Startup - Hosted by AARP
According to startup statistics for 2021, January 2020 experienced the highest number of searches for "how to start a business". Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination. Meet the startup founders who will share the building blocks to entrepreneurship. Once you have an idea, where do you go next? Learn what resources, programs, and funding might be available to early stage founders. MelX is building a platform to help the next generation of business owners learn the fundamentals, such solutions can be key to driving a ripple effect on prosperity. Trameter has unlocked a solution to make travel affordable, frictionless to book. They are developing promising solutions that will lead them on the pathway to billions.
Sheila Collins, Darsha Ham, Victoria Polk1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
2022-06-17 FoundersPanel: The Founder CTO: Success in the Tech Journey
What does it take to be a great CTO? These CTO leaders share their journey to make it to the top. Listen in to learn what every startup CTO needs to know to found a successful startup.
Dee Tuck, Lisa Godwin, Emmanuella Michel1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Careers in Government: Making Impact Every Day - Hosted by GSA/TTS
Want to use your tech talent for good and help the public every single day? Your tech skills can translate into massive impact for public good. Consider growing your career in government innovation–often called civic tech! Developers, data scientists, product managers, researchers, strategists, designers, and entrepreneurs like you can work within government to tackle our nation’s biggest challenges: and we need you! Join leaders from Technology Transformation Services (TTS), a tech and innovation branch of the federal government, as they share how and why they are building careers and community in civic tech. Bonus: we’re always hiring, visit us at our booth or at https://join.tts.gsa.gov/.
Malaika Carpenter, Natasha Bansgopaul, Jessyka Castillo2:10 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllPathways to Power: How Cities can support Black Women Owned Businesses
Contracts between government and businesses can accomplish what neither side can do alone. But they also contain innumerable pitfalls. This panel explains what it takes to create an effective public-private partnership and how they can be used for innovation and capacity building.
How the city has created pathways for effective- public-private partnerships for Black-women owned businesses.
Kenneth Ebie, Lindsay S. Greene, Priscilla Kwak, Saloni Sharma2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllReal Founders, Real Stories: Fireside Chat with Microsoft for Startups
Join two founders to share their Roadmap to Billions and explore what tangible resources can be used to propel their growth. Powered by Microsoft for Startups.
Kobi Wu, Bakari Brock, Tiffany Dufu3:25 pm - 4:40 pm
2022-06-17 AllPitch Competition
N/A5:05 pm - 5:15 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Trailblazer Award
N/A6:00 pm - 6:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllClosing Toast + Entertainment
N/AProduct + Technology
DAY 1
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-16 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-16 AllOpening Remarks
Esosa Ighodaro Johnson, Regina Gwynn9:10 am - 9:35 am
2022-06-16 AllKeynote: Master Your Mind and Empower Your Thoughts to Achieve Business Success
Carla Harris, Regina Gwynn9:35 am - 10:20 am
2022-06-16 AllKeynote: Leveraging Future Opportunity Today
Hear about building companies for the future of tech. Taking advantage of new opportunities to build growth companies with exciting technology that will be mainstream in the future.
10:25 am - 11:05 am
2022-06-16 FoundersTed Talk: Tokens, NFTs, Metaverses. What Exactly is Web 3?
Everyone's talking Web 3, NFTs, and metaverse, but what is it really, and what does it have to do with your business? Kezia 'Professor Kez' Williams will break it down for you. Learn how to take advantage of the business opportunities available for founders.
Kezia Williams10:25 am - 11:05 am
2022-06-16 InvestorsHow We Break into Venture
Venture capital as an asset class is a largely untapped opportunity for the
Black community. However, being a VC isn’t the only way for Black
women to break into venture. In this panel, we will dive into all the ways
Black women can begin investing in venture.
11:45 am - 12:35 pm
AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:35 pm - 1:15 pm
2022-06-16 AllCreating an Ecosystem of Support and Breaking Down Barriers to Economic Opportunities sponsored by Paypal
Andrea Donkor2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-16 AllSponsor Spotlight: Bank of America
N/A4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsPanel: Black Women Fund Managers: The ABCs of Managing a Fund
27% of Black-led VC funds have launched in the last two years. Black women who start their own funds have a very different journey than our less melanated counterparts, to put it lightly. In this conversation, we explore how Black women fund managers access capital, craft their thesis, and the unique opportunities and strategies they create as fund managers. Also, as Black women, the way we run our funds is drastically different than an A16z or Kleiner Perkins as a result of the systemic barriers
N/A4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 FoundersPanel: Web 3 Startups (Blockchain, NFT, Metaverse)
Hear from founders building companies in Web 3.0 today. Blockchain, Metaverse, NFT’s these founders are building companies that take advantage of the growing Web 3.0 space.
Amber Allen, Anade Davis5:30 pm - 6:10 pm
2022-06-16 AllKeynote: Fireside Chat with Tanya Van Court of Goalsetter Sponsored by Mastercard
Tanya Van Court, Rashida Bobb6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
2022-06-16 AllNetworking Happy Hour
N/ADAY 2
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-17 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-17 AllOpening Remarks
Regina Gwynn, Esosa Ighodaro Johnson9:10 am - 9:50 am
2022-06-17 AllKeynote: Tech Founder Success Story
N/A9:50 am - 10:00 am
2022-06-17 AllDo You Know the Silent Killer of Black Women? Hosted by BreastCancer.org
Ricki Fairley10:45 am - 11:25 am
2022-06-17 AllPanel: Building a Product-based Startup or Scalable Business
Are you a product business? Get advice from founders about what they have learned and how they are growing their companies.
Baiyinah Brookins10:45 am - 11:25 am
2022-06-17 AllOperate Your Business to Scale - Hosted by Intuit
Managing and Growing Your Business | What are the Pain Points and how can you take a Strategic Approach to Solve Them
Shani Boston11:25 am - 12:05 pm
2022-06-17 FoundersRound Table: Dealing with tech job trauma, healing from a toxic workplace
Putting the humanity back into tech. Learn how to manage when you run into the inevitable stressful situation.
Vanessa Vining, Fran Harris, Karina Bernacki, Netta Jenkins11:25 am - 12:05 pm
2022-06-17 ProfessionalsRound Table: The Future of Tech: Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, Intuit, Bank of America, Hinge
Future Tech Roles, Growth Seen in Space, Metaverse, How Diversity plays a role, Opportunities at their respective firms…etc.
N/A12:05 pm - 12:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:50 pm - 1:30 pm
2022-06-17 AllBuilding Blocks to Launch a Tech Startup - Hosted by AARP
