From 650 Attendees To 40,000 Strong Today — AFROTECH™ Conference Is Celebrating A Decade Of Innovation And Infinite Impact In 2026
What started as a spark in San Francisco, CA, has grown into a global hub for Black technology and innovation.
Each year, the AFROTECH™ community convenes tens of thousands of professionals and students along with more than 150 global companies to exchange ideas, elevate representation, and celebrate progress. The weeklong experience is specifically curated to include top-tier keynotes, panels, networking events, and culture-driven programming that fuels the next generation of builders and leaders.
The Beginning: From Idea To Impact
In 2016, Blavity Inc. co-founders Morgan DeBaun and Jeff Nelson saw a gap in the tech industry. Major players hosted large conferences filled with opportunities, but those opportunities did not seem to be fully present for Black and brown people. Determined to change that, they launched the AFROTECH™ Conference in the Bay Area with 650 attendees, proving there was an audience ready for this kind of space.
By 2019, the conference relocated to Oakland, embracing the city’s cultural heartbeat and centering the “for us, by us” ethos. The shift reflected more than geography. It was a statement of belonging and pride, positioning Black culture not as an accessory to innovation but as its foundation. Attendance surpassed 10,000, and AFROTECH™ solidified its identity as a home for those who were building, coding, and dreaming in color.
The Pivot
When the pandemic brought in-person gatherings to a halt, AFROTECH continued to move forward.
It expanded into new digital territory through AFROTECH™ World, a virtual experience that united the community in the metaverse. Even in a time of isolation, Black technologists, entrepreneurs, and creatives continued to connect, share ideas, and collaborate, allowing community to thrive when the world struggled to connect.
That moment proved AFROTECH™ was never just a conference. It was, and remains, a paradigm-shifting ecosystem built on a foundation that has always been people-first.
The Austin Era
By 2022, AFROTECH™ returned to in-person programming and found new life in Austin, TX.
The relocation marked the beginning of a powerful growth era. More than 25,000 attendees filled stages, expo halls, and networking lounges for a week of collaboration and celebration. The experience featured new additions, including AFROTECH™ Music, the AFROTECH™ Future Awards, and curated activations that bridged business, culture, and community.
Austin became a new creative capital for the movement, where the vision of Black innovation could expand without limits.
The Houston Evolution
In 2024, AFROTECH made its debut in Houston, TX, transforming the city into a vibrant hub of collaboration and creativity. More than 37,500 attendees gathered for four days of programming that explored how technology and culture intersect to drive progress. The event featured high-profile speakers, including will.i.am, T.I., Colin Kaepernick, Angelica Ross, Hannah Bronfman, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
“AfroTech Conference 2024 exceeded all expectations, creating an electric environment where connections were forged that will drive the future of technology and business,” explained DeBaun in a press release.
“Houston was buzzing with extraordinary energy, sparking conversations that will lead to business growth, new executive hires, and product innovation,” he continued.
Attendees explored sessions focused on AI, medical technology, and entrepreneurship through new experiences such as the Creative and Design Summit, the Health and Environment Equity Stage, and the Cybersecurity Stage.
This growth continued in 2025 as AFROTECH™ expanded across Houston and attracted more than 40,000 attendees to discuss Building What’s Next. Hundreds of sessions covered key sectors including AI, fintech, medtech, and sustainability. Partners such as Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, UnitedHealth Group, GE Healthcare, PwC, Uber, and L’Oréal Group reinforced AFROTECH’s cross-industry influence.
In 2025, the Creator Summit was introduced, produced in partnership with Dream Con, which celebrated Black creativity as a global economic force. The programming showcased what makes AFROTECH™ special: it is not only about technology, but also about how innovation can serve the community and create opportunities.
The Legacy
Now, it’s been we’re celebrating a Decade of Innovation and Infinite Impact.
AFROTECH™ Conference has become a launchpad for careers, startups, and partnerships that continue to shape global industries. The conversations that take place on its stages have influenced how companies approach equity, innovation, and belonging.
The conference has built a legacy that transcends numbers. It has been demonstrated that technology can be inclusive and that culture can serve as a catalyst for progress. Its commitment to access and representation has redefined what it means to lead in the modern economy.
Still Dreaming Forward: AFROTECH™ Conference 2026
With year ten on the horizon, the dream continues to grow, and AFROTECH™ remains the premier gathering for visionaries, founders, and innovators who believe that the future of technology is boundless when built on equity and imagination.
What began as a dream is now a living blueprint for innovation, excellence, and community. And that dream continues to inspire the world to build what’s next.
“The beauty about the experience at AFROTECH™ is the fact that you could literally just be walking around, and the amount of the wealth of experience around you is a lot,” said Emmanuel Ajala, who is in his final year of his master’s program in computer science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “You could be sitting next to a VP or a senior engineer.”
Join AFROTECH™ for this major milestone. Secure your early bird ticket now for Nov. 2-6, 2026.
