A new generation of Black entrepreneurs is redefining what business looks like in their communities — from intimate wellness practices to campus-focused edtech and accelerator programs aiming to change who gets access to capital, according to an Afro News profile. Founders are blending personal experience, community needs and technology to build enterprises that prize impact alongside profit, it added.

Tonya Pledger’s Love Your V by T began as a home practice and has expanded to multiple locations across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia area. Pledger told Afro News her work grew out of personal health struggles and a desire to share restorative rituals with other women. The company’s website markets yoni (vaginal) steaming as a tool for menstrual regulation, postpartum recovery and “womb wellness.” Medical outlets caution otherwise. The Cleveland Clinic and Healthline say there is no scientific evidence that steaming delivers the claimed gynecological benefits and warn of risks including burns, altered vaginal pH and infection. Those outlets recommend consulting a health professional before trying unproven therapies.

On the tech and ecosystem side, Kiante Bush launched Venture for THEM to connect historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) entrepreneurs with mentorship, non-dilutive funding and investor visibility. Bush told Afro News the program aims to close gaps in the tech pipeline by pairing students and alumni with venture capitalists and C-suite mentors. Venture for THEM’s materials detail campus summits, accelerators and pitch competitions intended to increase access and visibility for historically excluded founders. Yet the funding environment is stark. Crunchbase News reported venture funding to Black-founded startups plunged to roughly $705 million in 2023, a 71% decline that pushed the share of total venture dollars below 0.5%.

Anastasia Jackson and Jenaba Sow founded WeNite to tackle administrative failures at HBCUs with digital tools. Jackson’s experience as a transfer student who faced housing and administrative breakdowns informed the company’s mission. Sow told Afro News the pair prioritizes “building with community and for community,” rather than chasing exits. The WeNite website describes AI-driven products and an ERP called SAGE designed to streamline scheduling, events and faculty workflows.

The entrepreneurship stories underscore a recurring tension — innovation and mission-driven entrepreneurship grow amid persistent capital shortfalls and structural barriers. Founders describe strategic choices about partnerships and funding, rejecting deals that aren’t mission-aligned and pursuing non-dilutive prizes or bootstrapped growth, as essential to sustaining community-focused work in a constrained market.

These entrepreneurs are not only launching businesses, but also redefining what success looks like for Black founders — combining cultural knowledge, lived experience and technological tools to build durable enterprises. At the same time, they and their customers navigate medical, financial and regulatory realities that demand both ambition and caution. As Pledger told Afro News, “We’re building a legacy — and we’re doing it our way.”

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