According to startup statistics for 2021, January 2020 experienced the highest number of searches for “how to start a business.” Entrepreneurship is a journey and not a destination. Meet the startup founders who will share their building blocks to entrepreneurship. Once you have an idea, where do you go next? Learn what resources , programs, and funding might be available to early stage founders. MelX is building a platform to help the next generation of business owners learn the fundamentals, such solutions can be key for driving a ripple effect on prosperity. Trameter has unlocked a solution to make affordable travel, frictionless to book. They are developing promising solutions that will lead them on the pathway to billions.
Sheila Collins, Darsha Ham, Victoria Polk1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Careers in Government: Making Impact Every Day - Hosted by GSA/TTS
Want to use your tech talent for good and help the public every single day? Your tech skills can translate into massive impact for public good. Consider growing your career in government innovation–often called civic tech! Developers, data scientists, product managers, researchers, strategists, designers, and entrepreneurs like you can work within government to tackle our nation’s biggest challenges: and we need you! Join leaders from Technology Transformation Services (TTS), a tech and innovation branch of the federal government, as they share how and why they are building careers and community in civic tech. Bonus: we’re always hiring, visit us at our booth or at https://join.tts.gsa.gov/.
Malaika Carpenter, Natasha Bansgopaul, Jessyka Castillo2:10 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-17 FoundersTed Talk: How to Build a Two-Sided Marketplace
Building a dual-sided marketplace or platform can be a challenge. Learn from these founders about how they started and the lessons they learned.
Tope Mitchell, Tiffany Kelly2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllReal Founders, Real Stories: Fireside Chat with Microsoft for Startups
Join two founders share their Roadmap to Billions and explore what tangible resources can be used to propel their growth. Powered by Microsoft for Startups.
Kobi Wu, Bakari Brock, Tiffany Dufu3:25 pm - 4:40 pm
2022-06-17 AllPitch Competition
Brian Brackeen, Rashida Bobb, Ralonda Johnson, Dr. Angela Jackson5:05 pm - 5:15 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Trailblazer Award
N/A6:00 pm - 6:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllClosing Toast + Entertainment
N/AFinance + Operations
DAY 1
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-16 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-16 AllOpening Remarks
Welcome to Day 1! What's in store for BWTT
Regina Gwynn, Esosa Ighodaro Johnson9:10 am - 9:35 am
2022-06-17 AllKeynote: Master Your Mind and Empower Your Thoughts to Achieve Business Success
Carla Harris, Regina Gwynn10:25 am - 11:05 am
2022-06-16 AllFireside Chat: Me and My Investor: A Startup Story
Choosing whether or not you take on VC funding or investment is one of the most essential decisions you will make as a founder. The experience can be overwhelmingly positive...or it could not be. Hear from this founder-investor pair who did it right and discover what considerations went into making this match and findings they've learned along the way.
Isoken Igbinedion, Evan Hamilton11:05 am - 11:45 pm
2022-06-16 AllThe Investor Perspective on Revenue vs. Growth
A discussion with investors from across the spectrum sharing the pros and cons of the revenue vs growth models. There are two side of the house when it come to investment. There is__ and venture cap.
What are the pros and cons of each model and how do you make them work for you?--
11:45 pm - 12:35 pm
2022-06-16 AllLunch
1:15 pm - 1:55 pm
2022-06-16 AllPanel: IRL and URL
Take advantage of the metaverse using events! Entrepreneurs are utilizing Meta to maximize IRL and URL engagement. Learn from founders who are blending IRL and URL to participate in Web 3.0.
Tahira White, Kezia Williams2:05 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-16 AllKeynote Panel: The Future Innovation Investments of the Federal Government
The federal government has launched a plethora of new funding opportunities for tech founders. Learn about grants and opportunities across multiple departments that could help you launch your next big idea.
Janis Bowdler, Eileen Chant2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-16 AllSponsor Spotlight: Bank of America
N/A3:25 pm - 4:05 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsPanel: Investment Opportunities in Africa and the Caribbean
Panel discussion with investors who invest in Africa and the Caribbean. Why, how, and the current market landscape.
Ekwi Nwabuzor, Victoria Kennedy4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsPanel: Black Women Fund Managers: The ABCs of Managing a Fund
27% of Black-led VC funds have launched in the last two years. Black women who start their own funds have a very different journey than our less melanated counterparts, to put it lightly. In this conversation, we explore how Black women fund managers access capital, craft their thesis and the unique opportunities and strategies they create as fund managers. Also, as Black women, the way we run our funds is drastically different than an A16z or Kleiner Perkins as a results of the systemic barriers
Mandy Bynum McLaughlin, Candice Brackeen4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsRound Table: How do you become an angel investor?
A casual discussion with four investors on
building their syndicate.
11:05 am - 11:45 am
2022-06-16 FoundersPanel: Investor's Perspective: Founder, Are you ready to fundraise?
We know the importance of raising money to build and scale the business, but how do we know when we're ready. This expert panel of investors will share key factors you should consider before kicking off your seed round.
2:25 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-16 AllWomen Entrepreneurs: Financial Wellness Conversations All Business Owners Need to Have. Hosted by Morgan Stanley
Tasha García, Gerty Simon, Arielle Washington, Jeffery Kennerly6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
2022-06-16 AllNetworking Happy Hour
N/ADAY 2
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-17 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-17 AllOpening Remarks
Welcome to Back! How has the landscape changed since we last connected IRL?
Regina Gwynn, Esosa Ighodaro Johnson9:50 am - 10:00 am
2022-06-17 AllDo You Know the Silent Killer of Black Women? Hosted by BreastCancer.org
Ricki Fairley10:00 am - 10:40 am
2022-06-17 AllPanel: NFTs: How to Assess Value
Are you confused about NFT's? It's okay! It's a really hard ecosystem. to understand. In this conversation we will debunk myths about NTFs so you can understand which investments to look out for and which ones to avoid.
Florcy Morisset, Cameron Wadley, Tessa Lefall10:45 am - 11:25 am
2022-06-17 AllOperate Your Business to Scale - Hosted by Intuit
Managing and Growing Your Business | What are the Pain Points and how can you take a Strategic Approach to Solving Them
Shani Boston11:25 am - 12:05 pm
2022-06-17 ProfessionalsRound Table: The Future of Tech: Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, Intuit, Bank of America, Hinge
Future Tech Roles, Growth Seen in Space, Metaverse, How Diversity play a role, Opportunities at their respective firms…etc.
