UrbanGeekz 50: AI & Machine Learning

Chazz Sims, co-founder and CEO – Wise Systems

Chazz Sims is the CEO and co-founder of Wise Systems, a logistics firm he started in 2014. Sims received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Engineering in Computer Science from MIT.

Through Wise Systems, a company he started when he was a college student, Sims has brought big changes to the delivery industry. The company uses machine learning to autonomously route and dispatch deliveries—everything from parcels to retail goods to food and beverage. 

The startup has raised a total of $73.1 million in funding. Wise Systems raised $50 million in Series C for its last round led by Tiger Global Management with participation from new and existing investors that include Section 32, Valo Ventures, Gradient Ventures, and Prologis Ventures. 

Sims was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021 because of Wise System’s impact during the pandemic, providing necessary assistance for companies like Anheuser-Busch and Lyft to keep running in the face of economic challenges.

Joy Buolamwini, President – Algorithmic Justice League

Dr. Joy Buolamwini is a remarkable woman who was described by Fortune Magazine as “the conscience of the AI revolution”. She is a Ghanaian-American-Canadian computer scientist and digital activist who introduces herself as a poet of code, and daughter of art and science. 

Buolamwini founded the Algorithmic Justice League (AJL) in 2016, an organization that uses research and art to highlight the social impact and potential harms of AI. She is the author of “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines”. Her TED Talk on algorithmic bias has been viewed more than 1.6 million times.

A Rhodes Scholar and Fulbright Fellow, Buolamwini has been named to notable lists including Bloomberg 50, Tech Review 35 under 35, Forbes Top 50 Women in Tech (youngest), and Forbes 30 under 30. 

She earned a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree from both the University of Oxford and MIT, where she is a PhD candidate. She was selected as a 2022 Young Global Leader, for the world’s most promising leaders under the age of 40 as determined by The World Economic Forum. 

Isoken Igbinedion, co-founder and CEO – Parfait wigs

Isoken Igbinedion is the founder and CEO of Parfait Wigs, a technology company that recognizes and prioritizes the beauty experiences of Black people. 

Parfait leverages AI to create better-customized wigs, especially for black women. The full-service wig platform enables users to completely personalize a wig, down to your specific head size and precise styling details, through the use of artificial technology. The women-led startup is said to be the first to integrate facial recognition and artificial intelligence to provide buyers with customizable wig products.

Since its launch in August 2020, Parfait has gotten about $5 million in seed funding led by Serena Ventures with participation from Unshackled Ventures, Ulu, and Upfront Ventures. Igbinedion holds an MBA from Wharton School of Business.  

“Parfait’s mission to leverage Al to solve core issues for both the tech industry and communities of color is something we, at Serena Ventures, have believed in since the beginning,” said Serena Williams, Managing Partner at Serena Ventures, in a statement after the raise. “She went on to say “It’s been inspiring to witness their incredible achievements so far, and we’re proud to invest in this next phase of Parfait’s growth.”