UrbanGeekz 50 2024: Software

Sevetri Wilson: Founder of Resilia

Sevetri Wilson is a serial entrepreneur and leader in the fields of communications, public policy, and technology. She is the Founder and former CEO of Resilia, a groundbreaking platform based in New Orleans that provides SaaS solutions that help nonprofit organizations increase capacity and funding enterprises (foundations, corporations, governments) to scale impact by providing coaching and on-demand technical assistance to their nonprofit partners.

Resilia has been recognized for its innovative impact on nonprofits and corporate sectors. Named to prestigious lists such as Venture Beat’s Top Startups and Forbes Cloud 100, Sevetri raised nearly $50M in venture capital, making history as one of the few Black women to achieve this milestone. Her journey includes founding Solid Ground Innovations, a strategic communications firm, and authoring two bestselling books, “Solid Ground” and “Resilient.”

Sevetri’s accolades include the National Nobel Prize for Public Service, the Jefferson Award, and recognition as one of Inc. Magazine’s 100 Female Founders and PitchBook’s leading Black founders. As a  Henry Crown Fellow, she also continues to inspire through her advocacy for underserved communities and her commitment to driving positive change worldwide.

Riana Lynn: CEO, Journey Foods

Riana Lynn is a technologist and visionary entrepreneur at the forefront of food technology innovation. She founded Journey Foods, based in Austin, TX,  and leads a pioneering food tech company that offers JourneyFoodsIO. This robust data platform empowers institutions like hospitals and wellness programs across more than 14 countries to customize micro foods tailored to their specific clientele, bridging global food supply chain gaps.

With a background in biology and extensive experience, including roles at Obama’s White House and Google, her approach offers unique and innovative solutions for intricate problems related to food and supply distribution. Her achievements have been recognized globally and featured on platforms like MIT’s 35 Under 35, Forbes, CNBC, and more.

Riana is also a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer and actively supports women in technology through initiatives like Women Tech Founders. At Journey Foods, Riana also spearheads the development of micro foods, nutrient-dense snacks crafted using technology and artificial intelligence. The visionary ideas improve the nutritional quality of products and encourage sustainable ways of getting ingredients, which helps both farmers and customers globally. Her continued commitment to innovation and supporting communities shows her goal for a healthier, more sustainable future in food technology.

Delali Dzirasa: Founder and CEO, Fearless

Delali Dzirasa is the founder and CEO of Fearless, a full-stack digital services firm in Baltimore, Maryland. Fearless’s mission is to create software with a soul—tools that empower communities and make a difference. Fearless delivers sleek, modern, and user-friendly software designed to push the boundaries of possibility and create a world where good software powers the things that matter.

He started the company from his basement in 2009 and moved to a cubicle in a business incubator of his alma mater, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Then, he moved to the Spark Baltimore co-working space in downtown Baltimore, where many of his 130 team members now occupy four floors. The company’s development from Dzirasa’s basement into a $40 million full-stack digital services firm has been driven by an ethics structure that directs how Fearless selects clients and projects. The company calls the deliberate result “software with a soul.”

Some of the awards Delali has won include Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurs of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic Region, the Daily Record’s Most Admired CEOs, the Baltimore Business Journal’s (BBJ) Power 10 list, and the Black Business Review’s 40 under 40 list. He chaired the inaugural DevOpsDays Baltimore and Hack Baltimore and is a founding member of the governing board of the Digital Services Coalition.

Sam Udotong: CEO and CTO, FireFlies

MIT alum Sam Udotong is the co-founder and CTO of Fireflies.ai, which uses AI to make meetings easy for participants. With a strong foundation in both computer science and aerospace engineering, Udotong has consistently pushed the boundaries of technology. He developed his expertise through roles at leading aerospace companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, where he worked on advanced projects such as optimizing satellite systems and deploying deep learning.
At MIT, Udotong excelled academically and took on leadership roles, including serving as president of the MIT UAV Team, where he honed his skills in autonomous drone technology. After graduating, he chose to forgo a traditional career path and instead ventured into the startup world, moving to San Francisco with only $100 to his name. His journey with Fireflies.ai has been one of persistence and innovation, involving multiple pivots before finding success in the AI-powered meeting transcription space.
Under Udotong’s technical leadership, Fireflies.ai has grown significantly, securing $19 million in funding and building a global team. The startup has emerged as the 4th most popular AI platform globally, serving 16M+ users.
He is also an active thought leader, frequently guest lecturing at Stanford on artificial intelligence and sharing his insights at major tech conferences. Despite the challenges of startup life, Udotong remains committed to helping others leverage AI to improve productivity and communication.