Top 10 Black Founded Startups To Appreciate and Celebrate

by Startacus Admin

The lowdown on 10 innovative startups, each with an important story and mission, an exciting future ahead and all created by black founders.

1. Boxx

Boxx was founded by Anna Samuels in 2016 with one primary mission; to make boxing accessible to everyone and not just to focus on contact on movement but on mindset too. With all the uncertainties we’ve faced in our lives over the past two years, Anna has created a much-needed world-class online workout that is compatible with everyone's needs and schedules! So what does Boxx offer? The app has a number of impressive features including; home and studio workouts in boxing, HITT, Yoga and many more. It tailors to all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels. Last year, Anna secured funding to enable Boxx the company to accelerate content, hire additional staff and develop its product offering. That, together with a recent and ongoing successful Kickstarter campaign, are clear signs that this is a startup most certainly worth watching!

2. Eccobell

Eccobell is a startup, founded in 2019 by Daniel Ojeme and Ben Metson, with a mission to build an ecosystem of on-demand applications using contactless technology to innovate how people access, communicate and interact with each other, unrestricted by device. Their first product is ‘Doorbell as a service’. The innovative technology can be used in houses, apartments and commercial buildings, enabling anyone, anywhere to communicate with guests at just a tap. This startup saves the hassle that can come with unreliable video doorbells and intercom systems!

3. Afrori Books 

Online book store Afrori Books was launched by Carolynn Bain in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in July 2020. With the protests occurring and the need for more education surrounding Black Lives Matter, this online platform was essential.
Carolynn's intentions were to create a place where books by Black authors could easily be found and to give them a platform they did not seem to have in other bookshops.
The online store has been thriving and was part of a recent BBC World Service documentary. Due to the support and success of her online store, Carolynn then opened her own Bookstore in Brighton last October, making it the first black owned bookshop in the area!

4. Afrocenchix 

Co Founders Rachel Twunmasi- Corson and Joycelyn M created Afrocenchix as a business with sustainable and ethical business practice as its heart.
Afrocenchix began in 2008 as the women were on an endless quest to find the perfect healthy products, finally pushing them to create their own. The team blends natural and organic ingredients to make hair care as simple as possible for Afro hair. In the development of the business, they have supported UK scientists, chemists and suppliers, they never partake in animal testing and they and their families use the products - hugely important to build consumer trust. Afrocenchix was voted BBFA Best Natural Hair Brand 2018 and the first product for afro hair in Whole Foods UK. Additionally in 2018, they became part of the 0.003% of female Black owned businesses that raised funding with companies such as BACKED. This helped them go from their Birmingham beginnings to London and now worldwide!

5. Flair

Flair was co-founded and launched in 2020 by Darrell Coker and Nii Cleland. Since the launch the business has excelled -  they have worked with over 60 clients, including several of the UKs top schools and brands for example; The Premier League. Flair is a people analytics company that helps organisations measure and overcome racial bias. They focus on building a culture where all ethnicities thrive as they cover four key areas: racial awareness, racial diversity, racial behaviours and racial inclusion barriers. Within the last year they have also secured major investment to support their US expansion!

6. Airmaths

Airmaths founder Michael Olagunju created the online maths tuition site to empower students to achieve grades beyond their expectations. The tutoring site currently has a 95% success rate, with A* to B results. With the current situation of lockdowns over the past two years, the facility is perfect for homeschooling with features such as one to one tutoring, exam tutoring and even group tutoring amongst many more.

7. Syrona Women

Anya Roy and Chantelle Bell, co-founders of Syrona Women, are combining virtual health support and at-home clinical tests for improved health outcomes for women.  They are on a mission to help women, trans and non-binary folk to reclaim their body through science, compassion and technology. With the combination of research, data science and patient experiences of Gynaecological health, they provide relief, a safe space and a community for any person suffering. Never feel alone again with Syrona Women as they fight against the stigma!

8. TeachKloud

Wendy Oke founded TeachKloud in 2017 to help Early Years Educators save money, streamline administration and comply with regulations through the easy-to-use app, so that they can invest in what matters the most- helping young children to thrive.
TeachKloud is founded on the belief that every child, no matter their background should absolutely have access to quality early childhood education and care. The app enables quicker observations, comprehensive reporting, streamlined admin and better parental communication, decreasing the administrative burden; it ensures educators can spend less time ticking boxes and more time with children and their families.

9. RukaHair 

RukaHair co founders Tendai Moyo and Ugo Agbai created their online brand to celebrate black women and create products designed with real textures in mind. They are sourced ethically from partners in SouthEast Asia by women who sell their hair after cutting it as a source of income. The app includes impressive features where you can find out your curl type and suggested hair length for when you make a purchase. The variety on the site is unlimited, as you can choose from hair extensions to clip in ponytails to general hair products!

10. Oja

Mariam Jimoh, founder of Oja, created an app that delivers ethnic produce straight from your local grocery shop to your front doorstep! It aims to be the easiest and fastest way to shop for ethnic, international and specialist groceries and has a strong focus on African and Caribbean groceries. Features include; pre order and next day delivery, including Sundays, the ability to browse different cultures to find exactly what you need and the opportunity to shop for thousands of ethnic products that you can’t find in your local supermarket. Additionally, it enables users to support independent suppliers - all from the comfort of their own home!

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• #inclusion
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• #oja

Published on: 11th March 2022