N/A12:05 pm - 12:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:50 pm - 1:30 pm
2022-06-17 ProfessionalsTed Talk: Billion Dollar Business Model
Are you behaving like your billions are on the way? Your unique business model is a combination of your past experiences and professional passion. Learn to always bring your best self and make sure that it aligns with those that you are partnering with.
David C. Williams12:50 pm - 1:30 pm
2022-06-17 FoundersPanel: Empowering Networking that Elevates Collaborations & Partnerships
Networking is an issue of access and an issue of value creation. Are you aware enough about what you are trying to be networked into? Once you're in the room, do you know what you would want to exchange?
Building a company takes a village.
Enovia Bedford, Crystal Berger, Carolyn Li12:50 pm - 1:30 pm
2022-06-17 AllBuilding Blocks to Launch a Tech Startup - Hosted by AARP
According to startup statistics for 2021, January 2020 experienced the highest number of searches for “how to start a business.” Entrepreneurship is a journey and not a destination. Meet the startup founders who will share their building blocks to entrepreneurship. Once you have an idea, where do you go next? Learn what resources , programs, and funding might be available to early stage founders. MelX is building a platform to help the next generation of business owners learn the fundamentals, such solutions can be key for driving a ripple effect on prosperity. Trameter has unlocked a solution to make affordable travel, frictionless to book. They are developing promising solutions that will lead them on the pathway to billions.
Sheila Collins, Darsha Ham, Victoria Polk1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Careers in Government: Making Impact Every Day - Hosted by GSA/TTS
Want to use your tech talent for good and help the public every single day? Your tech skills can translate into massive impact for public good. Consider growing your career in government innovation–often called civic tech! Developers, data scientists, product managers, researchers, strategists, designers, and entrepreneurs like you can work within government to tackle our nation’s biggest challenges: and we need you! Join leaders from Technology Transformation Services (TTS), a tech and innovation branch of the federal government, as they share how and why they are building careers and community in civic tech. Bonus: we’re always hiring, visit us at our booth or at https://join.tts.gsa.gov/.
Malaika Carpenter, Natasha Bansgopaul, Jessyka Castillo2:10 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-17 ProfessionalsPanel: Salary Negotiation
Time to get a raise? Listen to the experts share tips on how to confidently negotiate articulate your value and contributions.
Pearlie Oni, Netta Dobbins, Allie Joy2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllReal Founders, Real Stories: Fireside Chat with Microsoft for Startups
Join two founders share their Roadmap to Billions and explore what tangible resources can be used to propel their growth. Powered by Microsoft for Startups.
Kobi Wu, Bakari Brock, Tiffany Dufu3:25 pm - 4:40 pm
2022-06-17 AllPitch Competition
Brian Brackeen, Rashida Bobb, Ralonda Johnson, Dr. Angela Jackson4:40 pm - 5:05 pm
2022-06-17 AllEmpowering Black & Brown People Through Venture Capital with Broad St. Ventures
Ralonda Johnson, Sara Hood, Vanessa Perdomo, India Robinson5:05 pm - 5:15 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Trailblazer Award
N/A5:15 pm - 6:00 pm
2022-06-17 AllSpecial Presentation by Black Women Talk Tech
N/A6:00 pm - 6:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllCLOSING TOAST & ENTERTAINMENT
N/ACulture + Marketing
DAY 1
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-16 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-16 AllOpening Remarks
Regina Gwynn, Esosa Ighodaro Johnson9:10 am - 9:35 am
2022-06-16 AllKeynote: Master Your Mind and Empower Your Thoughts to Achieve Business Success
Carla Harris, Regina Gwynn11:45 am - 12:35 pm
2022-06-16 AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:35 pm - 1:15 pm
2022-06-16 AllCreating an Ecosystem of Support and Breaking Down Barriers to Economic Opportunities sponsored by Paypal
Andrea Donkor2:05 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-16 AllKeynote Panel: The Future Innovation Investments of the Federal Government
The federal government has launched a plethora of new funding opportunities for tech founders. Learn about grants and opportunities across multiple departments that could help you launch your next big idea.
Janis Bowdler, Eileen Chant2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-16 AllSponsor Spotlight: Bank of America
N/A3:25 pm - 4:05 pm
2022-06-16 FoundersTed Talk: Brand Yourself: The Ultimate PR Strategy
Everybody wants to build a brand and land major media coverage, but where do you start? What are the steps for bossing up in your business and pitching to the media to secure that coveted front page coverage? Pauleanna Reid, celebrity ghost writer and Forbes contributor leads this Ted Talk teaching you how to build influence, grow your business, and leverage PR.
Pauleanna Reid4:05 pm - 4:45 pm
2022-06-16 InvestorsPanel: Black Women Fund Managers: The ABCs of Managing a Fund
27% of Black-led VC funds have launched in the last two years.
Black women who start their own funds have a very different journey
than our less melanated counterparts, to put it lightly.
In this conversation, we explore how Black women fund managers
access capital, craft their thesis and the unique opportunities
and strategies they create as fund managers.
Also, as Black women, the way we run our funds is drastically different
than an A16z or Kleiner Perkins as a results of the systemic barriers
4:45 pm - 5:25 pm
2022-06-16 AllTed Talk: Productivity and S.Y.S.T.E.M.s to Save Yourself Stress, Time, Energy, & Money!
Learn the mechanics of growth hacking. What is it? How do you do it? And why it is such a powerful way to grow a community for the long term. session on growth hacking in today's market
Connie S. Falls6:00 pm -7:30 pm
2022-06-16 AllNetworking Happy Hour
N/ADAY 2
8:00 am - 9:00 am
2022-06-17 AllRed Bull DJ
N/A9:00 am - 9:10 am
2022-06-17 AllOpening Remarks
Welcome to Back! How has the landscape changed since we last connected IRL?
Esosa Ighodaro Johnson, Regina Gwynn9:50 am - 10:00 am
2022-06-17 AllDo You Know the Silent Killer of Black Women? Hosted by BreastCancer.org
Ricki Fairley11:25 am - 12:05 pm
2022-06-17 AllRound Table: The Future of Tech: Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, Intuit, Bank of America, Hinge
Future Tech Roles, Growth Seen in Space, Metaverse, How Diversity play a role, Opportunities at their respective firms…etc.
N/A12:05 pm - 12:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllLUNCH (on your own)
Visit the Food Truck Alley + Activations + Red Bull DJ
N/A12:50 pm - 1:30 pm
2022-06-17 AllBuilding Blocks to Launch a Tech Startup - Hosted by AARP
According to startup statistics for 2021, January 2020 experienced the highest number of searches for “how to start a business.” Entrepreneurship is a journey and not a destination. Meet the startup founders who will share their building blocks to entrepreneurship. Once you have an idea, where do you go next? Learn what resources , programs, and funding might be available to early stage founders. MelX is building a platform to help the next generation of business owners learn the fundamentals, such solutions can be key for driving a ripple effect on prosperity. Trameter has unlocked a solution to make affordable travel, frictionless to book. They are developing promising solutions that will lead them on the pathway to billions.
