Afropolitan Cities

What Afropolitan Cities does

Afropolitan Cities is a non-profit community and media platform serving the African diaspora across the United States, operating a Wix-built site that aggregates events, a marketplace, talent exchange, business directory, job market, merchandise store, and Afropolitan TV content. Founded in 2013 by Kweku Amoako and headquartered in Bowie, Maryland (DMV area), the organization runs flagship gatherings including AfropolitanDC, AfropolitanNYC, Afropolitan Silver Spring, and the LA Afrobeats Block Party, with stated reach of approximately 100,000 subscribers, 4,000 businesses, and 92,000 annual event attendees across 9-10 cities.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: paid event tickets and door fees, vendor participation fees at events, merchandise sales, travel packages through TIA Ghana Tours and other diaspora itineraries, corporate and institutional sponsorships, paid job market listings, and consulting services. Brand partnerships with WorldRemit, BET, Guinness, Universal Music, Effen Vodka, State Farm, the African Union, the World Bank, Harvard, McKinsey, and the U.S. Census Bureau indicate an enterprise-tier sponsorship capability layered on top of a community-driven consumer base. Travel itineraries extend the addressable market to Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Trinidad, and Jamaica.

The underlying platform is built on Wix, with no disclosed proprietary technology, no AI/ML components, and no funding rounds in the data. Operations are run with a 1-10 person team, and go-to-market is driven by physical events, owned media (Afropolitan TV), and earned media coverage on BBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox. The combination of events, digital listings, and consulting gives the organization multiple monetization surfaces but, given the headcount and non-profit structure, places it in a small-scale, audience-led category rather than a venture-funded tech platform.

Name

Afropolitan Cities

Legal name

Afropolitan Cities

Website

https://afropolitancities.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit community platform serving the African diaspora across the United States, running events, a marketplace, business directory, talent exchange, job market, travel tours, and media in 9-10 cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Events and Diaspora Community Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Tour Operators (56152), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural & Community Festivals (Ticketed) (THAJAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural, Heritage & Arts Travel Agencies (THAKAFAK), Multicultural & Diversity Marketing Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAK), Festival & Live Entertainment Brand Partnerships (MPAAAGAF), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Cultural event production
• Diaspora community networking
• Group travel experiences
• Brand activation services
• Ethnic marketplace platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Bowie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Event Ticketing & Admission: Free admission with RSVP before 6:30pm; $20 at door after 6:30pm; $10 advance online tickets. This is the primary consumer revenue stream driving foot traffic to events.
2. Vendor Fees for Events: Food and retail vendors pay fees to participate at events. Food vendors receive 6x6ft indoor or 10x10ft outdoor space; retail vendors receive corresponding booth space. Vendor capacity is limited (typically 2 food + 4 retail vendors per event) on a first-come, first-served basis. Food vendors require food service establishment licenses.
3. Merchandise Sales: E-commerce store selling branded merchandise including TIA Ghana T-shirts ($24.75) and Jollof War T-shirts for various countries ($24.79). Products are unisex heavy cotton tees with country-specific messaging.
4. Group Travel/Tour Revenue: Curated TIA Ghana Tours and other group travel experiences to African countries (Trinidad Carnival, Jamaica Carnival, etc.) generate revenue through participant fees for organized trips including accommodations, ground logistics, cultural activities, and experiences.
5. Corporate Sponsorship & Brand Partnerships: Media, financial, in-kind, and co-branded sponsorships from corporate brands seeking to engage the African Diaspora. Sponsorship tiers include media sponsorship, financial sponsorship, and in-kind contributions. Brands engage 100K+ subscribers across 8 cities monthly.
6. Consulting & Agency Services: Strategic consulting, agency services, and advisory offerings for brands, institutions, and governments. Services include brand strategy, brand activations, event production, integrated marketing campaigns, PR & social media management, and executive strategy sessions.
7. Job Market & Talent Exchange Fees: Job market place connecting businesses with diaspora professionals; talent exchange connecting event organizers with diaspora creatives. Platform fees may be charged for premium job postings or talent discovery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Afropolitan Cities produces and operates cultural mixer events across multiple U.S. cities, curates group travel experiences to Africa (TIA Tours), and runs an integrated online marketplace connecting the African Diaspora with events, travel, talent, businesses, products, and jobs. The company also sells corporate sponsorship packages and strategic consulting/advisory services to brands, institutions, and governments seeking to engage the African Diaspora market.

