Black Tech Weekly

Lightship Foundation

Black Tech Weekly, the podcast of Lightship Foundation's award winning signature conference, Black Tech Week, to amplify the brilliant work of the best founders, investors, and ecosystems around the country. 

Episodes

  1. Building a Venture Empire with Serena Willams

    07/08/2025

    Building a Venture Empire with Serena Willams

    Road to Black Tech Week: 2022 Keynote Speaker Serena Williams shares how she transitioned from tennis icon to venture capitalist, raising a $111M fund to back diverse and everyday innovation through Serena Ventures.  Guest: Serena Williams  Host: Candice Matthews Brackeen  Recorded: July 2022 Black Tech Week 2022 in Cincinnati, OH

    46 min
  2. Raising Your First Fund with Sandy Moore

    07/08/2025

    Raising Your First Fund with Sandy Moore

    Road to Black Tech Week: In this insightful episode, Sandy Moore shares her powerful journey and practical wisdom for first-time fund managers. From structuring investment theses to LP engagement strategies, Sandy opens up about the creation of Empower the Change, a $200M impact fund dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap through intentional capital investment. This is essential listening for anyone raising capital while trying to stay mission-aligned.  Guest: Sandy Moore, Chief Impact Officer and Managing Director, Advantage Capital  Host: Vanessa Stevens  Recorded: July 20th, 2023 Black Tech Week Cincinnati, OH

    48 min
  3. Finding Your Thesis with Denzil Porteous

    07/08/2025

    Finding Your Thesis with Denzil Porteous

    Road to Black Tech Week: In this vulnerable and powerful conversation, Denzil Porteous, a trailblazing leader at the intersection of queerness, Blackness, and entrepreneurship, opens up about identity, leadership, access to capital, and living your truth. As CEO of Pride Fund 1 and Executive Director of Stonewall Columbus, he’s building ecosystems that make space for underrepresented founders—and showing up fully while doing it.  Guest: Denzil Porteous – CEO of Pride Fund 1, Executive Director of Stonewall Columbus  Host: Margaret Ntambi, Africa Tech Enthusiast Recorded: July 19th, 2023. Black Tech Week – Cincinnati, OH

    52 min
  4. Finding Your Genius with Felicia Hatcher

    07/08/2025

    Finding Your Genius with Felicia Hatcher

    Road to Black Tech Week: Felicia Hatcher breaks down the transformative power of discovering your genius. In this energetic and deeply personal conversation, she shares how she moved from burnout and self-doubt to purpose-driven leadership—empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs through Black Ambition and beyond.  Guest: Felicia Hatcher – CEO, Black Ambition; Co-founder, Black Tech Week  Host: Vanita Cooper – CEO, Arbit  Recorded: July 20th 2023 Black Tech Week 2023 – Cincinnati, OH

    47 min
  5. Effective Storytelling

    07/08/2025

    Effective Storytelling

    Road to Black Tech Week: In this compelling conversation, industry leaders dive into the role of storytelling in culture, media, business, and personal identity. They discuss everything from ancient narratives to the algorithms of social media, how vulnerability builds connection, and how Black voices can reclaim control of their own narratives.  Guest: Vanessa Missoon – Director of Communications, Lightship Foundation DeTavio Samuels – CEO, Revolt Josh Ott – Head of Revenue, The Shade Room  Host: Jefferson Noel, Barbershop Speaks  Recorded: Black Tech Week Cincinnati, OH July 18th, 2023

    56 min
  6. Building An Empire with Issa Rae

    07/08/2025

    Building An Empire with Issa Rae

    Road to Black Tech Week: Issa Rae dives into entrepreneurship, authenticity, Black storytelling, and legacy. From building Hooray Media to lessons in failure, this episode is a candid and inspirational journey.  Guest: Issa Rae  Host: Candice Matthews Brackeen  Recorded: July 20, 2023 Black Tech Week Cincinnati, OH