Sheila Collins, Darsha Ham, Victoria Polk1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Careers in Government: Making Impact Every Day - Hosted by GSA/TTS
Want to use your tech talent for good and help the public every single day? Your tech skills can translate into massive impact for public good. Consider growing your career in government innovation–often called civic tech! Developers, data scientists, product managers, researchers, strategists, designers, and entrepreneurs like you can work within government to tackle our nation’s biggest challenges: and we need you! Join leaders from Technology Transformation Services (TTS), a tech and innovation branch of the federal government, as they share how and why they are building careers and community in civic tech. Bonus: we’re always hiring, visit us at our booth or at https://join.tts.gsa.gov/.
Malaika Carpenter, Natasha Bansgopaul, Jessyka Castillo1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
2022-06-17 ProfessionalsRound Table: Marketing Yourself on LinkedIn
Over 66 million professionals use Linkden as a marketing tool to get a new job, new opportunity, and position themself. Learn how to work LinkedIn to land the dream role.
Lydia T. Blanco, Cinneah El-Amin, Aniesia Williams2:10 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllPanel: Pathways to Power: How Cities can support Black Women Owned Businesses
Contracts between government and businesses can accomplish what neither side can do alone. But they also contain innumerable pitfalls. This panel explains what it takes to create an effective public-private partnership and how they can be used for innovation and capacity building.
How the city has created pathways for effective- public-private partnerships for Black-women owned businesses.
Kenneth Ebie, Lindsay S. Greene, Priscilla Kwak, Diana Franco2:55 pm - 3:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllReal Founders, Real Stories: Fireside Chat with Microsoft for Startups
Join two founders to share their Roadmap to Billions and explore what tangible resources can be used to propel their growth. Powered by Microsoft for Startups.
Kobi Wu, Tiffany Dufu, Bakari Brock3:25 pm - 4:40 pm
2022-06-17 AllPitch Competition
Rashida Bobb, Brian Brackeen, Dr. Angela Jackson, Ralonda Johnson5:05 pm - 5:15 pm
2022-06-17 AllTech Trailblazer Award
N/A6:00 pm - 6:25 pm
2022-06-17 AllClosing Toast + Entertainment
N/ACrypto Corner
DAY 2
10:00 am - 10:30 am
2022-06-17 AllThe State of Cryptocurrency
How to take advantage of digital
currencies to grow your business;
10:30 am - 11:00 am
2022-06-17 AllJob Searching in Web 3.0
Learn the skills you need for Web 3.0 and where to get them.
Libryia Jones11:00 am - 11:30 am
AllDefi-ning and Diversifying the Tech Space
How to take advantage of digital currencies to grow your business.
Vanessa Vining11:30 am - 12:00 pm
AllWTF is a DAO?
DAO Assets are predicted to reach $1 Trillion over the next 10 years. Join us if you’re asking…
What the hell are DAOs?
Should I join one?
Should I invest in one?
How do I start one?
How do I evaluate DAO opportunities?
12:50 pm - 1:20 pm
AllBuilding the Metaverse
Tessa Lefall, Bianca J. Jackson1:20 pm - 1:50 pm
AllBlack Women in Web 3.0
Brenda Gentry, Imani Gentry, Wata Music1:50 pm - 2:20 pm
2022-06-17 AllThe New Web Order
Panel discussion on the realities and opportunities in the fast moving fields of gaming, crypto, and Web 3.0 from subject matter experts who can share first had knowledge on trends in the field, challenges to understand, and ways to find opportunities be it as an employee, entrepreneur, or investor.
Chris Walker, Taylor Shead, Layota Peterson2:20 pm - 2:50 pm
2022-06-17 AllFreedom & Equity in Web 3.0
How can we build an equitable metaverse and what does that mean for our future?
Kelly Ifill, Stephanie Smellie, Christopher LafayetteTicket TYpes
Founders/Aspiring Founders
Join us IRL!
- Opening Night Pajama Jammy Jam
- Empower yourself with 2 Full Days of live workshops and panels
- Network in-person with over 1,000 speakers, founders, investors
- Demo new and upcoming tech solutions from our sponsors
- Sign up for Investor Office Hours
- Connect face-to-face with like-minded founders
- Does Not Include: Annual Digital Membership that features Conference Replays & Bonus Streaming Content
Join us Online
- Participate in 2 Full Days of workshops, panels, and keynotes
- Network virtually with over 1,000 speakers, founders, investors
- Sign up for Investor Office Hours
- Missing the in-person experience? Membership is included!
Aspiring Founders
- Want to know what it takes to build the next billion-dollar business? Are you ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship and need guidance on what to expect? Grab this ticket if you're in position to transition from a Side-Hustle samurai to a Full-time Founder + CEO.
Upgrade to VIP for Membership Access + a Swag Bag
- Includes Access to:
- All Perks in General Admission Ticket
- Annual Digital Membership that features Conference Replays & Bonus Streaming Content
- Investor Reception
- VIP Gift
- VIP Lounge On-Site
Investors/Aspiring Investors
Join us IRL!
- Empower yourself with 2 Full Days of live workshops and panels
- Network in-person with over 1,000 speakers, founders, investors
- Get matched with Investor-Ready Founders
- Live access to Investor-only sessions
- Demo new and upcoming tech solutions from our sponsors
- Does Not Include:
- Annual Digital Membership that features Conference Replays & Bonus Streaming Content
Join us Online
- Participate in 2 Full Days of workshops, panels, and keynotes
- Network virtually with over 1,000 speakers, founders, investors
- Livestream access to Investor-only sessions
- Missing the in-person experience? Membership is included!
Aspiring Investors
- Want to know what it takes to spot the next billion-dollar business? Looking to invest in early-stage founders but not sure where to start? Need help developing your investor thesis? If you're ready to get in the game and want to learn how to determine a company's investor-readiness, this ticket is for you!
Upgrade to VIP for Membership Access + a Swag Bag
- Includes Access to:
- All Perks in General Admission Ticket
- Annual Digital Membership that features Conference Replays & Bonus Streaming Content
- VIP Gift
- Investor Reception
- VIP Lounge On-Site
PROFESSIONALS
Join us IRL!
- Day 1 [Virtual Only]] - Interact in our Roadmap to Billions Virtual experience
- Day 2 [IRL/Virtual] - In-person Access to Keynote, panel, and workshop sessions
- Learn about the latest tech solutions to take your tech career to the next level
- Hear from leading tech companies looking to hire diverse talent
- Get access to our Professional Membership Community
- Connect one-on-one in our Virtual Marketplace
Students
- Mark Zuckerberg got his start largely by accident while he was still in college. Student founders and entrepreneurs, we're looking at you! It's time to put your business classes to good use and learn what it takes to successfully launch and grow your tech startup. Attend online or in-person, but act fast - in-person Student tickets are limited!
- Must register with an .edu email address and show proof of current status.
Meet Our 2022 Speakers

