Daniel Savage

It's coming!!! You're invited to our upcoming Black AI Think Tank Live event, Thursday April 25th 7:00pm EST here on Linkedin Audio as well as Clubhouse. Have you wondered about where to start in AI, and why people are talking about a trillion dollar world changing impact? This powerful gathering brings together bright minds interested in leveraging AI technologies to drive meaningful change. For our next session, we'll be diving into the strategies (resources) and best practices for launching successful AI initiatives, building momentum and support, and ensuring long-term sustainability. We've invited some of the top AI practitioners and thought leaders including Founder CEO at Latimer - John Pasmore, AI 2030 Global Fellow, AI Strategy - Kate Carter, MSc, MALM, Founder, CEO ChatBlackGPT™- Erin Reddick, Chief AI Officer, AI Leadership Institute - Noelle Russell (Microsoft MVP, AI), CEO The American Way - Toni Hunt, Founder @f3 Ventures, Product @ Google - Lekan Bashua, Creative Futurist, AI Specialist - Will Hatcher, Founder and Principal Consultant - Aprelle Duany, and Network Engineer/Consultant 2x TedX - LeRon Barton. The Black AI Think Tank ecosystem, transformed from Dec 2022 ChatGPT for Beginners (over 7.6.k), now includes over a thousand individuals, from new AI enthusiasts to MIT professors, across platforms, spotlighting the intersection of innovation and inclusivity. We'll see you there! (Remember to join our list at BlackAIHub) #ai #hbcus #ChatGPT #Latimerai #ChatBlackGPT #BlackMetaverse #BlackWomenAI #Entrepreneurship #BlackInAI BlackAIHub BlackGPTs www.HireBlack https://lnkd.in/ek-q6ZwP

9

2 Comments

Excited to announce I’ll be hosting Afrotech’s Cybersecurity Main Stage! 🚀 AfroTech is the world’s largest Black tech conference, expecting 30K attendees this year, where culture, innovation, and technology collide. The Cybersecurity Stage is committed to exploring innovative strategies across AI, Machine Learning, IoT, Security, Governance, and Supply Chain Resilience. Expect demos and insights from top CEOs, CISOs, researchers, and experts! ✔️ Running a startup or small business that needs protection? Learn from the best! ✔️ Want to see firsthand how AI is transforming the future of cybersecurity? Don’t miss out. ✔️ Ready to break into the fast-growing world of cybersecurity? This is your chance! ✔️ Looking to up-skill and take your career to the next level? We’ve got you covered. Follow noHack to see how we can help you take your cybersecurity to the next level! 💻🔒 #AfroTech #noHack

1,227

49 Comments

Did you know that in 2023, Black founders in the US received only 0.48% of all venture capital funding? Why is that? Often, it’s not a lack of talent or good ideas—it’s a lack of exposure to the business landscape that makes securing those dollars nearly impossible. It’s also about limited access to the networks and gatekeepers who control these resources, which ends up stifling the growth of our “Good Ideas.” But here’s the truth: we are capable of building world-changing brands and creating meaningful impact. What we need is the support of those who understand and believe in our vision for stronger communities. That’s why I’m calling on my community to step up and become our Venture Capital! 🙌 Over the next few weeks, let’s become the change we want to see. Let’s fund, share, and support initiatives that prioritize moms and children—because that’s how we build the future we envision. Together, we can push this idea forward and bring new platforms, apps, and schools to life that nurture the next generation. Are you with me? Let’s make this a reality! 🔥 #CommunityCapital #SupportBlackFounders #Changemakers

8

How can black tech professionals build resilience when dealing with challenges like imposter syndrome or career stagnation and maintain confidence in their abilities? Here is my take on it and a short clip from my panel discussion "Surviving and Thriving in Tech: Overcoming Career Roadblocks," at #Bfutr2024 • Imposter syndrome originated in the late 1970s when psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes found that high-achieving women felt like frauds, attributing their success to luck rather than skill. • Over time, this concept has evolved to disproportionately affect marginalized groups, such as women and people of color, who often don’t see themselves represented in leadership roles. Rather than being a personal flaw, imposter syndrome reflects systemic barriers and biases that make individuals feel they don’t belong. • Feeling like an imposter can often mean you’re stretching beyond your comfort zone and entering a period of learning and progress, which isn’t inherently negative. Understanding this can help separate your self-worth from biases or cultural challenges in your work environment. It can be viewed as a natural phase of professional growth or as a reflection of high standards, rather than a "syndrome" to fix. This is something I have had to come to terms with throughout my career where most times I have been the only or one of the few black leaders on a team. • Resilience, in my view, is about acknowledging external influences while affirming your abilities. By focusing on personal development and finding workplace allies, you can thrive without letting imposter syndrome define you. Shifting this mindset can help you be more grounded in and focused on the growth aspect as opposed to the fear that results from focusing on one’s inadequacy. To build resilience in the face of imposter syndrome and career stagnation, I recommend focusing on: 1. Recognize external factors: Acknowledge that feelings of self-doubt are often driven by biases or a lack of representation, not a lack of competence. This helps separate your self-worth from the systemic challenges around you. 2. Focus on strengths and growth: Keep a record of your achievements and successes—no matter how small. This reminds you of the value you bring. Embrace a growth mindset, seeing challenges as opportunities to learn, and view discomfort as part of expanding your skills. Staying loyal to your goals and what you want out of you career regardless of the environment because these can change. 3. Seek supportive environments: Surround yourself with mentors, allies, and communities that reflect and support your growth. Inclusive environments where leaders actively support diverse talents can help combat feelings of inadequacy and build your confidence over time.