    45 min
  7. Authentic Leadership with Everette Taylor

    07/08/2025

    Authentic Leadership with Everette Taylor

    Road to Black Tech Week: Everett Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, sits down for an honest and powerful conversation on authentic leadership, mental health, culture, and resilience. In this wide-ranging and deeply personal chat, he reflects on navigating identity, building intentional teams, operating in the spotlight, and how empathy fuels both his business and personal life.  Guest: Everett Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter  Host: Candy Glenn, Senior Commercial Executive for Microsoft Education  Recorded: July 17th 2023 Black Tech Week Cincinnati, OH

    51 min
  8. Innovation and Culture with Damien Hooper-Campbell

    07/08/2025

    Innovation and Culture with Damien Hooper-Campbell

    Road to Black Tech Week: Damien Hooper-Campbell, StockX's first Chief Impact Officer, delivers a powerful conversation on building inclusive innovation cultures, navigating corporate leadership as a Black man, mental health in the workplace, and the evolving role of DEI. This honest, vulnerable, and empowering conversation sheds light on what it truly takes to lead with integrity, purpose, and impact in today’s corporate landscape.  Guest: Damien Hooper-Campbell, Chief Impact Officer, StockX  Host: Thornell Jones, Managing Partner at the Ovation Agency  Recorded: July 19th 2023 Black Tech Week 2025, Cincinnati, OH

    53 min
  9. Changing the Narrative with Detavio Samuels

    07/08/2025

    Changing the Narrative with Detavio Samuels

    Road to Black Tech Week: In this electrifying conversation, Detavio Samuels—CEO of Revolt—pulls back the curtain on building the “Black Disney,” staying mission-aligned, and leading a billion-dollar Black-owned media company against impossible odds. With humor, urgency, and truth, he discusses ownership, legacy, faith, and the challenge of raising capital while keeping Revolt 100% Black-owned.  Guest: Detavio Samuels, CEO of Revolt  Host: Umindi Francis, Founder of UFCG  Recorded: July 18th 2023, Black Tech Week - Cincinnati, OH

    51 min
  10. Boostrapped To a Billion with Delali Dzirasa

    07/08/2025

    Boostrapped To a Billion with Delali Dzirasa

    Road to Black Tech Week: In this inspiring fireside chat, Delali Dzirasa, CEO of Fearless, shares how he built one of the largest Black-owned software companies in the country—starting from his mother’s basement with $6,000 and a dream. He breaks down the power of bootstrapping, public sector innovation, and staying mission-aligned while scaling to nearly 500 employees.  Guest: Delali Dzirasa, Founder & CEO, Fearless  Host: Brian Brackeen, General Partner, Lightship Capital  Recorded: July 20th 2023, Black Tech Week Cincinnati, OH

    49 min
  11. Building on Your Own Terms with Aisha Bowe

    07/08/2025

    Building on Your Own Terms with Aisha Bowe

    Road to Black Tech Week: In this inspiring and wide-ranging fireside chat, Aisha Bowe shares her journey from struggling student to rocket scientist, tech entrepreneur, and astronaut. Her story challenges traditional notions of success, celebrates authentic leadership, and offers a blueprint for building companies and futures on your own terms.  Guest: Aisha Bowe – Aerospace Engineer, Entrepreneur, Astronaut  Host: Sophia Stanley Recording:July 20th 2023 Black Tech Week 2023 – Cincinnati, OH

    46 min

  12. 05/07/2025

    Black Tech Weekly: This is What We Do

    Let’s intro by letting the audience know that we aren’t hacks or industry interlopers. Advancing innovation and investment for women, people of color and all entrepreneurs with scalable businesses, is our entire existence. No need to tell the entire back story, simply abbreviate then highlight the work! Use this intro as a segway to Black Tech Week Moderator: Candice Matthews Brackeen

    20 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Black Tech Weekly, the podcast of Lightship Foundation's award winning signature conference, Black Tech Week, to amplify the brilliant work of the best founders, investors, and ecosystems around the country. 

Information

  • Creator
    Lightship Foundation
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Black Tech Weekly
  • Show Website
    Black Tech Weekly