AfroTech
AfroTech is a Blavity-owned media and community platform serving Black technology professionals, founders, investors, and enterprises through a news platform, mobile app, annual flagship conference (40,000+ attendees), paid membership, and Fortune 500 corporate sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What AfroTech does
AfroTech is a media-plus-community platform serving Black professionals, founders, investors, and enterprises in the technology sector. Owned by Blavity Inc. and founded in 2015 (with its first flagship conference in 2017), the company operates a digital news platform (afrotech.com), the AfroTech Connect mobile app (iOS and Android), the AfroTech Daily Briefing podcast, and a portfolio of in-person and virtual events. Its flagship AfroTech Conference — held in Houston in October 2025 — drew 40,000+ attendees and featured 168+ companies, while a broader professional network of 45,000+ is referenced across its properties. The platform positions itself around year-round engagement rather than a single annual event.
The business monetizes through multiple, diversified streams. The AfroTech Insider annual membership ($599/year, 1,000+ active members, 92% annual retention, 4.77/5 member NPS, 3.3x YoY growth) bundles conference access, monthly workshops, office hours, Insider Dinners, nationwide MeetUps, and Connect app access. A higher tier ($2,500/year) bundles Insider with The Gathering Spot co-working access in Atlanta and DC. Additional revenue derives from corporate partnerships and sponsorships across a roster of Fortune 500 brands (Microsoft, UnitedHealth Group, Amazon, Bayer, L'Oréal, and others) via experiential activations, advertising, custom content, and recruiting; conference ticket sales ($500+ general admission); individual paid sessions ($25); and enterprise team bundles (15% discount at 50+ seats). Free monthly livestreams serve as a top-of-funnel conversion mechanism.
Technologically, AfroTech is a consumer-facing media and community operation rather than a developer-facing product: it has no public API, and its "AI" footprint is limited to an AI-voiced daily briefing podcast and probable content recommendation. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging owned media (newsletter, podcast, blog), organic social, a Google Preferred Source designation, and cross-promotion across the Blavity media network. The company holds 51–100 employees and operates primarily in the United States (with MeetUps extending to Toronto).
AfroTech firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AfroTech
- Legal name
- Blavity Inc.
- Website
- https://afrotech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- AfroTech is a Blavity-owned media and community platform serving Black technology professionals, founders, investors, and enterprises through a news platform, mobile app, annual flagship conference (40,000+ attendees), paid membership, and Fortune 500 corporate sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AfroTech industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tech Media & Professional Community
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Computer Training (611420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Learning Experience Marketplaces (Workshops, Mentorships, Projects) (EDAFAIAL), Corporate Training Course Marketplaces (B2B Content Libraries) (EDAFAIAH)
Keywords
Where AfroTech is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
AfroTech business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- AfroTech Insider Annual Membership: Annual subscription membership at $599/year providing year-round access to programming, community, networking, and included conference ticket. Membership includes monthly workshops, fireside conversations, office hours, Insider Dinners, MeetUps, AfroTech Connect app access, member profiles, speaking considerations, and priority conference ticket access (valued at $625+). The 92% annual retention rate demonstrates strong recurring revenue from this stream.
- AfroTech Insider + The Gathering Spot Bundle: Joint membership combining full AfroTech Insider benefits with unlimited access to The Gathering Spot co-working facilities in Atlanta and DC, plus TGS member-only events. Priced at $2,500/year.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Revenue from brand partnerships and advertising across AfroTech's media ecosystem. Corporate partners include Microsoft, UnitedHealth Group, Amazon, Adidas, Bank of America, McDonald's, Toyota, Netflix, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Lexus, P&G, and others. Partnership types include experiential conference activations, digital advertising, custom content promotion, newsletter sponsorship, and recruiting.
- AfroTech Conference Tickets: Revenue from conference ticket sales. General admission tickets typically run $500+. AfroTech Conference 2026 is scheduled for Houston. The conference features priority access for Insider members and general admission tiers.
- Individual Session Fees: Individual paid sessions (workshops, firesides, office hours) open to non-members at $25 per session, offered twice monthly. Free livestreams available monthly for non-members as a funnel into full membership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full-year access to AfroTech community with conference ticket included |
| Subscription | Annual | Insider membership combined with The Gathering Spot co-working access |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Single workshop or session access for non-members |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free community events open to all |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate team pricing for 50+ seats |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
AfroTech product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AfroTech operates a digital media platform and community ecosystem serving Black technology professionals, combining a daily news site, the AfroTech Connect mobile app, and the AfroTech Daily Briefing podcast. It monetizes primarily through an annual paid Insider membership ($599/year) bundled with the flagship AfroTech Conference, plus corporate partnerships, conference ticket sales, and individual paid workshops.
