The AfroTech Conference is scheduled to return to Texas in early November.
Set to be held from Nov. 2 to Nov. 6 in Houston, the event will host over 300 speakers and will feature more than 11 stages. Among the speakers who will attend are Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, President of BET Louis Carr, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Vanessa E. Wyche, and Chief Medical Officer of Hers Dr. Jessica Shepherd.
The conference will include eight programs over five days. These events include a health conference, the technology of city development, a creators summit and an hour-long event where attendees can pitch ideas to Arlan Hamilton.
The theme of the AfroTech Conference will be “Build What’s Next.” As they look ahead, the event will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Launched in 2016, the conference was inspired by events held by tech giants such as Meta and Google.
In its initial iteration, over 650 people attended the event. Last year, more than 40,000 people attended the AfroTech Conference.
“The next decade is about ownership, influence and building companies, products and ideas that shape where technology goes next,” said the CEO and Chairman of Blavity, Inc Morgan DeBaun in a statement. “AfroTech is where those relationships can start, where business can get done and where people can see themselves not just participating in the future, but building it.”
In a report released last month, tech company McKinsey examined 14 tech trends currently defining tech.
Along with A.I., advances are being made in robotics, therapeutics, diagnostics, brain science, mobility and genomics. Immersive reality is also on the rise. The IDC projects that mixed reality is expected to grow to 10.4 million units by 2030, marking a 200% increase from 2026. Revenue is expected to increase to $7.1 billion as a result.
Much of the growth in immersive reality comes from its adoption in gaming. It is often used to create 3D modeling tools to virtually create environments. The virtual reality and gaming sector currently generates an estimated $52.4 billion. It is expected to grow to $109.6 billion by 2030.
“We’re at a point where technology is changing faster than traditional systems of education, hiring and professional development can keep up,” said Co-Founder and COO of Blavity, Inc, Jeff Nelson, in a statement. “That changes what a conference has to deliver. AfroTech 2026 is built around giving people practical exposure to the technologies reshaping their industries, access to the people making decisions and a clearer path from learning to application, opportunity and growth.”
