Hello Geekz Insider.

Bowie State University has received funding for a four-year project aimed at increasing the number of doctoral faculty members at the public historically black university.  

Let’s dive deeper.

Top Stories 📰

Story 1: Bowie State University receives $2.2 million grant to increase doctoral faculty

Story 2: Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation donates $100K grant to Texas Southern’s Marching Band

Story 3: Female-led AI learning platform Praxis Labs has been acquired by Torch

Hot News 🔥

1. Howard University and Google Research release data to help AI developers improve the experience of African Americans using automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology.

2. Inside Elizabeth and Minnie, the Publishers Taking Diverse Stories to the Screen  

3. Market Intelligence startup Rwazi raises $12M to enable global consumer insights.

4. British Business Bank Announces $540M Fund for an Inclusive VC Future in the UK.

5. Kenyan BuuPass Secures Investment from Yango Ventures’ $20M Africa-focused Fund.

   Opportunities - Accelerators/Funding, Events.💼 

Grants💰

• $150K Investment | Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation aims to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic ideas and nurture them at the early stages with maximum leverage and total commitment. 🗓️ Apply on a rolling basis:

• $50K | Apply now for the AT&T Small Business Contest for a chance to win $50,000 and the support of a growing community of over 20 athletes and entrepreneurs! 🗓️ Apply by 9/30

• $25K | The Power Forward Small Business Grant program by NAACP X Boston Celtics aims to create a lasting impact through the economic empowerment of Black-owned small businesses across New England.🗓️ Application on a rolling basis

• $25K | National recognition and cash prize for U.S.-based small businesses, with the top business standing a chance to win $25,000 and an opportunity to meet Daymond John 🗓️ Apply by 7/25

• Up to $15K | The Catalyst Fund by The Roddenberry Foundation makes grants between $2.5k - $15k to anyone with an early-stage idea or project that addresses pressing global challenges 🗓️ Apply on a rolling basis:

• Up to $10K | Each qualifying nonprofit has access to up to $10,000 per month in search ads shown on Google.com. Additional Google Ads may be purchased in a separate account. 🗓️ Apply on a rolling basis: 

  Accelerators 🚀

• Y Combinator is accepting applications for the Summer 2025 Batch funding cycle, which will take place from January to March in San Francisco.

• Techstars Accelerator provides funding, mentorship, hands-on training, and access to Techstars' global network of VC investors, corporate partners, and alumni founders.

• The Propellant Labs is a startup accelerator offering different programs to help entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses.

• FoundersBoost, a global pre-accelerator program, is an equity-free opportunity to take your business to the next level. 

• Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator® invests in up to ten companies per year (two cohorts of five) focused on fintech, insuretech, digital health, and data analytics.

• Peachscore + Dealum hosts 12 cohorts annually, offering startup founders the flexibility to join immediately upon acceptance and get up to $150k, no matter when they apply.

Events 🎟️

TECHSPO San Francisco 2025 is a dynamic two-day technology expo bringing together developers, brands, marketers, designers, and innovators. With a focus on Internet, Mobile, AdTech, MarTech, and SaaS, it showcases next-gen tech through exhibitors, demos, and networking opportunities co-located with the DigiMarCon Northern California Digital Marketing Conference for added depth.

Location:
San Francisco, United States

Date:
July 21–22, 2025

AfroTech is having its signature “The Meetup” series, popping up in key cities to fuel connections and innovation among Black professionals in tech. The meetup in Detroit is on July 26, where culture and creativity will take centre stage. Then, on August 8, the series heads west to San Francisco, gathering the community for conversations around next-gen tech and creative collaboration. Each event promises vibrant energy, invaluable connections, and a chance to tap into AfroTech’s dynamic network. Don’t miss out on being part of the movement shaping the future of tech and culture!

Thank you for joining us in this edition of Geekz Insider. We hope that our shared stories and opportunities will ignite your career goals and entrepreneurial spirit, fueling your drive to innovate. From dynamic founders to transformative AI programs and life-changing grants, there’s something here to inspire everyone.

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Written by Stephen Oluwadara and produced by Gugu Nxumalo