Product overview
AfroTech is a comprehensive media ecosystem focused on Black technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The platform operates as a media-plus-events model with a unified news platform (AfroTech News Platform) as the core product, complemented by the AfroTech Conference as its flagship annual event. Additional products include the AfroTech Connect mobile app for community networking, the AfroTech Insider annual membership ($599/year) providing year-round access to programming and conference tickets, the AI Edge Virtual Summit for AI-focused education, and the AfroTech Daily Briefing podcast delivering daily news summaries. Supporting programs include Future 50 (recognition for Black innovators), AfroTech U (education), AfroTech Labs (startup incubation), and a daily newsletter subscription service. The ecosystem collectively serves over 45,000 professionals in its network and attracts 40,000+ attendees to its annual conference.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AfroTech Insider: Annual membership program offering year-round access to programming, community, and conference tickets for $599/year.
- Future 50
- AfroTech Connect
- AI Edge Virtual Summit
Products and services
- AfroTech Insider Annual Membership Year-round subscription membership for individual tech professionals providing access to AfroTech programming, networking, content, and conference priority. Targets senior operators, founders, investors, and industry professionals in the Black tech community.
- AfroTech Insider + The Gathering Spot Bundle Combined annual membership at $2,500/year bundling full AfroTech Insider benefits with unlimited access to The Gathering Spot co-working facilities and events in Atlanta and Washington DC. Targets professionals seeking both community access and physical workspace.
- AfroTech Conference Tickets Individual ticket sales for the annual flagship AfroTech Conference, with general admission typically running $500+. Includes access to multi-day programming, panels, networking, and exhibits. Available to non-Insider members as a standalone alternative.
- Individual Paid Workshops and Sessions Pay-as-you-go individual sessions at $25 each covering career, entrepreneur, and founder tracks. Open to non-members as an entry point into the AfroTech community before committing to full annual membership.
- Corporate Team Membership Bundle Enterprise volume pricing package offering team-based access to AfroTech membership and ecosystem for organizations purchasing 50+ seats at a 15% discount, with custom pricing for larger deployments. Targets enterprises seeking group access.
- Corporate Partnership and Sponsorship Packages Sponsored partnership packages sold to enterprise brands including Microsoft, Amazon, UnitedHealth Group, Toyota, and others, covering experiential conference activations, digital advertising, recruiting, and custom content across the AfroTech media ecosystem.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% annual member retention rate
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use AfroTech
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
AfroTech technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
AfroTech partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TikTokcoreTikTok launched its first Custom Creator Network with Starbucks, with AfroTech covering the partnership. The collaboration enables employee-driven storytelling and brand content amplification. AfroTech provides coverage and editorial context for the partnership announcement.
- DELEÓN TequilacoreEvent sponsor hosting Bold Spirits, Rise sky-high helipad performance featuring global DJ duo Major League DJz and emerging DJs during AfroTech Conference 2025 in Houston. Three nights of celebrations across Houston venues. Expansion planned for Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago after Houston.
- Black AmbitionminorIncubator supporting Black entrepreneurs mentioned alongside AfroTech as fostering inclusive innovation. Both organizations play roles in supporting Black founders in Silicon Valley and addressing systemic barriers.
- MicrosoftcoreKey conference partner at AfroTech Conference 2025. Microsoft participated in sessions and activations during the five-day event in Houston, contributing to programming focused on AI and technology innovation.
- UnitedHealth GroupcoreConference partner at AfroTech Conference 2025, participating in sessions focused on equitable medtech and healthcare technology. Active in key sessions and brand activations during the event.
- AmazoncoreConference partner at AfroTech Conference 2025, involved in key sessions and activations. Amazon's participation supports the event's focus on technology innovation and entrepreneurship.
- BayercoreConference partner collaborating with Howard University to engage AfroTech Conference 2025 attendees. Provided real-time resume feedback at The Yard space during the conference, supporting job seekers and career development.
- L'Oréal GroupecoreConference partner at AfroTech Conference 2025 with panel discussion highlighting diverse STEM talent driving innovation in beauty technology. Featured technology advancements including AI and lab-developed molecules.
