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6 Black Entrepreneurs who are changing the game

Over the past few decades, black entrepreneurs have been making their mark in the business world. 

Despite facing systemic racism and a lack of access to funding and resources, they have persevered and shown remarkable resilience. 

This article has listed the six black entrepreneurs who are changing the game in their respective industries, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps, and they are as follows:

6 Black Entrepreneurs

Tristan Walker

Tristan Walker is the founder and CEO of Walker & Company, which creates grooming products for people of colour. The idea for the company came from Walker's personal experiences with finding suitable grooming products that worked for his skin and hair type. Walker realised that there was a gap in the market for products that catered to the needs of people of colour, and he set out to fill that gap.

Walker's journey to entrepreneurship was a challenging one. He grew up in Queens, New York, and was raised by a single mother who worked multiple jobs to support the family. Despite the challenges he faced, Walker was determined to succeed. He attended Stanford University and later worked at several high-profile tech companies, including Twitter and Foursquare.

In 2013, Walker founded Walker & Company to create a brand that would serve the needs of people of colour. The company's flagship product, Bevel, is a line of grooming products specifically designed for men with coarse or curly hair. The line includes razors, shaving cream, and aftershave, among other products.

Since launching Bevel, Walker & Company has expanded its product line to include other grooming products, such as shampoo and conditioner. It has even launched a line of hair care products for women. The company has received funding from high-profile investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Upfront Ventures.

Jessica Matthews

Jessica Matthews is the founder and CEO of Uncharted Power, a company that creates renewable energy solutions for needy communities. The idea for the company came from Matthews' experiences growing up in Nigeria, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges people faced in accessing reliable and affordable electricity.

Matthews' journey to entrepreneurship began when she was a student at Harvard University. She invented the SOCCKET, a soccer ball that generates electricity when kicked around. The invention won numerous awards, leading to Matthews being named one of Time Magazine's "30 People Under 30 Changing the World."

In 2011, Matthews founded Uncharted Power to create sustainable and affordable energy solutions for communities worldwide. The company's products include energy-generating soccer balls, jump ropes, and pavement tiles.

Since launching Uncharted Power, Matthews has received numerous accolades for her work, including being named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list and one of Fortune Magazine's "Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs." The company has received funding from several high-profile investors, including Bill Gates.

Dawn Dickson

Dawn Dickson is the founder and CEO of PopCom, a company that creates vending machines that use facial recognition and artificial intelligence to personalise the customer experience. The idea for the company came from Dickson's background as an entrepreneur trying to sell her own products at events and trade shows. She realised that the traditional vending machine model must be updated and disrupted.

Dickson's journey to entrepreneurship began when she started her own footwear company. She quickly realised that the retail industry was ripe for innovation and set out to create a new model for selling products. In 2013, she founded Flat Out of Heels, a company that makes rollable flats for women.

In 2017, Dickson founded PopCom to revolutionise the vending machine industry. The company's machines use facial recognition and artificial intelligence to personalise the customer experience, allowing customers to purchase products quickly and easily. PopCom's machines are also equipped with software that allows for real-time data collection and analysis, giving businesses valuable insights into customer behaviour.

Since launching PopCom, Dickson has received numerous awards and accolades for her work. She was named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in 2018 and was featured in the Netflix documentary "She Did That." PopCom has also received funding from several high-profile investors, including Serena Williams.

Jewel Burks

Jewel Burks is the founder and CEO of Partpic, which created visual recognition technology for identifying industrial parts. The idea for the company came from Burks' experiences working in the tech industry and realising that there was a need for better solutions for identifying and ordering industrial parts.

Burks' journey to entrepreneurship began when she worked at Google as a startup advocate, helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses. In 2013, she founded Partpic to create a visual search technology that could identify industrial parts. The technology allows customers to take a picture of a part and find an exact match, reducing the time and cost of ordering parts.

In 2016, Partpic was acquired by Amazon, making Burks one of the few black women to sell a tech company to a major corporation. After the acquisition, Burks remained at Amazon for two years before leaving to start her investment firm, Collab Capital, which focuses on investing in black entrepreneurs.

Burks has received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including being named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list and featured in the HBO documentary "Black Women in Tech." She is also a founding member of the Google for Entrepreneurs Exchange Program for Black Founders.

Brian Brackeen

Brian Brackeen is the founder and CEO of Kairos, a company that creates facial recognition technology for businesses. The idea for the company came from Brackeen's experiences working in the tech industry and realising that there was a need for better facial recognition technology that was unbiased and accurate.

Brackeen's journey to entrepreneurship began when he worked as a software engineer at IBM. In 2011, he founded Kairos to create facial recognition technology businesses could use to improve customer experiences and security.

Several high-profile companies, including Verizon and Airbnb, use Kairos' technology. The company has also received funding from several investors, including SoftBank and Kapor Capital.

Brackeen has been recognised for his work in the tech industry, including being named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list and featured in the documentary "Black in America: The New Promised Land - Silicon Valley." He also advocates for diversity in the tech industry and has spoken out against biased facial recognition technology.

Kesha Cash

Kesha Cash is the founder and general partner of Impact America Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in companies creating positive social and environmental impact. The idea for the firm came from Cash's experiences working in finance and realising that there was a need for more diverse and inclusive investment strategies.

Cash's journey to entrepreneurship began when she worked as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. In 2013, she founded Impact America Fund to invest in companies creating positive social and environmental impact, particularly those founded by underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Since launching Impact America Fund, Cash has invested in several high-profile companies, including Blavity and Mayvenn. She has also received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including being named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list and featured in the documentary "She Did That."

In addition to her work at Impact America Fund, Cash is also a board member of several organisations, including the Center for Economic Inclusion and the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

These six black entrepreneurs are changing the game in their respective industries, and their success inspires aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds. 

They have overcome numerous obstacles and challenges to achieve their goals, and their stories highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion in the business world.

These black entrepreneurs are not only changing the game in their respective industries, but they are also paving the way for future generations of entrepreneurs. 

Their stories remind us that anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can succeed if willing to work hard and persevere through challenges.

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