Morgan DeBaun

EXCLUSIVE
  • Founder & CEO, Blavity Inc.
  • Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, & Small Business Advisor
  • Host, 'WorkSmart' Podcast
  • Activist & Advocate for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Morgan DeBaun, a visionary leader in media and technology, serves as the Founder and CEO of Blavity Inc. Since its inception in 2014, Morgan has steered the company to become a global corporation serving multicultural consumers. Blavity Inc. is renowned for its diverse brands including AfroTech, Travel Noire, and Shadow and Act.

Recognized for her dedication to inclusive advertising and tech innovation, Morgan has been honored with several prestigious awards, such as the American Advertising Hall of Fame, Inc.’s Female Founders, and Forbes' "30 Under 30." Some of her recent clients include Nike, Microsoft, American Express, Capital One and Newell Brands. Her commitment is further exemplified through her influential role as an angel investor and a board advisor to American Airlines, Pepsico and the Black Economic Alliance. 

A proud alumna of Washington University in St. Louis, Morgan is an advocate for small business owners and workplace equity. She frequently speaks on global platforms, sharing her insights and inspiring change. Beyond her executive role, Morgan nurtures future leaders as a podcast host and advisor, focusing on elevating entrepreneurs.

 



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Past Hosts Include:
  • Forbes Power Women's Summit
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Notre Dame IDEA Week
  • Host of the Mastercard InSolidarity Series
Morgan DeBaun on Blavity: Black Gravity, the Force of Black People Coming Together | Decode the Encoded - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Morgan DeBaun
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Defying the Odds Through Innovation and How Leaders Can Adapt to Change

In this talk, MORGAN DEBAUN breaks down the behind the scenes of building Blavity and encourages entrepreneurs of all ages to ignore the statistics or the naysayers. If not you… then who? If not now… then when? Morgan uses her story to show what’s possible—inspiring small business leaders to seek ou ...

In this talk, MORGAN DEBAUN breaks down the behind the scenes of building Blavity and encourages entrepreneurs of all ages to ignore the statistics or the naysayers. If not you… then who? If not now… then when? Morgan uses her story to show what’s possible—inspiring small business leaders to seek out ways to contribute to both positive and sustainable innovation and personal growth amid an ever-changing climate. Morgan shares lessons from her signature WorkSmart program to give entrepreneurs implementable tools for growth.

Women in the C-Suite: How to Break Free of Self Doubt

At the age of 25, MORGAN DEBAUN made history as one of the first 20 Black women to raise over a million dollars in venture funding, defying the odds of a dying publishing industry by unapologetically following her gut. She has since acquired and scaled multiple brands. In this session, Morgan shares ...

At the age of 25, MORGAN DEBAUN made history as one of the first 20 Black women to raise over a million dollars in venture funding, defying the odds of a dying publishing industry by unapologetically following her gut. She has since acquired and scaled multiple brands. In this session, Morgan shares her story of overcoming internal doubts and external doubters by tapping into her natural talent - launching and growing successful businesses. What does it mean to truly live life unapologetically? The takeaways from this chat will be applicable for life and business - take charge and claim your space!

Leading with Purpose: Diversity and Inclusion in Technology

The growth of STEM jobs has outpaced the growth of overall employment in the country. Of the 25% of women in tech roles, only 3% are Black women. While diversity, equity, and inclusion in other sectors is slowly growing, the tech sector is still lagging behind. Join MORGAN DEBAUN for this honest con ...

The growth of STEM jobs has outpaced the growth of overall employment in the country. Of the 25% of women in tech roles, only 3% are Black women. While diversity, equity, and inclusion in other sectors is slowly growing, the tech sector is still lagging behind.

Join MORGAN DEBAUN for this honest conversation about the future of Black women in tech. How has the current social climate changed the conversation around diversity in the highest-growing career field in the US and what should tech companies do to attract and retain multicultural talent? As a CEO and a Black millennial woman, Morgan will share her tech world experiences from working in Silicon Valley as a new graduate to leading the top media company for Black millennials.

