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Summer Lee wins again SEE PAGE A2
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 115 No. 17 Two Sections
APRIL 24-30, 2024
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Black Tech Nation Ventures wants to jumpstart Black-owned tech startups Congresswoman Lee, others to tech industry: ‘Don’t leave Blacks behind’ by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
In 2022, one percent— that's right, just one percent of all venture capital funds in the U.S. were allotted to Black tech founders, according to a study by the information-based company Crunchbase. But at least in Pittsburgh, there is a venture capital firm that specializes in helping to fund Black and diverse tech startups—Black Tech Nation Ventures, spearheaded by Kelauni Jasmyn, David Motley and Sean Sebastian. The for-profit VC firm had about $50 million of which to invest, thanks to companies like Bank of America, Mark Cuban, Alphabet and First National Bank. And so far, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned, some 11 startups have received funding from Black Tech Nation Ventures across the country, including its first startup it funded, BlendEd, based in Cleveland. BlendEd was founded by David Boone
and Jeff McLellan, and BlendEd's mission is to allow community colleges to have the same level of access to digitizing syllabi prep, course planning and course content as the larger universities have. Daniela Osio, founder of Kloopify, is the only Pittsburgh-based diverse startup to receive funding from Black Tech Nation Ventures, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report in March. Funding has also been provided to startups in other cities like Hive Wealth, BrightUp, Emtech, and Goodfynd. Black Tech Nation is a separate entity from Black Tech Nation Ventures. Black Tech Nation is the non-profit organization Jasmyn founded in 2018 that brings together African Americans interested and/or involved in the technology industry. On Feb. 22, Black Tech Nation presented an economic empowerment foSEE BLACK TECH A3
SEAN SEBASTIAN, KELAUNI JASMYN AND DAVID MOTLEY ARE THE FORCES BEHIND BLACK TECH NATION VENTURES.
Black-owned eateries to get big exposure in ‘Wing & Mac Smackdown’ Event is Saturday, April 27, in the Hill District by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
In 2021, many people in the Pittsburgh area and beyond were battling COVID-19. Pittsburgh native Keesha Marcelle Bennett was battling breast cancer. Getting that diagnosis wasn't exactly the plan Bennett set for herself after moving back to Pittsburgh from Philadelphia with her husband, Tyrell
BRIANA L. WHITE, FOUNDER OF THE “WING & MAC SMACKDOWN” SERIES.
Bennett. But she told the New Pittsburgh Courier that through it all, she and her husband stuck with their original plan in launching their food business, "PeacefulPlatez." Two years later, in 2023, Bennett got the greatest news—"I'm all clear, I'm in remission," she told the Courier of her breast cancer diagnosis. Bennett can't wait for Saturday, April 27. That's when the "Wing & Mac Smackdown Part II" competition will take place at St. Benedict the Moor Center, 2900 Bedford Ave., Hill District. Doors open at 5 p.m. The first "Smackdown" was held in 2016 by Briana White of Breelicious Bites. White has also written a host of restaurant reviews for the Courier over the past six years. She said she brought the event back, in collaboration with Z Best BBQ, to highlight this new iteraSEE SMACKDOWN A6
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BEATING BREAST CANCER—KEESHA MARCELLE BENNETT, AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER IN 2021 AND OVERCOMING IT IN 2023, IS ONE OF THE CONTESTANTS IN THE “WING & MAC SMACKDOWN,” APRIL 27.