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At AfroTech 2025 in Houston, The Walt Disney Company showed up with a clear message: the future of storytelling belongs to those who blend bold imagination with breakthrough technology. Across animation, visual effects, sports, and immersive experiences, Disney’s technologists and creators gave AfroTech attendees an inside look at how the company continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible and why the next generation of innovators has a place in shaping that future. “Being at AfroTech with creators and leaders who recognize that technology and storytelling are inseparable was inspiring. We were proud to showcase our team and share how Disney continues to innovate across every corner of our businesses,” said Anastasia Ali, Vice President, Inclusive Marketing & Audience Growth at Disney. Engineering Innovation: Inside Walt Disney Imagineering Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development leaders Jonathan Becker and Lanny Smoot invited attendees into the world where robotics,...
Tech and candy. Not the intersection you’d expect, but at AfroTech, you’ll always find fresh ideas and innovation. Enter Mars Snacking, the company behind some of America’s favorite treats, like M&M’S, SKITTLES, EXTRA GUM and SNICKERS. At AfroTech 2025, Mars showed conference-goers how the candy maker has progressed far beyond Willy Wonka’s golden ticket strategy. During her interview at the Blavity Stage, “Marketing to the New Consumer with the CMO of Mars,” North America CMO Gabrielle Wesley touched on why understanding audiences is critical, especially when it comes to Gen Z and Gen Alpha. “They don’t necessarily trust brands, they trust people,” Wesley said. “The influencer culture, the creator culture, is what they know. It’s not like they grew up on brand jingles and things like that… They grew up on people that they trust… giving recommendations. They’re loyal to those recommendations, not necessarily to the brands.” So understanding real shopping habits matters more than...
When most people think of innovation in beauty, they picture lipsticks in luxe packaging, serums promising radiant skin, and campaigns that redefine representation. Beauty is often viewed through the lens of artistry, aesthetics, and culture, as reflected in what we see on shelves, in advertisements, and on social media feeds. But innovation in beauty is no longer limited to what meets the eye—it’s being redefined behind the scenes. At the intersection of science, technology, and self-expression, companies like L’Oréal Groupe are reshaping what beauty means and how it’s created. Today, innovation looks like AI tools that recommend your perfect foundation match, lab-developed molecules that transform your skin, and personalized haircare products and tools to match your specific curl-type. With new tech breakthroughs like these, beauty can be innovative and revolutionary. What’s even more exciting is that the future of beauty is being reimagined by engineers, data scientists, and...
You can feel it the moment you step into AFROTECH™. The vibe is top-tier, the energy is contagious, and the Black excellence and brilliance are on every corner. AFROTECH™ isn’t just a tech conference; it’s a movement. It’s where ambition meets opportunity, where culture and innovation collide, and where your next big break might be one conversation away. That same spirit of innovation and opportunity is what’s driving this year’s collaboration between Bayer and Howard University . People may know Bayer as a familiar name in their medicine cabinet, but the company is much more than that. The global life sciences leader in health and agriculture is partnering with the Washington D.C.-based HBCU for the second year in a row to bring The Yard to AFROTECH™ — a dynamic space to connect, unwind, and get real-time resume feedback from Bayer volunteers. Whether you’re job-hunting, internship-seeking, or just leveling up your personal brand, this is the moment to make sure your resume is...
Estée Lauder is bringing a beauty tech moment to AfroTech and we’re here for it. By now we’ve established that the tech, AI, and the IoT are creating endless opportunities and innovation for every industry they touch, and the beauty industry is no exception. So what exactly happens when beauty science meets tech? Estée Lauder’s answer to that question is Color Capture , a tech-powered experience that takes foundation shade-matching beyond the makeup counter. And did we mention they’re debuting this new technology at the conference? Using a professional spectrophotometer (think: high-tech color scanner), Color Capture measures skin tones and instantly recommends the best foundation fit across the brand’s 55+ Double Wear shades. “Through the use of advanced color capture technology, we are able to ground shade development in both science and inclusivity. This ensures our shade portfolio continues to evolve with the right match for diverse skin tones and undertones worldwide.” Ashani...
F5 is one of the most important tech companies you’ve probably never heard of, even though you interact with its technology every day. When you book a plane ticket on an airline app, login to your banking app to check your balance, or order takeout for dinner, chances are F5 software and hardware facilitated and protected those transactions. The top 15 banks in the world are F5 customers, as are the 10 largest telecommunications companies, and the top 10 retailers. From social media to banking, to entertainment and more, if a business is reaching its customers through apps, F5 likely plays a critical role. “At F5 we’re on a mission to build a better digital world,” says CEO François Locoh-Donou. “For us, a better digital world is one where all these great things happen, but without the dangers and distortions bad people try to put into the digital world.” F5’s proprietary technology and the unique space it occupies in the B2B tech landscape played a key role in attracting...
At this point, nobody needs convincing that artificial intelligence is here to stay. It is in the way we work, the way we connect, and the way opportunities show up, sometimes before we even go looking for them. The real question is not whether AI will shape the future, but who is shaping AI in ways that actually move people forward. That is where Paychex enters the chat. As one of the nation’s leading providers of human capital management solutions, Paychex is proving that technology is only as good as the purpose behind it. The company is taking AI and data analytics far beyond surface-level automation. Their focus is on building tools that make work smarter, more equitable, and more human. This is not about chasing trends; it’s about rethinking the systems businesses rely on so they can hire with intention, grow with confidence, and create workplaces where people can thrive. With more than five decades of HR expertise, Paychex has a perspective that most tech-driven companies do...