Shellye Archambeau
Former CEO, Board Director, Author

Alex Hill
Home Cook & Recipe Developer

DJ Olivia Dope

Khadijah Adams
Founder of Khadijah Adams, LLC dba Girl Get That Money

Jon Fortt
Tech Check Anchor, CNBC

Jazmyn W
Comedian & Content Creator

Danielle Young
Journalist, Producer, Content Queen

Terrance Gaines
Tech Consultant

Kandi Burruss
Founder, Entrepreneur
With nearly three decades of experience under her belt, Kandi Burruss has remained one of music’s most steadfast and prolific songwriters. The Atlanta native has added a number of hats throughout her career, including businesswoman, entrepreneur, actress, TV personality and proud mother of four.
Burruss entered the music industry at age 14 when she co-founded the all-female R&B group Xscape. They’ve released three Platinum-selling albums (1993’s Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha, 1995’s Off the Hook, 1998’s Traces of My Lipstick) and have sold over 7 million albums worldwide, while simultaneously putting Atlanta’s musical creativity and talent on the map. After achieving success with Xscape, the group members decided to take a hiatus to pursue various ventures. From there, Burruss solidified her legendary status in music as a songwriter, solo singer (she’s released her debut Hey Kandi… in 2000 and followed up with Kandi Koated in 2010), and producer.
Her credits include Destiny’s Child’s GRAMMY-nominated “Bills, Bills, Bills,” Pink’s “There You Go,” Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”, Ariana Grande’s “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored”, *NSYNC (“It Makes Me Ill), and TLC’s GRAMMY-winning “No Scrubs”. In 2000, she became the first woman to be honored with ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul Music Award for Songwriter of the Year.
But Burruss had her eyes set on expanding her empire beyond an unpredictable music industry. “We started our career when I was 16 when we signed our deal with So So Def. My mom put this in my head: ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!’” Burruss recalls. “So I used to read all these books about finances. The main thing they always say is you need to have multiple sources of income in order to become and stay a millionaire.”
Since 2009 she’s starred in 12 seasons of Bravo’s pop culture juggernaut The Real Housewives of Atlanta, where she used the reality TV franchise to not only transform into a household name but to showcase her musical accolades as well as a platform to launch her ever-growing businesses.
“It’s more personal. Fans feel more connected. They’ve been able to see inside my life for the last ten years. Now, though, I do think that people learned to respect me for what I’ve done as a songwriter,” Burruss previously said of joining the series as an artist. “They’ve witnessed what I have written and produced for some of the other people on the show. From there, they figured out what else I have done, be it Xscape or TLC or other artists I’ve worked with.”
Burruss has since launched two restaurants with husband Todd Tucker (Old Lady Gang and Blaze Steak & Seafood Restaurant), made her Broadway debut in the long-running, Tony Award-winning revival of Chicago in 2018, landed a recurring role on Showtime’s acclaimed drama series The Chi in 2020 and scored her first feature film role in Lifetime’s Envy: A Seven Deadly Sins Story that is based on Bishop TD Jakes’ “Seven Deadly Sins” series of books.
As she continues to blossom as a businesswoman, Burruss’ love for music is never too far behind. In 2020, she won the third season of the Fox competition series The Masked Singer. And in 2021, Xscape participated in the Verzuz series alongside fellow popular ‘90s girl group SWV.

