August is National Black Business Month, a time to recognize and celebrate Black-owned businesses and the entrepreneurs whose innovation, leadership, and vision continue to shape industries. Established in 2004, National Black Business Month highlights the important role Black entrepreneurs play in strengthening communities, creating economic opportunity, and advancing innovation.
Within the technology sector, Black founders are building companies that solve complex challenges, transform industries, and create products and services that impact millions of people. From cloud computing and artificial intelligence to fintech, logistics, digital communication, and sustainability, Black-owned technology companies are helping shape the future of computing while inspiring the next generation of innovators.
At CMD-IT (Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in IT), we recognize that expanding opportunities in computing includes supporting the people who are building the future of technology. Through programs such as the Tapia Conference, the LEAP Alliance, and the Academic Careers Workshops, CMD-IT works to connect students, researchers, educators, and professionals with opportunities to learn, collaborate, and lead within the computing community.
This month, CMD-IT highlights five Black-founded technology companies and the entrepreneurs whose ideas, leadership, and innovation are helping shape the technology ecosystem.
Black Technology Companies and Founders Making an Impact
David Steward
Founder, World Wide Technology (WWT)
World Wide Technology (WWT) has grown into one of the largest Black-owned technology companies in the United States. Founded in 1990 by David Steward, WWT provides technology solutions, cloud services, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation support to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies around the world.
Steward built WWT from a small technology services company into a global enterprise by combining technical expertise, innovation, and a commitment to customer success. The company demonstrates how Black entrepreneurship can influence the global technology landscape and create opportunities for future generations of technology leaders.
Through his leadership, Steward has helped build an organization that operates at the intersection of technology, business, and innovation. WWT’s growth reflects the impact that vision, persistence, and technical leadership can have on the future of computing.
Learn more about World Wide Technology: https://www.wwt.com/
Lauren Washington
Founder, FundR
FundR is a technology platform designed to help entrepreneurs identify funding opportunities and navigate the fundraising process more efficiently. Founded by entrepreneur Lauren Washington, the platform connects founders with capital resources while helping make the startup ecosystem more accessible.
Washington has also become a leading voice in entrepreneurship and venture capital, advocating for greater access to funding and support for emerging technology founders.
Her work demonstrates how technology can help address barriers within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. By connecting founders with resources and opportunities, FundR reflects the importance of creating more accessible pathways for entrepreneurs to build and grow innovative companies.
Learn more about FundR: https://www.fundr.is/
David H. Wilson
Co-Founder, Four Degrees
Four Degrees is a relationship intelligence platform that helps organizations strengthen and manage professional networks. Using data and artificial intelligence to map connections across organizations, the platform enables users to build stronger relationships, identify opportunities, and collaborate more effectively.
Co-founder David H. Wilson created Four Degrees to help organizations unlock the value of their professional networks while demonstrating how artificial intelligence can be applied to improve the way people and organizations work together.
His work reflects the growing role of AI and data-driven technologies in transforming how businesses understand relationships, identify opportunities, and build connections. Four Degrees demonstrates how innovative technology can address practical challenges while creating new ways for people and organizations to collaborate.
Learn more about Four Degrees: https://www.fourdegrees.ai/
Julia Collins
Co-Founder, Planet FWD
Planet FWD helps companies measure and reduce the environmental impact of their products through data, software, and carbon management tools. Co-founder Julia Collins launched the company to help businesses make sustainability measurable and actionable.
Planet FWD demonstrates how technology and entrepreneurship can be used to address complex global challenges. Through data-driven tools and software, the company helps organizations better understand the environmental impact of their products and make more informed decisions.
Collins’s work reflects the growing intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Her leadership demonstrates how innovative companies can use computing and data to develop practical solutions for businesses, consumers, and the environment.
Learn more about Planet FWD: https://www.planetfwd.com/
Rodney Williams
Founder, LISNR
LISNR developed innovative ultrasonic communication technology that enables devices to securely exchange information using sound. The platform has been used in mobile payments, authentication, ticketing, connected devices, and financial services.
Founder Rodney Williams has demonstrated how creative thinking and technical innovation can transform everyday digital experiences. By developing technology that allows devices to communicate through sound, LISNR has explored new possibilities for secure, connected experiences across industries.
Williams’s work highlights the role entrepreneurs play in bringing new ideas and emerging technologies into the marketplace. His career demonstrates how technical innovation can create new solutions while inspiring future founders to explore what is possible.
Learn more about LISNR: https://lisnr.com/
Building the Future Through Innovation
The companies and founders highlighted here represent just a small selection of the Black entrepreneurs whose ideas and leadership are helping shape the future of technology. Across industries, Black founders are launching companies, developing new technologies, solving complex challenges, and creating opportunities for future generations of innovators.
Their work demonstrates that entrepreneurship is an important part of the computing ecosystem. Innovation does not happen only within established technology companies or research institutions. It also happens when entrepreneurs identify challenges, develop new ideas, and build organizations that create new possibilities.
National Black Business Month provides an opportunity to recognize these contributions and to celebrate the entrepreneurs whose vision is helping move technology forward. By supporting Black-owned businesses and recognizing the impact of Black entrepreneurs, we strengthen the technology ecosystem and encourage future innovators to pursue their own ideas.
At CMD-IT, we remain committed to supporting pathways that connect students, researchers, educators, and professionals with opportunities to grow, lead, and make an impact in computing. Learn more about CMD-IT’s programs and discover opportunities to support the next generation of computing innovators at CMD-IT.org.