For the first time, AfroTech, the nation’s largest tech conference for Black innovators and entrepreneurs, is in Houston.
Held at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Nov. 13-16, the event attracted around 25,000 attendees, including tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and students eager to explore opportunities in the fast-growing tech sector.
The event provided networking, innovation, and learning space, bringing together leading companies like Google, Microsoft, and HP with the city’s next generation of tech talent.
One of the most enthusiastic groups at AfroTech Houston was students from Texas Southern University (TSU). The students saw the conference as a chance to connect directly with industry leaders and gain valuable insights into career paths in tech.
As a young entering the tech world, I’ve often felt outnumbered, but this event is a reminder that there’s space for me in this industry.
Cameron Duncan, a TSU senior management and information systems major.
“It’s surreal to have AfroTech right here in Houston,” said Cameron Duncan, a TSU senior management and information systems major. “As a young entering the tech world, I’ve often felt outnumbered, but this event is a reminder that there’s space for me in this industry. This is my first time attending, and it’s inspiring to be surrounded by so many people who look like me and are thriving in the field.”
TSU students packed into coding, entrepreneurship, and product development workshops, eager to gain practical skills that could set them on a path toward success.
“This is another reason to put Houston on the map. Everyone here contributes to the culture and vibe that the city already has,” said Jackie Edwards Jr., a TSU radio, television, and film major. “I love being in competitive spaces. Being around other successful Black people encourages me to step up how I show up in the world.”
Jackie Edwards Jr., a TSU radio, television, and film major. Credit: Laura Onyeneho
For young professionals already working in tech, AfroTech’s arrival in Houston signaled a major shift in the city’s growing role as a tech hub. Previously held in Austin, the event had generated over $18.2 million for the local economy there, supported 148 jobs, and contributed over $216,000 in local property tax revenue.
With Houston now hosting AfroTech, the city stands to benefit from a similar economic boost while also positioning itself as a major destination for Black tech talent.
Tunde Agboke, Director of Government Affairs Advocacy Strategies at HP Inc. partnered with SAiD Institute Pan African Library for an Ubuntu Dinner, an intimate gathering of 100 Black professionals and trailblazers from HP, for a day of learning and networking. The mission was to foster meaningful connections, showcase groundbreaking ideas that transform and drive cultural growth, and find solutions for racial diversity in the tech sector.
Tunde Agboke, Director of Government Affairs Advocacy Strategies at HP Inc.
“Houston has always been seen as an energy town, but now tech is becoming a big part of the conversation, and Black people are a part of the future in tech,” he said, “In Austin, it was clear that there was just a bunch of Black people in town. In Houston, it doesn’t feel any different. Black people are already here. Being here makes much more sense than in Pala Alto or San Francisco. Coming here is in the best interest of AfroTech to keep it in Houston.”
Tyanna Morrison, Chair for the Black Business Research Group at HP, says the’ Afrofuturism’ theme shapes technology and innovation. She hopes that the conference will encourage more Black women to consider more executive leadership roles in sectors that are struggling to fill that gap.
“Black people across the diaspora are so influential in AI and technology. We have the brain and human capital to really shape up the industry like we’ve never seen before,” she said. “I’m a Houston-born native, and for this conference to come here to this melting pot city, companies will recruit the most diverse talent.”