Ariel Investments

Managing Partner & Founder, Precursor Venture

Peggy Alford
EVP Global Sales, PayPal
As Executive Vice President, Global Sales, Peggy Alford leads all of PayPal’s Commercial, Customer Success and Go-to-Market teams worldwide. In this role, Peggy brings extensive experience leading high performing teams across product development, finance and growth strategy.
Peggy has thrived throughout her career by building and leading experienced and diverse teams. She fosters a culture of collaboration that allows teams to develop scalable and effective solutions.
Peggy has held numerous senior leadership roles at PayPal, including Senior Vice President, Core Markets; Senior Vice President of People Operations; Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific Region and Global Cross Border Trade; and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Americas Region. In March 2019, Peggy returned to PayPal after two years as Chief Financial Officer and Head of Operations at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a philanthropic organization.
Prior to joining PayPal in 2011, Peggy worked at Rent.com, a national internet real estate listing service and former subsidiary of eBay Inc., where she served in positions of increasing responsibility, including President, General Manager and Chief Financial Officer.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Macerich (NYSE:MAC).
Driven by her passion to help others succeed, Peggy serves as an advocate for children, women, and minorities. Peggy was an honoree at the 2018 Culture Shifting Awards which recognizes leaders and pioneers of diversity.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Dayton and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Timnit Gebru
Computer Scientist
Timnit Gebru is founder of the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research (DAIR) Institute. Prior to that she was a co-lead of the Ethical AI research team at Google Brain, from which she was fired for raising issues of workplace discrimination. She received her PhD from the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and did a postdcast Microsoft Research, New York City in the FATE (Fairness Accountability Transparency and Ethics in AI) group, where she studied algorithmic bias and the ethical implications underlying projects aiming to gain insights from data. Timnit also co-founded Black in AI, a nonprofit that works to increase the presence, inclusion, visibility and health of Black people in the field of AI.

Coming soon …

Ayo Suber
UI Engineer and Design Technologist, Square
Ayo Suber is a UI Engineer and Design Technologist at Square, working with the Developers and APIs team.
Her passion for all things tech stems from her experience creating digital presences for small businesses, working at various tech companies, and creating art that integrates technology.
All of these things require different types of tech stacks, which is the basis for Tech Stack 101. Ayo enjoys making complex concepts as accessible as possible, and being a resource to increase our representation in tech. She is an avid traveler, writer, and arts advocate.

Shila Burney
Founder & Managing Partner, Zane Venture Fund
Shila Nieves Burney has spent a 20+ year professional career working closely with leading organizations and exceptional talents to create solutions that address disparities through investment in human capital. Her super-power is connecting!
After spending a year sourcing investors for a startup that culminated in a $5M term sheet, mentoring and advising founders of color, Shila was able to see first hand challenges diverse entrepreneurs face getting access to capital and the resources they needed to grow and scale their companies.
She founded ZANE Venture Fund, a seed fund that would invest in underrepresented founders with the goal of closing the funding gap and generating high returns for investors, thereby closing the gap to generational wealth, and Zane Access which provides early-stage companies led by diverse teams access to cross-functional experts, resources, best practices and customized content critical to accelerating growth.

Nichole Jordan
SVP Global Partner Success, Via Transportation
Nichole Jordan is the Senior Vice President, Global Partner Success at Via Transportation, Inc. Formerly, she was the Chief Operating Officer at Remix Software, which was acquired by Via in March 2021.
She currently manages executive account relationships and ensures customer satisfaction and retention for over 400 cities across five continents.
A dedicated customer advocate for over 15 years, Nichole previously led Customer Success for Fond, C3.ai and Contact Center Operations for Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E). At PG&E she amassed over ten years of experience in customer care, human resources and information technology. Nichole is an active volunteer and leader for several non-profit entities. She currently serves as the International Technology Chairman for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®.
Nichole is a former president of the Twenty Pearls Foundation in Oakland. In her final year as president, the organization awarded over $25,000 in scholarships and grants to deserving students and organizations. She was initiated into the San Francisco chapter of the Links, Incorporated in 2016and served as President of the board of directors for the African American Art and Culture Complex in San Francisco from 2011-2016.
Nichole has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from U.C. Davis and an M.B.A. from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She was the first African-American female to matriculate in the Wharton West Executive MBA program. Her proudest accomplishments include receiving PG&E’s 2008 President’s Diversity Champion Award and launching the MBA Fellowship program at PG&E–which provides full tuition sponsorship for high potential employees.
In her free time, she actively volunteers with her sorority and enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, wine tasting and reading. Nichole is also passionate about mentoring women of color and has served as an executive mentor for Sequoia Capital’s Ascent Mentoring program, designed to support emerging women leaders in tech.

Henry Bolden
Inclusive Recruiting Lead, Spotify
Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.”
As the global leader of inclusive recruiting and development at Spotify, Henry leverages his passion for people to develop strategies that educate, empower and ensure inclusion.
Prior to joining Spotify, Henry worked across talent acquisition and diversity, inclusion and belonging teams, industry sectors, and geographies to create spaces that invite, reward, and celebrate individual differences

Jon Fortt
Tech Check Anchor, CNBC
Jon Fortt is co-anchor of CNBC’s bi-coastal tech-focused program “TechCheck”. Previously, he co-anchored CNBC’s “Squawk Alley” and prior served as an on-air editor based at CNBC’s global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Fortt joined CNBC as technology correspondent in July 2010, working from CNBC’s Silicon Valley bureau where he covered the companies, start-ups and trends that are driving innovation in the industry

Danielle Young
Journalist, Producer, Content Queen
Danielle Young is the content queen. You may know her from her candid and viral red carpet clips, her powerful sit-down interviews, from her way-too-funny and honest pop culture commentary, from her matter-of-fact opinion video series on The Grio, “Opinionated,” from her hilarious and Webby-honored “Judge of Characters” series videos from The Root, her often viral interview series, “Real Quick,” or what Forbes calls a viral hit show, “The Danielle Young Show.”
Before betting on herself and stepping out on her own, Danielle was a video producer, editor writer and host for ESSENCE, where her video series, “The OverExplainer” and “The OverExplainer Reacts” consistently over-performed. She broke down topics that matter to Black people (and everyone) and offered hilarious hot takes on the internet’s wildest moments, respectively.

