Black Tech Week Connects and Celebrates Powerful Entrepreneurs and Influencers of Color In Technology
MIAMI – The 2nd annual Black Tech Week connects entrepreneurs with the people and tools they need to increase the number of startups that are founded by people of color and connect them with the resources to scale, deliver solutions for stronger partnerships, training and expand the technology blueprint and access to VC funding in the black community.
The weeklong series of events will be held during Black History Month, February 15-20, 2016 on the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University providing impactful programming centered on innovation, technology and creativity.
Black Tech Week includes interactive workshops for idea exchange, the Power Moves Early Stage and Series A Startup Bootcamps, a 3 Day Technology and Startup Conference, Women’s Innovation Brunch, Walker Legacy’s Women in Tech events, Pitch Competitions and VC Mentor Sessions.
Attendees can register at http://blacktechweek.com/.
Black Tech Week is the premier pipeline in South Florida for people of color, to have access to key global players of color in the tech industry. The visionaries behind the conference are Derick Pearson and Felecia Hatcher who are also the founders of the Miami-based, Code Fever. Their commitment to training African-American and Caribbean youth and adults in the areas of technology and entrepreneurship through full stack development coding boot camps, in school programs is unmatched.
“The 2nd annual Black Tech Week is a jammed packed week during black history month dedicated to getting our community all the resources we need to move our community forward in the innovation economy, states Felecia Hatcher. This year we are excited to partner with the Knight Foundation, Florida International University, Simkins Foundation, Baptist Health, Power Moves and Walker’s Legacy to celebrate entrepreneurs, innovators and technologist in our community and across the globe”.
Black Tech Week Keynote Speakers
Black Tech Week has tapped into a global network of some of the most influential and notable keynote speakers and session leaders. The impressive roster of speakers include; Jeff Hoffman, Co-Founder of Priceline.com, Kathryn Finney, Founder of Digital Undivided, Maurice Young (AKA Trick Daddy), Music Artist, Ted Lucas, CEO Slip N Slide Records, Justin Washington, QA Engineer at SnapChat, Frederick, Hutson-Founder/CEO of Pigeonly, Chris Powell-Chief Executive Officer for Blackbook HR, Eunice Cofie-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Chemist of Nuekie, and George E. Curry-Founder of Emerge Magazine, Previous Editor-in-Chief of National Newspaper Publishers Association just to name a few.
The Knight Foundation has been an essential supporter to the long-term success of a more diverse and inclusive tech ecosystem. Their unwavering commitment to position Miami’s diversity and increasing inclusion in the tech and entrepreneurial space has been key to the blueprint of Black Tech Week and the working partnership with Code Fever.
Key highlights of the conference include the Knight Foundation Angel Pitch competition with Power Moves, Women Innovators in Tech panel with Walker Legacy, Tech HAHA Hackathon and Comedy Show, Patent and Trademark workshop for Women Innovators. The summit will culminate with the Women Innovation Brunch that spotlights women tech achievers sponsored by Baptist Health. “We want to fuse the presence of Silicon Valley and Wall Street with Main Street. “This year’s conference features various social events and impactful conversations on moving the urban tech and entrepreneurial community forward”, states Starex Smith who serves as Vice President of Strategy and Development.
Code Fever is committed to closing the technology education gap among-low-income and underserved youth in South Florida. During Black Tech week, a series of hour-long Black Tech Hour workshops will be conducted at area schools and community organizations. Designed to empower and encourage minority youth to learn and consider careers in technology at a young age.
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