31

2 Comments

The Future of Black Wealth Starts Now—Are You Ready to Lead the Change?" 🚀 Introducing Resegregation GPT: The Blueprint for Economic Freedom 🌍 https://lnkd.in/gZiuTShh We are entering a new era of Black economic empowerment, and Resegregation GPT is the tool that’s going to help us get there! This revolutionary AI is designed to empower Black communities to gain control over key industries, build thriving businesses, and secure generational wealth. 🏦💼💡 Whether you’re an entrepreneur, community leader, or simply passionate about creating change, Resegregation GPT is your partner in shaping the future. With powerful insights into tech, finance, sustainability, and more, this AI is your personal guide to economic independence. Ready to take control of your future? Use Resegregation GPT to start building wealth and reshaping your community today! Click the link to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gZiuTShh 🌱✨ This isn’t just about today. It’s about creating a legacy. It’s about reshaping the future. 🔗 Get Started with Resegregation GPT now: https://lnkd.in/gZiuTShh #BlackWealth #EconomicFreedom #Resegregation #PowerMatrix #BlackExcellence #GenerationalWealth #BlackBusiness #Innovation #AIRevolution

3

The Google for Startups Founders Fund is back for the fifth year and is funding 20 Black and Latine AI companies in the US. The fund first launched as part of Google’s $175 million commitment towards racial equity: - Akeptus (Glenwood, MD) provides a smart home energy management system that helps homeowners optimize their energy usage and reduce costs. - Beta Financial Services (Chicago, IL) removes bias in financial services through tools like BetaScore, a proprietary credit model designed to help SMBs obtain loans. - Bountiful (San Francisco, CA) helps farmers and food industry professionals with forecasts and critical insights for speciality crops. - Cambio AI  (New York, NY) provides software that helps commercial landlords and corporate tenants reach their net zero goals by decarbonizing their facilities. - EdVisorly (Los Angeles, CA) helps community college students explore and apply to public and private universities. - Elis (Pound Ridge, NY) helps product and marketing teams efficiently collect rich insights from their customers via interviews. - HacWare (Frisco, TX) helps businesses combat phishing attacks through experiential learning. - Hire Henry (St Louis, MO) develops industrial robotic mowers for large greenspaces. - Hue. (Boston, MA) helps brands source and integrates authentic customer testimonials on their marketing channels. - Improving Aviation (Tampa, FL) provides AI and emerging vehicle technologies to enhance public safety, aviation and wildfire management operations. - InOrbit.AI, (Mountain View, CA) helps developers and operators virtually manage and scale their robotics fleets. - JustAir (Detroit, MI) equips community leaders with health and environmental insights through air quality monitoring networks. - Maverick (San Francisco, CA) helps ecommerce stores create personalized customer experiences with generative AI. - Pagedip (Boulder, CO) is a no-code content publishing app that helps teams work more effectively and efficiently. - Raincoat (San Juan, PR) provides governments, financial institutions and insurers with automated and scalable climate insurance tools. - Sensagrate (Scottsdale, AZ) aims to reduce traffic and decrease traffic related fatalities with cutting edge computer vision and AI solutions. - Sortile (New York, NY) is a waste management system that uses AI to identify, sort and trace textiles. - TackleAI (Schaumburg, IL) turns unstructured documents and datasets into intelligible and immediately accessible data. - Trustible (Arlington, VA) helps companies surface hidden AI risks, check compliance requirements and accelerate responsible AI development. - Waterplan (YC S21) (San Francisco, CA) is a water sustainability platform which helps organizations gather, report and act on water related risks. #startups #entrepreneurship #google #diversity #tech https://lnkd.in/gHUWVF_3

20

Starting a business? Read below for top tips!

