As Black Enterprise gets ready for its second-ever TechConneXt Tech Summit, taking place on Oct 10—11 in Burlingame, California, we are proud to provide a sneak peek of the black-owned tech startups that will demonstrate their products and services in the Innovation Lab.
From drones to apps, these tech founders are innovating and creating on the cutting edge. Here is what you can expect to see:
Amp.it
Amp.it is an enterprise software solution that helps creators build an engaged community around great content, measure its effectiveness, and retain that community for future releases. With Amp.it, content owners never have to build an audience from zero again.
This mobile-optimized web platform features an embeddable video player that lets users log in directly from the player using their Facebook account, giving them points when they consume or share content. Users rise through levels from “Fan†to “Tastemaker,†and receive recognition and rewards from content producers, brands, and other creators competing for their attention.
Charmer
Charmer is “a fun, easy mobile app to describe yourself, your friends, and everything else in three words. You will be able to post “charms†to describe yourself and your friends in a cool, fun, and positive atmosphere,†says founder Ryan Rucker. It’s an agile way to create and view reviews of just about anything from peers in your location.
Recently, Rucker and his team used the Charmer app to collect valuable data on millennials’ thoughts about Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and the first presidential debate between the two, demonstrating the power of its analytics.
Flyspan
Drones are not just a hobbyist’s pastime but are used increasingly for security (think bomb-diffusing drones), in agriculture, and in myriad ways. It’s a good time to get into drones and Brock Christoval, CEO, and co-founder of Flyspan, has done just that.
Flyspan connects the power of drones to commercial industries. The company also makes a software platform enabling users to make decisions using real-time information from their drone fleet. In a nutshell, this is an intelligent drone fleet management solution.
KleanCollar
“We’re looking to change the world one collar at a time,†says Kenneth L. Wright, the founder and CEO of KleanCollar Inc. Wright is somewhat of a fashion buff that also has a background in sales at Fortune 500 companies, including Apple and Microsoft.
KleanCollar is a high-tech collar insert that prevents the dreaded “ring-around-the-collar.†It’s made from a newly invented, Band-Aid thin material developed by a Stanford professor that is medical-grade silicone and that feels comfortable to the human skin, is reusable, and is also eco-friendly. Additionally, it’s translucent, so it matches whatever color-collared shirt you are wearing. The device sits on the collar of a shirt with adhesive magnets.
WePow
Workforce recruitment technology company, WePow, offers a video interviewing platform to fulfill the promise of happy hiring managers and outstanding candidate experiences. Companies, including Adidas, Lenovo and Box, are using WePow to regain time, reduce costs, and recruit precisely.
With WePow, companies can boost the productivity of their recruitment teams by hiring solutions for the modern workforce.
In addition to these startups, sponsors including Microsoft, AT&T, FedEx, and American Airlines will showcase their latest technology designed to enhance and meet the needs and experiences of their customers.