Aniyia Williams: Tech Changemaker
Entrepreneur and responsible technology leader Aniyia Williams empowers organizations to build inclusive, ethical and community-driven innovation ecosystems that uplift underrepresented founders and reshape the future of tech.
Quick Facts:
- Highlights:
- Principal on the Responsible Technology team at Omidyar Network
- Founder of Tinsel, creator of the first audio necklace
- Founder and board chair of Black & Brown Founders
- Co founder of Zebras Unite, Black Innovation Alliance and the Firefly Alliance
- Formats: Keynote speaker, responsible technology strategist and inclusive innovation advocate
- Audiences: Tech companies, startup ecosystems, corporate innovation teams, DEI leaders, investors, incubators, accelerators and mission-driven organizations.
- Outcomes:
- Strategies for building ethical, inclusive and community-centered innovation ecosystems.
- Practical insights to support underrepresented founders and broaden access to opportunity.
- Frameworks for designing technology and organizations that reflect responsible, human-centered values.
- Travels from: San Francisco, CA
- **Fee range: $10,001 - $20,000
Talent Services
Keynote Topics:
Unicorns vs Zebras: Money, Power & Startups in the Valley
Capitalism is a hell of a drug. When used responsibly, it can create freedom, innovation and efficiency. But unchecked, hoarding, exploitation and careless behavior can run rampant. The tech world has created a great example of this with venture capital and “unicorns”.
It’s not greed and growth at all costs… it’s just business. Right? Wrong. We’re entering a new age, one where entrepreneurs want to create solutions to improve the human experience and quality of life without playing a zero sum game. The age of the zebra.
In this talk, Aniyia will explain why purpose and profit do not have to be mutually exclusive, why creating alternatives to the venture capital status quo is a moral and economic imperative, and how innovation in business financing can help us solve the world’s big challenges.
How to Launch A Startup Against All Odds
If you’re an underdog who wants to take your shot at building a tech business, a different approach is needed. For many people of color, women, LGBTQ, baby boomers, and the “others” – the game is harder to play IF we’re using the same playbook as Musk, Gates, Jobs and Zuck.
In this presentation, Aniyia will share her recipe for finding strength, flushing out your idea, launching, and making your first dollars against all odds.
Health, Wealth & Love for Busy People
Today’s expectations of a happy life are at best, unrealistic, and at worst, oppressive.
- Are you hurtling toward burnout on a crusade to build the perfect life?
- Been there. Are you stressed about money, even when you’re making a decent bit of it?
- Done that. Are you seeing communication with your significant other get rockier by the day?
Yeah, sounds about right. Know that you are not alone, and while you probably can’t “have it all”, you’d be surprised to find how much joy can come from letting go of what you don’t need.
Aniyia will share some hard lessons she’s learned about finding happiness, how to think differently about what we want, and how to get it.
Finding Your Purpose When the World is On Fire
Some days it feels like we are doomed. Maybe we are. Either way, we should make the most of our lives while we’re here. The key is to NOT make it about winning or losing, but deftly playing an infinite game. That’s only possible when you are able to lead with the reason why you do what you do.
In this talk, Aniyia will share ways to search within to discover your WHY, distinguish what is necessary and real for YOU, and how to use this as a compass to navigate the world…. as long as it keeps turning.
Unforgettable: How to Become an Interesting Person
Spoiler alert: you already are! You just need some help with bringing the most interesting pieces to the surface. When we want to be seen as interesting or valuable, it actually links to our fundamental human desire to feel connection and belonging.
During this presentation, Aniyia will explain why we want people to like us. She’ll then provide a framework to uncover the most unique and fascinating parts of yourself, expand your repertoire, and apply it to your interactions.
Talent Short Bio
Aniyia Williams is a visionary entrepreneur, systempreneur and advocate whose work sits at the intersection of responsible technology, inclusive innovation and community empowerment. As a principal on the Responsible Technology team at Omidyar Network, she helps the tech world live up to its promise of serving society, advancing equity and creating meaningful, sustainable change.
A dynamic speaker and storyteller, Aniyia draws on a career that spans invention, startup leadership, nonprofit development and ecosystem building. She founded Tinsel, the fashion tech company behind the world’s first audio necklace, created to address the lack of electronics designed for women. She also founded Black & Brown Founders, a nonprofit that supports Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in launching and growing tech businesses, where she continues to serve as board chair.
Aniyia is the co founder of Zebras Unite, an entrepreneur-led movement dedicated to building a more ethical, community-centered and resilient startup ecosystem.
Read Full Bio
Aniyia Williams is an entrepreneur, thought leader, and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.
She is a systempreneur, creator, inventor, tech changemaker, and investor. She is a principal on the Responsible Technology team at Omidyar Network, and works to help the tech world live up to its promise of changing lives for the better.
With a passion for empowering underrepresented communities, Aniyia brings a unique perspective to her work as a professional speaker. As the Founder and CEO of TINSEL, a tech jewelry company, and the Executive Director of Black & Brown Founders, a non-profit organization supporting minority entrepreneurs, Aniyia’s journey is as inspiring as it is impactful. With her dynamic presence and compelling storytelling, she captivates audiences worldwide, leaving a lasting impression of possibility and empowerment.
Prior to joining Omidyar Network, Aniyia founded Black & Brown Founders, a nonprofit which helps Black and Latinx entrepreneurs launch tech businesses. She continues to serve as the organization’s board chair.
Aniyia is also co-founder of Zebras Unite, an entrepreneur-led movement focused on creating a more ethical and sustainable startup ecosystem through capital, culture, and community; convener of the Black Innovation Alliance, an ecosystem of organizations that support, fund, and sustain Black innovators; and co-founder of the Firefly Alliance, a community that equips women with collaborative leadership skills to move beyond racism and sexism.
Previously, Aniyia founded the fashion tech company, Tinsel, which invented the world’s first audio necklace, designed in response to a lack of electronics developed for women.
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Overview of User Reviews for Aniyia's Presentation
Aniyia received consistently positive feedback from attendees, highlighting her professionalism, relatability, and engaging presentation style. Reviewers noted that she was not only fun to work with but also effectively connected with the audience, making her talks enjoyable and impactful. Overall, Aniyia is recommended for her ability to deliver an engaging and enjoyable experience. No significant weaknesses were mentioned in the reviews.
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Fee Range Information
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