6

There are 5 organizations every top venture-backed startup knows about for government contracting… That most small businesses don’t. Want them? Here they are...👇🏻 NSIN: Top startups engage with NSIN (National Security Innovation Network) to tackle defense challenges and get direct access to government contracts. Most small businesses? They’ve never heard of it. DIU: The Defense Innovation Unit is a go-to for ventures looking to quickly transition commercial tech into national defense solutions. Most small businesses? They stick to traditional government procurement paths. DEFENSEWERX (SOFWERX): Top startups collaborate with DEFENSEWERX to develop creative and integrated solutions for DoD and government customers. Most small businesses? They don’t know how to break into the specialized defense market. AFWERX: Startups thrive with AFWERX’s innovation challenges and secure funding through SBIR/STTR programs. Most small businesses? They haven’t tapped into these federal funding sources. SPACEWERX: Space-focused ventures collaborate with SPACEWERX to align commercial space tech with national security needs. Most small businesses? They overlook the space defense market entirely. So remember… You’re working hard to scale your business. Take advantage of these organizations that can help you break into government contracting and fuel your growth. Want more insights like these? Meet me at https://buff.ly/3TfBiNE Drop your questions in the comments.Entrepreneurship innovation technology sales business startup government

20

4 Comments

Running a business requires capital. Here are funding opportunities for the least funded, Black Founders. Check out the list and let me know if you want help writing the application or want a 20-minute session to manage the stress of being a founder. I’ve got you!

3

Joshua Frank is facilitating a workshop called Methods for Communicating Your Past Performance to Accelerate Government Sales (2024 Update) for GOVOLOGY (Waypoint America) on July 16th @ 1 EST. If you’re looking for tactics and strategies to position and communicate your company’s past performance, this course will change how you market, communicate, and differentiate your products and services. In this educational, fast-paced, and high-energy course, Mr. Frank will review how most companies market their “experience” and past performance with moderate success and little to no differentiation. Then, he will share several real-world examples where you will learn to map the value for each of your contracts and then “bridge” them to improve market position and increase your company’s perceived maturity. Whether you are an entrepreneur, small or large business, targeting the public or private sector, this course will open your eyes to how you can more strongly market your company and the products or services you sell. This training provides award-winning tactics and strategies that have directly helped companies win more than $13.5 billion in definitive contracts and more than $30 billion in multiple-award contracts. Managing Partner at RSM Federal, Mr. Frank is the author of multiple Amazon bestsellers, including An Insider’s Guide To Winning Government Contracts – Real World Strategies, Lessons, and Recommendations, Game Changers for Government Contractors, and The Government Sales Manual. Mr. Frank has been honored with SBA’s award for Veteran Business of the Year, Industry Small Business Advocate of the Year by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), and in 2021, Mr. Frank was inducted into the Government Sales Hall of Fame with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. Target Audience: Small business owners, marketing, sales, and proposal professionals You can register here: https://lnkd.in/ez2ZC3Ft If you are an RSM Federal client, please email me for a discount code.

24

2 Comments

Let's talk about funding equity! Google's recent move is a step in the right direction. Google is granting 20 Black and Latino founders who are using AI to make a difference. More of this.... https://lnkd.in/gmvsZufN #startuplife #diversityintech #goodnews

10

🌟 Kicking Off a Campaign of Learning: Federal Technology Symposium Lessons Learned Phase 🌟 As we embark on this new phase of capturing the critical action steps from the NCMBC / DEFTECH Federal Technology Symposium, I'm excited to highlight our first focus: Defensive Information to Counter Everything (D*I*C*E). The brilliant Ray Semko, known as "The D*I*C*E Man," delivered a powerful presentation during the DEFTECH Coffee Call on July 19, 2024. Ray emphasized safeguarding our most critical assets—information and innovation. Ray’s message was clear: in a world where threats are ever-evolving, our defensive strategies must be equally dynamic, resilient, and relentless. Drawing inspiration from "The Entrepreneur’s Guide to the Art of War," we are reminded that strategy is everything on the battlefield of innovation. As Sun Tzu taught the art of war centuries ago, today's entrepreneurs and innovators must master the art of defense. Whether protecting intellectual property, countering cyber threats, or fortifying our technological edge, every move must be deliberate, calculated, and focused on long-term success. Key takeaways from Ray's D*I*C*E framework include: 🔸 Defensive Posture: Always be prepared. Anticipate threats before they emerge, and position yourself to neutralize them precisely. 🔸 Information Security: Protecting your information is protecting your power. Information is a currency that must be fiercely guarded in the digital age. 🔸 Collaboration: Victory comes through alliances. Strengthen ties with those who share your mission and can contribute to your defense. 🔸 Evolving Tactics: The battlefield is constantly changing. Adaptability and continuous learning are your greatest assets in staying ahead of adversaries. Let’s commit to integrating these principles into our daily operations as we move forward. Our success in securing national innovation depends on our collective vigilance, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to defense. Join me in this campaign of learning, and let’s ensure that our innovations are not just groundbreaking—but also invincible. 💪 Share your takeaways below in the comments. #Innovation #Defense #NationalSecurity #LearningCampaign #TechProtect Ray Semko, The DICE Man Laura Rodgers Chris Schmidt North Carolina Military Business Center

