Technologists of Color

What Technologists of Color does

Technologists of Color Inc. (ToC) is a 501c3 nonprofit community organization established in May 2012 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded by Marcellus Haynes and currently led by President/Executive Director Jon Exume and Director of Technology Mark Lawson, the organization operates as a community-driven platform focused on connecting, informing, teaching, and mobilizing African American professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and career changers in the technology industry. Its core programming consists of in-person meetups, happy hours, the Coding While Black collaborative coding sessions, the Laptops for Techs donation program, and an annual conference portfolio that includes Black is Tech Conference, the HBCU AIRCS Summit, and AI-focused workshops.

The organization's underlying technology stack is deliberately lightweight: a WordPress-based website, a YouTube content channel, a Meetup.com group, and a Mailchimp newsletter, supplemented by virtual events via Clubhouse and Zoom. ToC does not sell software products; its "product" is community programming and the relationships that flow from it. The technical value lies in the curated talent pipeline, content library, and convening function rather than in proprietary software.

ToC is funded through charitable donations and corporate sponsorships rather than product revenue or equity investment. Key sponsors include Manhattan Associates (current platinum), BlackRock, and a roster of past sponsors (Chime, AWS, Salesloft, Slalom Build, CloudReach). Strategic venue and programming partners include the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), Clark Atlanta University, and Georgia AIM. Distribution is multi-channel, with in-person events as the primary engagement vector, supported by YouTube, email, and social. The organization has begun expanding beyond Atlanta into Houston, TX, secondary Georgia markets (Albany), and internationally via a 2025 mission to Colombia.

Name

Technologists of Color

Legal name

Technologists of Color Inc.

Website

https://techsofcolor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Technology Education and Workforce Development

NAICS

Computer Training (611420)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Inclusion & Public Tech Access Training (Device/Internet/Basic IT) (EDAAAFAE)

Keywords

• Tech community events
• Nonprofit tech education
• Workforce development programs
• Professional networking events
• Coding education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates as a 501c3 nonprofit corporation and accepts charitable donations to fund initiatives that empower the community and create pathways to success in the tech industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Technologists of Color is a 501c3 nonprofit community organization that runs programs to connect, inform, teach, and mobilize African Americans in technology. Its core offerings include regular community meetups, happy hours, "Coding While Black" coding sessions, a "Laptops for Techs" computer donation program, and a featured job listings board showcasing openings with corporate sponsors.

Product overview

Technologists of Color is a community organization rather than a software product company. The organization's offerings consist of community programs including Meetups (regular technology information sessions), Happy Hours (casual networking events), Coding While Black (collaborative coding sessions), Laptops for Techs (computer donation program), and a Featured Job Listings board. These programs collectively aim to connect, inform, teach, and mobilize African American professionals, entrepreneurs, and students in the technology industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Meetups
• Happy Hours
• Coding While Black
• Laptops for Techs
• Featured Job Listings

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered current_primary, minor and core.

• Manhattan Associatescurrent_primaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrent sponsor of Technologists of Color. Provides job listings for software engineering positions and sponsors coding events and meetups. Manhattan Associates is a supply chain management software company.
• BlackRockcurrent_primaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrent sponsor featuring job listings for engineering positions. BlackRock is a global investment management corporation. ToC features interviews with BlackRock engineers on their YouTube channel.
• ChimeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPast sponsor that has featured job listings on the ToC platform for machine learning and software engineering intern positions.
• Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing strategic partner hosting multiple ToC events including Coding While Black sessions, AI workshops, and GPT creation events at their Atlanta facility. RICE supports Black entrepreneurs and is a key venue partner.
• Georgia AIMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AI education and workforce development initiatives. Co-hosting the AI Unlocked workshop in Albany, GA and featured in Georgia AIM Week 2025 events showcasing AI's role in manufacturing.
• Clark Atlanta UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the HBCU AIRCS Summit (AI Research and Commercialization Summit) as part of the broader HBCU Con experience. Supports bridging academic excellence at HBCUs with the tech industry.
• AWSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPast sponsor supporting ToC programming and events.
• SalesloftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPast sponsor of Technologists of Color events and programming.
• Slalom BuildminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPast sponsor supporting ToC community events and initiatives.
• CloudReachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPast sponsor of Technologists of Color.
• DevNexusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner. ToC promotes Devnexus 2024 Java and developer conference to its community members.
• BDPAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization serving the Black technology professional community.
• The Next IT GirlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Runway in the Cloud fashion tech event benefiting The Next IT Girl's innovative programs. ToC serves as community partner for this event showcasing fashion and technology intersection.
• SubsumeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for entrepreneur and tech meetups. Collaborated on SELECT START event celebrating Black Futures Month, bringing together Atlanta's innovation community.
• RICE (Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKey venue and strategic partner for ToC programming. Hosting Coding While Black, AI workshops, and GPT creation events. Supports Black entrepreneur ecosystem in Atlanta.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Per Scholas: Per Scholas is a large nonprofit providing tuition-free tech training and career support to underrepresented adults. It competes for corporate workforce-development sponsorships and DEI-talent-pipeline funding, but focuses on hands-on training rather than community-of-practice programming.
• Year Up: Year Up is a major workforce-development nonprofit offering year-long tech training and corporate internships to young adults from underserved communities. It is comparable as a major competitor for the same employer-sponsored DEI talent pipeline sponsorships that fund community organizations like ToC.
• Resilient Coders: Resilient Coders is a nonprofit preparing young people of color for careers as software engineers through intensive training and job placement. It overlaps with ToC's Laptops for Techs and Coding While Black programs but specializes in intensive bootcamp-style outcomes rather than ongoing community.

Direct peers

• Code2040: Code2040 is a nonprofit that builds pathways for Black and Latinx technologists through fellowships, talent development, and corporate partnerships. It is directly comparable as a community-organization serving underrepresented talent with employer-sponsored programming and is a top competitor for the same corporate DEI sponsor dollars.
• AnitaB.org: AnitaB.org is a nonprofit advancing women in tech through community, events (Grace Hopper Celebration), and corporate partnerships. While focused on women rather than the Black community specifically, it is highly comparable in community-org structure, conference scale, and enterprise sponsorship model.
• https://techsofcolor.org/dev/color: /dev/color is a nonprofit community of Black software engineers and technologists offering professional development, mentorship, and corporate partner programming. It directly competes for the same Black-tech-professional audience, sponsorship budget, and HBCU-adjacent talent pipeline as Technologists of Color.
• Black Girls CODE: Black Girls CODE is a nonprofit providing coding education, hackathons, and tech exposure to girls of color. It overlaps with ToC on coding education and diversity-in-tech mission but targets a younger, gender-specific segment, making it an adjacent rather than fully overlapping peer.
• BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates): BDPA is a long-standing national nonprofit connecting Black professionals in IT through chapters, mentoring, and student tech programs. Already listed as a ToC community partner, BDPA competes for the same members, corporate sponsors, and student-tech-pipeline dollars across multiple US cities.

Others

• Black Enterprise: Black Enterprise is a media and events company covering Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and corporate leadership. It is a partial peer at the intersection of community-building, events, and corporate sponsorship in the African-American professional space, though it is a media business rather than a community-org.

Regional players

• The Knowledge House: The Knowledge House is a NYC-based nonprofit tech workforce-development organization serving low-income communities. It is comparable as a community-org tech training and talent pipeline but operates regionally in NYC rather than in ToC's Atlanta/Southeast geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/techsofcolor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Technologists of Color