Amanda Spann
Amanda Spann is an American marketing consultant and app entrepreneur, known for creating tech businesses to support and engage with the Black tech community.[1][2]
Early life and education
[edit]Spann is a graduate of Florida State University and Georgetown University.[3][4]
Career
[edit]Alongside her partner Kat Calvin, Spann co-founded Blerdology: The Science of Black Nerds, a social platform that unites the black tech community.[5][6][7][8] Initially known as Black Girls Hack,[4] Blerdology is tailored towards the African American community and encourages engagement from tech enthusiasts through events such as hackathons.[5][6][9] The first Blerdology hackathon was held in November 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia and consisted of fifty black tech enthusiasts competing to create mobile apps.[7]
Spann serves as the communications and content manager for the IBM Cloud Category.[5]
Spann is the co-founder of TibHub, a platform designed for entrepreneurs in the African diaspora.[10][11] Founded in 2014, TipHub serves as a community for sharing ideas and innovations, empowering its members to collaborate and succeed in their ventures.[10][11] Annually, Tibhup hosts an annual US-based residency program, called the Diaspora Demo Day, in which 14 individuals from the African Diaspora are provided with mentorship and support for their start-up businesses.[11][9]
Another contribution of Spann's is Happii, an initiative that provides young entrepreneurs with accessible tools and support they need to start and grow their businesses effectively.[10] Happii is divided into several business verticals, which includes products like TipOff App, CultureCrush App, and DubbleTap.com, online coaching, and e-learning and produce development.[10] Spann is also known for her involvement with AfriDate, a dating app specifically designed for African American singles, connecting users through shared ethnicity and nationality.[10]
Spann is recognized as a key partner in an App Accelerator program that collaborates with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), such as Clark Atlanta University.[1][12] The App Accelerator program provides a framework to first time app building for non-technical individuals.[3] With the support of Clark Atlanta University, along with PNC Back, The App Accelerator program hosts a 15-week program designed for non-technical individuals, called Idea to App, which allows them to bring their app ideas to fruition.[12] This initiative aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within the HBCU community, enhancing access to technology and business development opportunities for underrepresented founders.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Nxumalo, Gugulethu (2024-08-30). "Amanda Spann Partners with HBCU to Help Founders Scale Tech Ventures". UrbanGeekz. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Dickey, Megan Rose. "The 30 Most Important Women Under 30 In Tech". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ a b Brown, Doug C. "Inspirational Women Leaders Of Tech: Amanda Spann of The App Accelerator On The Five Things You Need To Know In Order To Create A Very Successful Tech Company". Authority Magazine. 2020. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
- ^ a b Ford, Winston (2013-02-25). "5 Future Leaders in Technology". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
- ^ a b c "A Day In The Life: Women Tech Innovators". NPR. 2014.
- ^ a b "Black Girls Hack holds first non-profit hackathon targeting African-Americans in tech". TheGrio. 2012. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ a b Evans, Erin E. "Hacking the Science of Black Nerds". BET. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
- ^ Kim, Larry. "20 Women Entrepreneurs Worth Watching These inspiring leaders prove there are unicorns among us". Inc. 2018.
- ^ a b "Women's History Month: Black Women in Tech". LA sentinel. 2019.
- ^ a b c d e McDonough, Ashley. "This Black Woman Is Opening The Door For People of Color In Tech". Essence. 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
- ^ a b c Christian, Bonnie. "Celebrating Black History Month: the men and women blazing a trail in STEM and modern culture". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
- ^ a b Moore, Kianga (2024). "How Amanda Spann’s App Accelerator Is Helping Non-Technical Founders Thrive Through HBCU Partnerships and Tech Automation". Ebony. Retrieved 2024-10-31.