Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp for Black founders and devs combats opportunity barriers

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Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers
This is Apple’s first-ever Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Tuesday revealed the 13 app companies that will take part in its first Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers.

The company called the program part of its “ongoing commitment to empower the Black community and dismantle barriers to opportunity.”

Apple’s press release said:

“The program is designed to give developers the opportunity to take their existing app experience to the next level by mastering new technical skills, applying a critical lens to the user experience, and more through hands-on technology labs, one-on-one code-level guidance from Apple experts and engineers, and mentorship, inspiration, and insights from top Apple leaders.”

The app developers participating in the program are working on apps that range from the music-themed Bar Exam to a gym equipment training tool to a gesture-based “beat ’em up” game. Apple described the selected cohort of app developers as embodying the “entrepreneurial spirit that runs so deep in the Black community.”

Apple also said it will team up with Harlem Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm from New York that focuses on diverse founders, “to offer guidance and mentorship to the participants.”

Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative

Apple announced its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative in June 2020. Steps taken since then include working to increase diversity efforts with historically Black schools. The company also launched a guide for teachers and parents on how to discuss race and equity in the classroom. Last month, Apple announced funding for a range of projects intended to combat systemic racism and advance racial equity across the United States.

Source: Apple

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