Serena Williams Invests In Karat To Expand Their Brilliant Black Minds Program

The tech industry is one of the greatest sources of opportunity in our lifetime. Even still, those opportunities have not been spread equitably, with Black software engineers suffering disproportionately.

With only 5% of all software engineers in the United States being Black, the hurdles to entry into the tech industry are being exposed. From structural disparities that delay early introduction to computer science, to a lack of information about how the industry employs; Black engineers encounter a number of systemic barriers.

Black engineers frequently have fewer professional connections, which means they have less opportunity to prepare for technical interviews. Karat, the world’s largest interviewing company, conducted a study with Howard University and discovered that only 50% of Black engineers have had a technical interview before looking for work. However, the same study found that additional interview preparation boosts confidence – 79% of respondents with three practice interviews said they were more likely to succeed.

Karat is changing the narrative with the launch of Brilliant Black Minds, which closes the interview access gap. Serena Williams recently announced a strategic investment in the initiative that enhances access and inclusion in the tech industry.

The Brilliant Black Minds program is now open to all existing and aspiring Black software engineers in the United States who wish to improve their technical interviewing abilities thanks to this investment from Williams. Williams will teach the significance of practicing and developing a championship attitude in her role as a “Champion of Brilliance,” which will help participants land their dream job in tech.

Williams will support Karat’s appeal for the industry to assist more than 100,000 new Black engineers in tech over the next decade.