Product overview

Afropolitan Cities is a multi-platform cultural networking and marketing ecosystem designed to connect Africa with the global Black Diaspora. The core offering consists of the unified Afropolitan Cities Platform, which encompasses four interconnected marketplace sub-products: Culture Exchange (events and travel), Talent Exchange (creative talent booking), Product & Business Market (goods and services), and Diaspora Business Directory. Supporting modules include Cultural Mixer Events (signature city-based networking events), TIA Ghana Tours (group travel experiences), Afropolitan Consulting (strategic marketing services), Store (merchandise), Afropolitan TV (video content), Job Market, and Vendor Marketplace. The platform serves diaspora professionals, brands seeking ethnic market access, and African businesses looking to engage the global diaspora market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIA (This Is Africa): Curated travel experience brand by Afropolitan Cities, designed to reconnect the Diaspora with Africa through culture, history, adventure, and community.
• TIA Ghana Tour

Products and services

• Cultural Mixer Events Ticketed cultural networking events featuring structured 5-hour experiences with connections, cultural showcases, community spotlights, and music/dance at upscale venues. Held monthly across U.S. cities for African Diaspora professionals aged 21+ with average attendance of 600-1,500 per event.
• TIA (This Is Africa) Travel Tours Curated group travel experiences to African destinations (Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya) and Caribbean destinations (Trinidad Carnival, Jamaica Carnival), including structured 7-day itineraries, local partner logistics, pre-trip briefings, on-ground coordinators, and group cultural activities.
• Diaspora Marketplace Platform Integrated online marketplace connecting culture seekers with African events and travel, talent buyers with diaspora creatives, product buyers with African businesses, and employers with diaspora professionals. Includes business directory, talent exchange, job market, and product marketplace.
• Job Market B2B job marketplace where employers post openings to access qualified diaspora professionals across the U.S., including listings from companies such as The Immigrant Magazine Inc.
• Talent Exchange Platform connecting talent buyers, curators, and brands with African and Diaspora creatives including artists, DJs, live bands, MCs, comedians, and dancers for events and activations.
• Afropolitan Consulting & Advisory Services Strategic consulting, agency services, and advisory offerings for brands, institutions, and governments. Services include brand strategy, brand activations, event production, integrated marketing campaigns, PR and social media management, executive strategy sessions, and go-to-market strategy for diaspora engagement.
• Afropolitan Store (E-commerce Merchandise) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling branded merchandise including TIA Ghana T-shirts ($24.75) and Jollof War T-shirts for multiple African nations ($24.79), with unisex heavy cotton tees in all sizes.
• Jollof Cook-Off Competition Annual culinary competition series featuring Jollof rice competitions across multiple cities, with participants including licensed restaurants, caterers, and food vendors representing Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, and Liberia, including pre-tasting selection, online voting, and live judging at events.
• Corporate Sponsorship & Brand Partnership Programs Sponsorship and partnership offerings for corporate brands including media sponsorship, financial sponsorship, in-kind contributions, event sponsorship, product/brand activations, co-branded experiences, and media collaborations targeting engagement with 100K+ diaspora subscribers across 8 U.S. cities monthly.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000 subscribers reached across 8 cities monthly through brand partnerships and cultural activations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• WorldRemitflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerWorldRemit partners with Afropolitan Cities for cultural brand activations and remittance marketing campaigns targeting the African Diaspora. The partnership leverages Afropolitan's multi-city event platform and 100K+ subscriber network to promote cross-border money transfer services to diaspora communities.
• BET (Black Entertainment Television)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBET partners with Afropolitan Cities for media sponsorships and brand activations at cultural events. The partnership connects BET's media brand with Afropolitan's live event platform and diaspora audience for authentic Black cultural content and engagement.
• African UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe African Union partners with Afropolitan Cities for diaspora engagement initiatives, leveraging the platform's network to connect with African communities in the U.S. and promote continental unity and economic development goals.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe World Bank partners with Afropolitan Cities for strategic initiatives related to African diaspora economic engagement, leveraging the platform's community network and cultural intelligence for research, outreach, and development programs.
• GuinnessmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGuinness sponsors Afropolitan events including Afrobeats block parties and cultural mixers. The partnership provides brand visibility among 600-1,500 diaspora professionals per event with product activations and branded experiences.
• Universal Music GroupmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Music Group partners with Afropolitan Cities for music and entertainment activations at cultural events. The partnership connects UMG artists and music content with Afropolitan's live event platform and diaspora audience.
• South Africa AirwaysmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouth Africa Airways partners with Afropolitan Cities to promote travel to South Africa and the African continent, leveraging the TIA (This Is Africa) travel series and diaspora travel marketplace for tourism marketing.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard University partners with Afropolitan Cities for conference and speaking engagements. Founder Kweku Amoako participated in the Georgetown African Business Conference entertainment panel, representing Afropolitan's perspective on creative sector economic development.
• McKinsey & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcKinsey partners with Afropolitan Cities on thought leadership and strategic advisory related to African diaspora economic engagement, cultural market strategy, and creative sector development across U.S.-Africa corridors.
• State FarmmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerState Farm sponsors Afropolitan events as part of community engagement and brand marketing initiatives targeting African American and Caribbean diaspora communities in major metropolitan U.S. markets.
• Effen VodkaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEffen Vodka sponsors Afropolitan cultural events with product activations and branded experiences targeting the urban, culturally engaged diaspora professional demographic at upscale lounge venues.
• U.S. Census BureaumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe U.S. Census Bureau partners with Afropolitan Cities for diaspora community outreach, data sharing, and demographic engagement initiatives. The partnership leverages Afropolitan's platform to reach and inform African diaspora communities about Census participation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blavity Inc. Blavity operates a media-and-events platform serving the Black professional and diaspora community, including the AfroTech conference and a network of cultural verticals. Like Afropolitan, it monetizes through branded events, content, and sponsorships targeting the same audience.
• OkayAfrica: OkayAfrica is a media and culture brand covering African music, fashion, and the diaspora, and has hosted live events and brand activations in the U.S. and Africa. It mirrors Afropolitan's mix of editorial content, event programming, and African-diaspora audience targeting.
• BellaNaija: BellaNaija is a leading African-diaspora digital media platform covering lifestyle, entertainment, and culture, with events and brand partnerships. Its audience, content-led growth, and sponsorship monetization closely parallel Afropolitan's model.
• ESSENCE Communications (Essence Festival): ESSENCE runs the Essence Festival of Culture — the largest African-American cultural and music festival in the U.S. — alongside a media brand serving Black women. It overlaps directly with Afropolitan on cultural events, brand activations, and diaspora lifestyle content.