Tanya Van Court
Founder & CEO, Goalsetter
Tanya Van Court is the Founder and CEO of Goalsetter. Goalsetter is a family saving, financial literacy and smart spending app that makes it easy for the whole family to go cashless and learn how to be money-smart. Goalsetter is Nickelodeon meets Fintech–it combines the best of Fintech companies like Acorns and CashApp with financial education and gaming that appeals to the whole family. As such, Goalsetter is the first money app for the whole family, giving kids-from cradle to graduation-healthy financial habits that will last a lifetime

Frank Valdivieso
President & CEO, Gryphon Consulting
Frank Valdivieso is the President & CEO of Gryphon Consulting. Gryphon Consulting is an Information Technology Services company specializing in helping small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits deploy and leverage technology in their organizations.
Mr. Valdivieso is a Co-founder of the Black Channel Partner Alliance, an Advisory Board Member for Women In Cloud, and a member of Voices For Innovation.

Dr. Nashlie Sephus
Tech Evangelist, Amazon AI
Dr. Nashlie Sephus is the Tech Evangelist for Amazon AI focusing on fairness and identifying biases at AWS AI. She formerly led the Amazon Visual Search team as an Applied Scientist in Atlanta, which launched visual search for replacement parts on the Amazon Shopping app in June 2018. This technology was a result of former startup Partpic (Atlanta) being acquired by Amazon, for which she was the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Prior to working at Partpic, she received her Ph.D. from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014 and worked for a year with Exponent technical consulting firm in New York City. Her core research areas were digital signal processing, machine learning, and computer engineering. She received her B.S. in Computer Engineering from Mississippi State University (2007).
Dr. Sephus is a native of Jackson, Mississippi and a 2003 graduate of Murrah High School/Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex (APAC). She’s had several internships and research experiences worldwide with companies such as IBM, Delphi, University of California at Berkeley, GE Research Center, GE Energy, Miller Transporters, and Kwangwoon University in Seoul, South Korea. Recently, Dr. Sephus became founder and CEO of The Bean Path, a non-profit organization based in Jackson, MS, to sow technical expertise and bridge the tech gap in communities by hosting free tech office hours in local libraries, conducting youth coding workshops and giving away grants. She is also developing 12 acres of land in the downtown area deemed the Jackson Tech District for strengthening a community amongst the next generation of technologists.
Dr. Sephus has been featured in AJC, CBS kids’ show Mission Unstoppable, Black Enterprise, Ebony, Amazon Science, AWS re:Invent, Afrotech, Your First Million podcast, along with several others. She also serves on several startup and academic advisory boards along with mentoring others and investing in Atlanta-based startups. During her leisure time, she enjoys playing tennis, playing the piano, listening to music, bargain hunting, biking, and working on do-it-yourself (DIY) projects at home.

Alice Vilma
Managing Director in the Multicultural Client Strategy Group, Morgan Stanley
Alice Vilma is a Managing Director in the Multicultural Client Strategy Group at Morgan Stanley in New York City, where she strengthens Morgan Stanley’s connection to the multicultural business community through development and execution of commercial opportunities with corporate, government, institutional and individual clients. She is also Co-head of the Morgan Stanley Multicultural Innovation Lab, an accelerator that invests in and supports tech and tech-enabled startups with a multicultural or woman founder.
Ms. Vilma has been with Morgan Stanley for nearly 15 years and has had different roles within the Firm, including Equity Capital Markets and Securitization. She has over 20 years of investment banking, capital markets, structured finance and investing experience, executing over $25Bn of securitization, structured finance and equity transactions. She graduated Cum Laude with a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Miami and received her MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Anthony Egbuniwe
Director of Global Partnerships – Public Sector & Education, Microsoft
Anthony Egbuniwe is a Director at Microsoft leading the global public sector ISV partnership business. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Management from Georgia Institute of Technology, Anthony started his career with Microsoft where he put down roots and established himself as a data science expert. He then returned to academia at Southern Methodist University where he’s currently earning his Masters of Science in Data Science.
In his current role as Director of Global Partnership, Anthony uses his mastery of the data science industry to support both government and enterprise corporations in building technical vision, solution development, and data-driven and revenue-generating strategy. His focus is on laying down the groundwork for the data-driven technology industry by providing businesses and individuals a clearer understanding of how and why data drives better business strategy.
Anthony is at the forefront of global business strategy, at a time when data is being used by global government agencies to allow for better decisions for citizens. His vast knowledge of business strategy, strong command of the digital marketplace, and boundless passion for data is what he brings to elevate Microsoft’s global partnerships on a daily.

Marcus Glover
Co-founder and Managing Director, Lockstep Ventures
Marcus Glover is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Lockstep Ventures, a venture capital firm that seeks to address issues that perpetuate racial inequality in the U.S.
Marcus has a mission to reimagine equity for Black America and is dedicated to investing and advising Black and women-led companies that are often overlooked, underfunded and underserved. As a leader of Lockstep Ventures, he has turned his passion into meaningful change while also inspiring and empowering a systematic shift in tandem with delivering investor returns.
In addition to his work with Lockstep Ventures, Marcus serves on the National Board of Directors of Defy Ventures, which advocates for criminal justice reform and lowering recidivism by building on incarcerated men and women’s natural talents through entrepreneurship business ownership. Marcus also serves on the Time 100 Advisory Board.

