2026
JULY 14-16 IN CINCINNATI
Black Tech Week is officially returning to Cincinnati in Summer 2026.
Add your name to the presale waitlist to stay in the loop on ticket releases, programming updates, and special announcements.
who we are
black tech week is a culture-driven
experience powered by community
and built through corporate collaboration.
For five years, Black Tech Week has gathered founders, creators, operators, investors, and partners in the Queen City to shape what comes next.
We believe culture is the code. Ideas deserve ownership. Innovation requires intention. The room is where momentum begins.
Each summer, we create the conditions for builders to take control of their vision, choose a different path, and turn bold ideas into real outcomes.
Engage with amazing keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops while connecting with industry leaders and investors to grow your network and your business.
Discover remarkable entrepreneurs leading incredible, investment ready startups as you network your way to a more diverse, high performing portfolio .
Build relationships with decision makers, discover internships and other meaningful opportunities as you learn from experienced entrepreneurs and business professionals.
Elevate your brand's visibility while supporting a legacy of excellence by investing in Black Tech Week promotional opportunities.
CREATION IS CALLING
CTRL. ALT. CREATE.
The machines are learning. So are we.
Black Tech Week gathers builders, technologists, founders, creatives, and operators who refuse to be fully automated.
We collaborate with technology rather than conform to it. We use AI as a tool, not a replacement.
Take control. Choose differently. Build what cannot be replicated.
See you at #BTW26.
SPEAKERS
The Stage Is for Builders.
Black Tech Week 2026 is calling founders, creators, operators, technologists, and culture shapers who are taking control of their narrative and building what cannot be replicated.
If you are creating original work, leading with intention, and shaping what comes next, this stage is for you.
Keke Palmer
Actress, Producer, and Founder of KeyTV Network
Alex Malebranche
Global Lead, Startups
GitHub
Denise Woodard
Founder & CEO
Partake Foods
Aya Philémon
Product Manager, Innovation and Exploration
Adobe
Christopher Boles
PhD Candidate
Cincinnati Children's
Maya Smith
Cofounder, CEO, and Creative Director
The Doux
Latraviette Smith-Wilson
Chief Marketing & Equity Officer
Horizon Media
Ramon Ray
Publisher
ZoneofGenius.com
DJ Johnson
CEO and Founder
Sherpa Clouds Inc
Dana Blair
Founder
Dana Blair Inc
Stephen Hightower
President CEO
Hightowers Petroleum Co.
Sofia Stanley
Founder & Chief Disruptor
Redefining Esquire
Fawn Weaver
Founder and CEO
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
Kelvin Johnson
CEO / Co-Founder
Brevity
James D. White
Board Chair
Honest Company
Calvin L. Butts Jr.
Co-Founder & General Partner
East Chop Capital
Candy Glenn
Kimm Lauterbach
President and CEO
REDI Cincinnati
J.P. Nauseef
President & CEO
JobsOhio
Derrick Maultsby Jr.
Managing Associate Attorney
Frost Brown Todd LLP
Luzerne McAllister II
Managing Director
Curated Crescendo Coaching & Consulting
Wolf Starr
Managing Director
United States Angel Collective
Rod Walton
Founder & CEO
ThinkMODA
Barb Smith
President
Journey Steel, Inc.
Monica L. Womack
Chief, Minority Business Division
Ohio Department of Development
Ava Toro
Global Insights Lead Researcher
Carlos Barksdale
Venture Capital Partnerships
Lela Coffey
Vice President
P&G NA -- Multicultural Acceleration
Eric Austin
Vice President
P&G
Cedric Harville
Purchasing Director
P&G
Demetrice Mcclurkin
Vice President
P&G Global Business Development
Kevin McCarthy
Senior Director
P&G
Rolanda Wilkerson
Senior Director and Scientific Communications Fellow, Olay P&G Beauty
P&G
Bobby Joseph
Founder
BOBBYJOSEPH®
Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
Contributing Writer/Correspondent
Black Enterprise
Jordan Ross
Sr UX Researcher
Adobe
Brandon Johnson
Generative AI Product Tech Lead
NVIDIA
Yvan-Claude Pierre
Partner
Cooley LLP
Kelley Cornish
CEO, T.D. Jakes Foundation
T.D. Jakes Foundation
Delano Massey
Managing Editor, Midwest
Axios
Dean Carson
AI Workforce Solutions Lead
Microsoft
Shelton Mercer III
Co-Founder & President
Audigent, a part of Experian
Greg Forte
Director
Alloy
Rachel DesRochers
Founder
The Gratitude Collective
Sydnee Jackson
Events & Experience Lead
Cintrifuse
Charisma Deberry
VP, Strategic Communications & Engagement
Horizon Media
Dennis Craig
Senior Associate
Cooley LLP
Brandon Andrews
CEO
Inexorable
Stephanie Smith
Owner, Paid Social Consultant
Social by Steph
Sasha McKenzie
Deal Lead
Wellington Management
Michael Graham
Founder
Savant Studios
sponsors
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities and tier options,
submit a sponsor inquiry
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