Broad incumbents

• The Root: The Root is a long-running African-American news, culture, and opinion outlet within the Gannett/USA Today network. It competes for the same diaspora audience attention and sponsorship dollars as Afropolitan, but at significantly larger scale and with broader editorial scope.
• Black Enterprise: Black Enterprise is an established media, events, and data company serving Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and corporations. It overlaps with Afropolitan on professional networking events and corporate sponsorship for the African-American professional segment.

Emerging players

• Wanderful (by WorldRemit): Wanderful is a diaspora-focused travel app and content platform; WorldRemit — an Afropolitan partner — operates adjacent products. It competes with Afropolitan's TIA travel series for diaspora travelers booking trips to Africa and the Caribbean.
• NATIV (NATIVE Magazine): NATIVE is a youth-culture magazine and platform covering African and African-diaspora music, fashion, and nightlife, with associated events. Its audience and event programming in the African-diaspora space overlap with Afropolitan's cultural mixer concept.
• GUAP (The GUAP): GUAP is a platform and media brand focused on young Black professionals and creative culture, including events and editorial content. It overlaps with Afropolitan on cultural event programming and a similar audience persona, though primarily UK-based.

Others

• RemitScout: RemitScout is a marketplace and comparison platform for remittance and diaspora financial services. It serves the same diaspora demographic and partners with remittance brands (like WorldRemit), making it an adjacent ecosystem player rather than a direct cultural-events competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/afropolitancts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCegItqDHDol35xVMoE5lg4g
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfropolitanCities
• Instagraminstagram.com/afropolitancities
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afropolitancities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Afropolitan Cities