Hello There!

As Black History Month comes to a close, UrbanGeekz is honoring 10 under-celebrated pioneers whose breakthroughs helped shape the modern world.

Discover the scientists and inventors whose work continues to influence how we live, communicate, and navigate the world today.

Now let’s dive into the rest of this week’s top stories, insights, and opportunities.

Top Stories 📰

Story 1: 10 Black STEM Pioneers Who Changed the World (and Don’t Get Enough Credit).

Story 2: 10 Black Streamers Powering the Creator Economy — and Building Real Wealth.

Story 3: 5 Black Couples Building Businesses, Wealth, and Legacy Together.

Story 4: Lagos Tech Fest 2026 puts Nigeria’s Innovation Drive on the global stage, and our reporter was on the ground to cover it. Read the review.

Hot News 🔥

1. Last year, one of the newly minted entrepreneurs to make the Forbes billionaire list was Herriot Tabuteau, a little-known figure. We wrote a spotlight about him.

2. Here’s a deep dive into the brand partnerships that define Bad Bunny’s massive commercial footprint.

3. Fearless Fund has officially expanded into Ghana with a new Microfinance Fund and a national pitch competition offering GHS100,000 to women entrepreneurs.

4. Reload has raised $2.275 million and launched Epic, its first AI-native product designed to help organizations manage and retain memory across AI agents.

5. Nigeria is gearing up to launch a $250 million AI-ready data centre in Lagos later this year, designed to support modern AI workloads and boost the country’s digital infrastructure and data sovereignty.

6. SpendRule, an AI-powered platform, has secured $2 million after emerging from stealth to help healthcare systems track their spending. 

7. Jack Dorsey is testing a new offline messaging app called Bitchat, built to let people chat without mobile signals or internet

Opportunities - Accelerators/Funding, Events.

Grants💰

1. $8M Investment | Energy access organisations in ODA-eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region, and Latin America can apply for a share of up to £7 million across the three strands of the competition.

2. $150K Investment | The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation aims to identify social entrepreneurs with dynamic ideas and nurture them in their early stages with maximum leverage and total commitment.  🗓️ Application on a rolling basis:

3. $155K | The Da Vinci Fellowship offers an equity-free grant of €150 000 per fellow to young, contrarian Europeans. 🗓️ Application on a rolling basis

4. $100K | The Thiel Fellowship is a two-year program for young people who want to build new things. Fellows receive a $100,000 grant and support from the Thiel Foundation’s network of founders, investors, and scientists. 🗓️ Application on a rolling basis:

5. 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:

6. 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 💼

1. Y Combinator is accepting applications for the Spring 2026 Batch funding cycle, which will occur from April to June in San Francisco.

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

3. Square One’s remote-first pre-accelerator has helped 70+ founders move from idea to traction—raising capital, securing early customers, and continuing to build beyond the program.

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

5. 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.

6. Peachscore + Dealum hosts 12 cohorts annually, offering startup founders the flexibility to join immediately upon acceptance and receive up to $150k, regardless of when they apply.

7. The two-year Activate Fellowship provides early-stage science entrepreneurs with funding, technical resources, and unparalleled support from a network of scientists, engineers, investors, commercial partners, and fellow entrepreneurs. 

8. Forum Ventures' accelerator helps SaaS and AI startups grow with pre-seed funding, mentorship, and expert guidance.

Events🎟️

Curator Summit by Eventnoire brings together curators, digital creators, experiential marketers, and event producers looking to scale their businesses and build unforgettable cultural experiences. From expert panels and fireside chats to networking and actionable insights on brand partnerships, this summit helps creators maximize visibility, secure sponsorships, and grow within the experience economy.

Date: 28 February 2026

Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) 2026 brings together women, allies, employers, and industry leaders committed to advancing diversity in cybersecurity. Expect career fairs, mentorship opportunities, and conversations focused on retention and representation in tech.

If you're passionate about building a more inclusive cybersecurity workforce, this is a must-attend.

Date: 11–14 March 2026

Location: National Harbor, Maryland, USA

The 5th Annual African Film Festival Atlanta, powered by the African Film & Arts Foundation Inc., is returning for another powerful celebration of African and diaspora storytelling, creativity, and culture.

Join filmmakers, creatives, and audiences from around the world for screenings, conversations, and unforgettable community experiences.

Stay tuned for program announcements, featured films, and special events.

For the latest updates and announcements, follow us on social media @africanfilmfestatl or visit our website www.africanfilmfestatl.com

March 26-30, 2026

Location: Various locations around ATL (TBA)

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.

Enjoy our newsletter? Share it with your network and sign up here to stay informed about the latest in tech, business, and innovation.  Until next time, keep hustling and making those geeky dreams come true!

If you're interested in sponsoring our newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected] with ‘Geekz Insider’ in the subject box!

Written by Stephen Oluwadara and produced by Gugu Nxumalo