6

1 Comment

Building a tech-enabled company comes with a mix of different challenges, emotions, and intricacies. I embarked on the journey to innovate in the creative industry 445 days ago. A journey I knew there was no turning back from. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and nights felt like a thousand years. I met some amazing people along the way, learned some hard lessons, got beaten down, felt alone, and became stronger than ever. I burnt the midnight oil with my head constantly searching for solutions with so much conviction that one existed. Good news, We found it! Growth comes with pain, and I felt every bit of it. It’s a humbling experience, and I wish everyone gets to feel it at some point. Design Launchpad first phase is live at www.designlaunchpad.co, and now you get the opportunity to learn design from the best African Designers in the world and connect with designers right from your own comfort. We moved mountains to make this a reality. The Cherry on Top: We created three learning tiers for you so you can grow without worrying about the learning complexities of the design industry. Ready to get started Visit www.designlaunchpad.co today!

12

2 Comments

I always do experiments to try to solve problems. Here is one of them. I quit drinking for 10 months to try and solve the fact that receiving VC funding is hard, here’s what I found: A preface. I, like many other Black founders, face racism in the venture capital arena. I’ve been successful in securing over $1.3M in angel investments throughout my career. But when it comes to one specific group — venture capitalists — I’ve never been successful. As such, I wanted to really solve the problem and I thought maybe I’m not sharp when I’m in those meetings on a Monday morning or early in the week after a weekend of drinking. I thought perhaps I was defaulting to some mode that was not getting the message across to the funds and VCs I was meeting. So I quit drinking to have a “clear” mind when I’m in those meetings, respond fast, and just be more agile. The findings. After 10 months of not drinking, I was still not successful. This is what I learned: 1️⃣ Don’t try to change yourself to fit in a box: While I was successful at receiving angel investments, they were inconsistent and spread out throughout months, sometimes years. So I put my foot down to focus on venture capitalists for a larger raise in a set amount of time, so I can truly get back to building. Bad move. 2️⃣ You become less resourceful while not paying attention to the things and people next to you: Focusing on VCs dampened my ingenuity. I wasn’t building new relationships that were phenomenal (sorry if we met during this period and you’re reading this! We’ll commensurate soon.). Relationships matter. 3️⃣ What Black founders are experiencing is racism, not a lack of business knowledge: Black founders tend to want to work 10x harder. Doing this leads to unintended, oftentimes, negative, consequences, like warped views about people. Just chill. I hope this helps you avoid some of the pitfalls I experienced while pursuing venture capital. If this resonates with you, share it with other fellow Black founders.

26

2 Comments

Black founders are leading the way in reshaping the AI landscape with tailored ChatGPTs for a more personalized experience, addressing the lack of cultural nuance in mainstream AI models. Latimer.AI and ChatBlackGPT are championing answers that resonate with Black and brown communities, while Spark Plug in Canada and innovative African models cater to diverse languages and dialects often overlooked by Western AI. Tamar Huggins emphasizes the importance of owning systems for data integrity in this evolving space. Pocstock's diversity data efforts and visual tagging system are driving inclusivity in imaging by training AI models with culturally accurate data, combating bias issues. The future of AI hinges on personalization, paving the way for enhanced understanding and inclusivity in the digital realm. #AI #DiversityandInclusion #Innovation #Tech #BlackFounders #PersonalizedAI

6

"Rahim, in one sentence, tell Black people why they should lean into AI and begin building their own Custom GPTs." Rahim is one of my content writers at BIA. Rahim is also a custom GPT. I've trained Rahim with a small library of KB and BIA authored content. As a result, Rahim often sounds more like me...than me. According to McKinsey, the introduction of generative AI is set to explode the racial economic gap by $43 billion per year if the current disparities hold. But if we're able to early onboard Black communities to AI technologies, we’ve countless paths to closing the gap.   AI is here. More emergent tech is coming. We either help our folks navigate the future, or we're going to (once again) get steamrolled by it. On a lighter note, have you named your custom GPT? If so, give them a shout out in the comments. Custom Chat GPTs out here changing lives. Black Innovation Alliance

45

18 Comments