Nakaiya Turk
Corporate Marketer & Youtuber
Nakaiya Turk is a corporate marketer & Youtuber with roots in Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating from Spelman in 2012 with a Mathematics degree, she began her professional career at Hewlett Packard Enterprise gaining expertise in data analytics and customer experience. In 2018, she enrolled at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School as a member of the MBA Class of 2020 receiving a full-tuition scholarship through the Consortium. Today, Nakaiya is a Marketing Manager at media powerhouse, Comcast, where she works on the strategy team helping to reach today’s cable and internet consumer.
As a passion project, she is also the host of Kandid Kaiya, a YouTube talk show that highlights millennial black women on their different pathways to success; nearly all of her videos feature Spelman graduates and other HBCU graduates. As a career activist, Nakaiya hopes to empower young black women to go after their dreams while providing them with the tips and skills necessary to WIN! Thus, not only is she a young woman trailblazing through corporate America, she is also a blossoming talk show host.
She is a member of National Black MBA-Atlanta, she serves as the Young Alumnae Chair for the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College Atlanta Chapter, and she volunteers at Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta where she helps to further instill confidence and courage into young girls who are already “strong, smart, and bold!”

LaToya Moore
North America Partnership Lead, Facebook
LaToya started her tech journey by way of Amazon where she worked for the Amazon Fashion org and was a key stakeholder in the launch of the exclusive, invite-only Amazon Luxury Experience. From Amazon she made her way over to FB where she is currently focused on the growth and scale of SMB’s through leading North American partnerships for eCommerce.
While “being black in FAANG” is a competency that LaToya is well versed in, her true passion and purpose is helping women of color elevate their lives and career by empowering them to leverage their super powers to maximize their growth and earning potential. Through her work with Her Tech Unicorn (a career mentorship club for WOC) LaToya uses the insights and learnings that she’s gained from her experiences in FAANG to educate her community on tips, tricks, and practical steps they can take to increase their chances of breaking into tech and securing a high paying job that they love.

Sequoia Ramsey
President & CEO, Realistic Computing Inc.
Coming Soon…

Shante Frazier
WellCapped
Shante has spent most of her career as a data analyst and holds her MBA from NYU Stern and BA in Economics from Spelman College. Prior to WellCapped, she worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers as a consumer markets consultant and has worked with companies such as Amazon, Wayfair, and Progressive Insurance.

Susan Akkad
Senior Vice President, Local and Cultural Innovation, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
Susan Akkad is the Senior Vice President, Local and Cultural Innovation for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In her position she collaborates with the ELC’s 25+ brands and across geographies to develop and expand product and commercial innovation relevancy with global skins and cultures color, and Ageless consumers.
Susan began her career in cosmetics at Estée Lauder International in the Public Relations department in 1986. She left the company to work with her husband in his start-up design firm in the fashion industry based in New York and Paris. After spending almost 10 years in fashion, she returned to cosmetics as a Marketing Director at Lancôme. She rejoined The Estée Lauder Companies in 1999 on the Clinique brand. She was Clinique’s Vice President of Global Treatment Marketing, a position she held for six years. Following Clinique, she became Vice President of Global Marketing at Origins. Prior to her current role, Susan was Senior Vice President of Global Communications and Artist Relations at MAC, overseeing communications strategy for MAC Cosmetics and the MAC AIDS Fund.
Susan is a frequent speaker on the subject of Cultural Marketing, Relevancy and Innovation at industry events as well as at universities and business schools including Harvard University, MIT Sloan School of Management, Columbia Business School, University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. Susan was a keynote speaker at the Conde Nast International Luxury Conference in 2019.Susan has been profiled in Vogue, Essence,Moreand Jones. She was the 2012 recipient of the Business Achievement Award from the Black Retail Action Group (BRAG)and named one of Black Enterprise Magazine’s Top Women Executives in Advertising & Marketing in 2013 and 2016. In 2015, Susan was recognized by WWD Beauty Inc as one of the 50 Most Influential in the Multicultural Beauty Market. In 2010 and 2017, she was named one of Ebony’s “Power 100”.
Susan is a native Virginian and grew up near Charlottesville. She holds her undergraduate degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. She is on the Board of Governors of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW)and on the Board of Trustees of the East Hampton Library. She lives in East Hampton with her husband and Italian Greyhound.

Oksana Malysheva
Investor, Entrepreneur and Business Executive
Oksana Malysheva is an investor, entrepreneur and business executive based in Austin, TX.
She champions the development of innovative, sustainable, world-changing companies. Committed to igniting and fueling social innovation solutions, Dr. Malysheva’s mission is creating positive social change through education, technology and innovation.
Dr. Malysheva previously held top strategic roles at McKinsey and Motorola. Trained as a PhD physicist, Dr. Malysheva brings scientific inquisitiveness, lateral thinking and mastery of insight through data to all of her business endeavors.
Twitter: @Oksana_ATX

Jumoke K. Dada
Technologist and Social Entrepreneur
Jumoke K. Dada is best described as a visionary and techie whose sweet spot lies at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, goodwill, and girl power.
As an experienced technologist and the principal of Signature RED, she provides technology consulting services to companies and creates tools for women with careers in technology. The Tech Women Network, an online platform for women with technical skills, and the annual HUE Tech Summit for women of color technologists are two of her creations. Presently, she serves as the project manager for the Making Space initiative and CyberBase to ensure that women and minorities are represented in the field of cybersecurity.
As an international speaker, Dada is passionate about empowering women and girls. Her mantra “No More Hidden Figures,” emphasizes her commitment to uplift, spotlight, and inspire those who work behind-the-scenes in STEM fields. She is a contributing writer for ForbesWomen where she covers diversity in tech. Additionally, her forthcoming podcast, Tech is Illmatic, will include music-infused stories about breaking into tech from other industries.
Over the years, she has been recognized in the media for her innovative ideas, leadership skills, and community involvement. Dada holds a B.S. in Computer & Information Sciences, along with real estate and scrum master certifications. She is set to pursue her M.S. in Cybersecurity part-time at Georgia Tech in Fall ‘21.
To learn more about her work, visit her portfolio site dadaverse.org or follow her on Twitter @jumokedada.
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Meet the
Founders

Esosa Ighodaro, Co-founder

Regina Gwynn, Co-founder
We have a unique understanding of the challenges Black women founders face and the advantages we bring in the industry. We’re here to identify, support and encourage Black women to build the next billion dollar business.
We’re unapologetic in our support because we believe Black is worth the investment. It’s time we are heard and seen because we know different perspectives bring new opportunities. We’re building community and profitable, scalable businesses for self-identified Black women in tech, together.
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