- Howard UniversitycorePartnering with Bayer to engage AfroTech Conference 2025 attendees. Represents ongoing HBCU partnerships supporting representation and career opportunities for Black students at the conference.
- USBC Innovation CampusminorUS Black Chambers, Inc. led by Ron Busby Sr. acquired former BET campus in Washington D.C. for $38 million to support Black entrepreneurs through the USBC Innovation Campus. AfroTech covered the announcement as part of Black tech and innovation news.
- AdidasminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- Bank of AmericaminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- McDonald'sminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- NetflixminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- FordminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- General MotorsminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- HyundaiminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- LexusminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- ToyotaminorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- P&G (Procter & Gamble)minorBrand partner with logo displayed on AfroTech partnership page, indicating ongoing marketing partnership relationship.
- The Gathering SpotcoreJoint membership bundle available combining AfroTech Insider with The Gathering Spot co-working facilities in Atlanta and DC. $2,500/year combined membership provides full access to both ecosystems.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AfroTech competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ESSENCE Communications: Established Black-lifestyle media brand (print, digital, events including the ESSENCE Festival). Overlaps with AfroTech in audience and sponsor relationships but operates at significantly broader lifestyle scope.
- Web Summit: Global tech conference operator running multi-city flagship events with comparable attendee scale and Fortune 500 sponsor roster. Comparable as a conference-and-content operator, though oriented to a broader, non-mission-specific audience.
- SXSW: Iconic multi-track tech, music, and culture conference. Comparable in operating a large flagship event with corporate sponsorships and digital content extensions, though at a much broader cultural scope than AfroTech.
- TechCrunch Disrupt: Major US tech conference and media brand with overlapping tech-professional audience and corporate sponsor set (Microsoft, Amazon, Google). Comparable as a large-scale conference + media business, though without AfroTech's community-membership layer.
Others
- Blavity: Parent media network and sister brand within Blavity Inc. Both serve Black audiences with culturally resonant content and share distribution rails, making Blavity the most directly comparable operating peer for AfroTech.
Regional players
- HBCU Career Center: Career-focused platform serving HBCU students and alumni with recruiting events and employer partnerships. Comparable in pairing corporate recruiting with Black-professional audiences, but operates at a smaller scale and different buyer (campus recruiting).
Direct peers
- Black Enterprise: Long-standing media brand covering Black business, entrepreneurship, and professionals. Operates events (Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, TechConnext) and a digital media business analogous to AfroTech's media-plus-events model.
Emerging players
- All Raise: Organization supporting women and underrepresented founders and funders in tech. Overlaps with AfroTech's investors-and-capital-allocators and founders-and-CEOs segments via events and programming, though narrower in scope.
- HBCU Buzz: Digital media platform focused on HBCU students, alumni, and culture. Overlaps with AfroTech's audience segments and partners with HBCUs (e.g., Howard University) at the AfroTech Conference, though narrower in tech-and-career programming.
- CODE2040: Non-profit focused on Black and Latinx representation in tech. Comparable in mission and target audience but operates programs and fellowships rather than media, conferences, and paid memberships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AfroTech social profiles
Digital presenceAfroTech financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AfroTech leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
AfroTech funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AfroTech M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AfroTech
What does AfroTech do?
AfroTech operates a digital media platform and community ecosystem serving Black technology professionals, combining a daily news site, the AfroTech Connect mobile app, and the AfroTech Daily Briefing podcast. It monetizes primarily through an annual paid Insider membership ($599/year) bundled with the flagship AfroTech Conference, plus corporate partnerships, conference ticket sales, and individual paid workshops.
Is AfroTech a public or private company?
AfroTech is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was AfroTech founded?
AfroTech was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is AfroTech based?
AfroTech is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does AfroTech make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. AfroTech Insider Annual Membership is the primary driver. The others are afroTech Insider + The Gathering Spot Bundle, corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships, afroTech Conference Tickets and individual Session Fees.
Who are AfroTech's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ESSENCE Communications, Web Summit, SXSW and TechCrunch Disrupt. Blavity is listed as an others. HBCU Career Center is listed as a regional player. Black Enterprise is listed as a direct peer. Emerging players are All Raise, HBCU Buzz and CODE2040.
Does AfroTech have an API?
No public API is recorded for AfroTech.
What industry is AfroTech in?
AfroTech's product category is Tech Media & Professional Community. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAM, Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management, with a secondary code of EDAFAIAL, Learning Experience Marketplaces (Workshops, Mentorships, Projects). Its NAICS code is 56192.