Retail giant Target has been on a decline for years, largely due to its strategic mistakes. This ranges from competition to customers scaling back spending due to concerns about the impact of tariffs and the state of the economy.

However, the tipping point was the organization’s inability to recover from boycotts and backlash following its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The situation reached a head as CEO Brian Cornell will step down in a bid to revive the company's fortunes.

Let’s dive in

Top Stories 📰

Story 1: Target replaces CEO as sales continue to drop amid DEI boycott.

Story 2: Stephen Curry inks multi-year health tech deal with Google.

Story 3: Ex-Facebook employees land $25M funding for Casap’s AI-driven fraud platform.

Hot News 🔥

1. YC-backed Garage secures $13.5M to revolutionize firefighter equipment access.

2. Mom-led Nara Organics is changing baby formula for good.

3. SRE.ai Inc., a startup using artificial intelligence to enhance the productivity of software teams, has emerged from stealth with $7.2 million in initial funding.

4. Confido raises $20 million to build an AI operating system for retail brands.

5. RenderATL earns a spot in the top 6 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 List.

   Opportunities - Accelerators/Funding, Events.💼 

Grants💰

• $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:

• $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 NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant aims to empower Black entrepreneurs and businesses through funding and resources.📅 Apply by November 1, 2025

• 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 Fall 2025 Batch funding cycle, which will occur from October to November 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.

• 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 receive up to $150k, regardless of when they apply.

Events🎟️

Get in a room with this exclusive network of C-suite product leaders to network with your peers, discuss common challenges, and absorb industry insights to pave the way for future innovation.

Date: Sep. 3, 2025

Location: San Francisco, CA

Join thousands of global technical leaders, engineers, software architects, and executives at the world’s largest and longest-running API & microservices event – in its 12th year!

Date: Sep. 3-5, 2025

Location: Santa Clara, CA

CloudX 2025 is the premiere international cloud computing conference, where 3,500+ cloud engineers & developers, IT managers, entrepreneurs, and innovators will converge to discover this year’s newest cloud computing innovations!

Date: Sep. 3-5, 2025

Location: Santa Clara, CA

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