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<p><strong>Serial entrepreneur and innovative CEO Morgan DeBaun is a leader in the Metaverse</strong></p>

Serial entrepreneur and innovative CEO Morgan DeBaun is a leader in the Metaverse

Angel investor and Founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., MORGAN DEBAUN is the dynamic leader of multiple groundbreaking businesses and a renowned advisor to global brands. Under her leadership, Blavity has launched leading consumer summits, including AfroTech, the largest tech conference for Black innovators and founders. DeBaun has had the Metaverse at the center of AfroTech’s strategy for years, a testament to her visionary leadership. The Forbes “30 Under 30” honoree has embraced the emerging tech space for its potential, rather than as a temporary virtual option. As a trailblazing CEO and millennial Black woman, DeBaun shares unparalleled advice about leadership, amplifying diverse voices and cultivating true inclusion, and funding and scaling impactful business enterprises.

By creating a highly customized experience for AfroTech’s annual virtual conference, DeBaun is proving that by investing in making the metaverse accessible and enjoyable for users, advertisers and publishers will prioritize the space as well. DeBaun has helmed numerous successful ventures, making history at the age of 25 as one of the first Black women to raise over $1M in venture funding, and continues to attract Silicon Valley’s top venture firms as she scales Blavity’s reach and impact. In highly sought-after keynotes and conversations, DeBaun offers vital insights for individual entrepreneurs and organizations seeking to innovate, cultivate resilience, and center values-driven and sustainable growth strategies.

<p>Blavity Founder & CEO Morgan DeBaun on navigating the challenges of growing a business and leading the conversation about diversity in tech</p>

Blavity Founder & CEO Morgan DeBaun on navigating the challenges of growing a business and leading the conversation about diversity in tech

MORGAN DEBAUN made history at the age of 25 as one of the first Black women to raise over a million dollars in venture funding. As Founder & CEO of Blavity Inc., the leading media company created by and for Black millennials, Morgan has spent years mastering the challenges that face all growing companies: funding, acquisition, and scaling, and sharing her insight to help other entrepreneurs thrive. Now, she advises other small businesses on how to overcome these obstacles.

A keen business mind and brilliant innovator, Morgan knows how to adapt and defy the odds while building teams that lead with purpose. She talks about using resilience to adapt to change, and shares lessons from her signature WorkSmart program to give entrepreneurs implementable tools for growth. At TechCrunch's Disrupt 2020 conference, Morgan shared details of her journey to show audiences what’s possible and encouraged entrepreneurs of all ages to face new challenges head on. Her story is so intriguing, she was featured in Forbes about how she achieved her vision of access for Black voices in media.

While diversity, equity, and inclusion in other sectors are slowly growing, the tech sector is still behind. Morgan fosters honest conversation about the future of Black women in tech: How the current social climate has changed the conversation around diversity in the highest-growing career field in the US and what tech companies should do to attract and retain multicultural talent.

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Biography

Morgan DeBaun, a visionary leader in media and technology, serves as the Founder and CEO of Blavity Inc. Since its inception in 2014, Morgan has steered the company to become a global corporation serving multicultural consumers. Blavity Inc. is renowned for its diverse brands including AfroTech, Travel Noire, and Shadow and Act.

Recognized for her dedication to inclusive advertising and tech innovation, Morgan has been honored with several prestigious awards, such as the American Advertising Hall of Fame, Inc.’s Female Founders, and Forbes' "30 Under 30." Some of her recent clients include Nike, Microsoft, American Express, Capital One and Newell Brands. Her commitment is further exemplified through her influential role as an angel investor and a board advisor to American Airlines, Pepsico and the Black Economic Alliance. 

A proud alumna of Washington University in St. Louis, Morgan is an advocate for small business owners and workplace equity. She frequently speaks on global platforms, sharing her insights and inspiring change. Beyond her executive role, Morgan nurtures future leaders as a podcast host and advisor, focusing on elevating entrepreneurs.