Black Tech Week, (BTW) returned Tuesday, connecting tech entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals to educational opportunities, resources, and to one another.
The conference has sparked the inspiration of many first time attendees, excited by the opportunity to meet and network with investors for their creative new tech ideas while learning the variety of speaker sessions.
Candice Matthews Brackeen, Organizer of Black Tech Week, aims to bring together some of the greatest innovators in technological industries.
“As Black people we’ve been inventing things for a long time, we been entrepreneurs for a long time,” said Mrs. Matthews Brackeen. “We just want to make sure they all convene in the same space; they build community, they build network, and they do business together.”
Brackeen couldn’t sleep the night before the conference began and says this whole week feels a “Christmas” morning. She’s lays out some of the fascinating sessions she’s most excited about during the week ahead.
“There’s an AI rap battle happening, I’m super exited about that,” Brackeen says. “We’ve got a business development day where we’ve got 17 corporations meeting with start ups,” she added.
Cincinnati is currently playing host to Black Tech Week, where the annual event is headquartered. The week-long conference runs July 18th – July 20th with over 3,000 attendees, over 100 speakers, and over 50 workshops, along with curated content across the venue
There is an intentional focus on ensuring Black people lead and captivate this industry. The Keynote Speaker for this year’s BTW is Issa Rae, writer, producer, entrepreneur and founder of HOORAE.
Best known for her groundbreaking work as the creator and star of the hit HBO series “Insecure,” Issa Rae is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Rae is also committed to supporting and amplifying Black and female voices in the tech and media space.
