Red Lobster CEO, former NFL star headline Black Tech Week. All to know
Black Tech Week kicks off Tuesday.
The three-day event attracts thousands of founders, investors and creatives, engaging in keynotes, workshops, fireside chats and networking events, to venues around the Queen City, per its website .
Planning on attending Black Tech Week 2026 ? Here's everything you need to know.
What is Black Tech Week?
Black Tech Week is an event where thousands of people from different industries, backgrounds and experience levels gather together to learn from and network with other technology professionals.
Felecia Hatcher and Derick Pearson founded Black Tech Week in 2013 in Miami, Florida. In 2022, Lightship Foundation CEO Candice Matthews-Brackeen and Lightship Capital general partner Brian Brackeen acquired ownership of the event and brought it to Cincinnati.
Black Tech Week has wide career potential for its attendees, with specialized opportunities for founders, investors, students and business partners alike.
When is Black Tech Week 2026?
July 14-16.
Where is Black Tech Week 2026?
Black Tech Week take place at various locations around downtown Cincinnati, including the Aronoff Center, Contemporary Arts Center, Procter & Gamble Hall and Jarson-Kaplan Theater.
See the schedule a little further down for more details.
Who is the keynote speaker at Black Tech Week 2026?
Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun is Black Tech Week's keynote speaker this year.
The Nigerian-born Harvard Business School alum took over Red Lobster's operations in August 2024, becoming the youngest CEO in Red Lobster's history at 35. Now, at 37, Adamolekun has turned the company's operations around after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024, per CNBC .
Before he was the Red Lobster CEO, Adamolekun served as the CEO of P.F. Chang's from 2020 to 2023 . He has also been featured in numerous publications, such as Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider, Bloomberg News, CNBC, Nation's Restaurant News and more.
How can I buy tickets for Black Tech Week?
Tickets for Black Tech Week are still available, with prices varying depending on the ticket. For more information, visit blacktechweek.com .
Black Tech Week 2026 schedule
Here's a list of some notable Black Tech Week events. Check out the full three-day schedule at blacktechweek.com .
July 14
Human After All: Creativity in an Algorithmic World
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What:A conversation on protecting imagination, originality and human instinct in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms.
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Who:NPR's Angel Suttle is joined by Zandria Ross and Alante Serene.
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When: 10-10:45 a.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
App Development
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What: ThinkMODA's Rod Walton takes a practical look at how ideas become products, from early concept to a usable app people can engage with.
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When: 11-11:45 a.m.
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Where: Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
Who Gets Counted? The Hidden Power of Data in Culture, Media, and Medicine
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What:Nielsen's Charlene Polite Corley and Antoinette Houston explore how data shapes visibility, access and decision-making across culture, media and medicine.
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When: 11-11:45 a.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
High Tech, Low Tech: Building What's Next
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What: TotalCare Studio's Sydney Davis and Regina Carswell Russo explore what it takes to build meaningful solutions with the right mix of technology, instinct and execution.
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When: 1-1:45 p.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
You're Not Overlooked, You're Mispositioned
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What:Learn how clearer positioning can change how people understand your value, your work and your next move.
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When:1-1:45 p.m.
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Where: Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
Legacy and Leadership
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What:Former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Anquan Boldin, with the Players Coalition and Sport for Impact, discusses leading with purpose, building influence and creating impact that lasts.
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When:2-2:45 p.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Global Partnerships
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What:A practical conversation with Annette Richardson on building partnerships that travel across markets, industries and borders.
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When:2-2:45 p.m.
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Where: Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
Enterprise Business Development
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What:Earl Patton, with Allocation (A Cyphr Ventures Co.), showcases how to navigate enterprise relationships, open the right doors and build partnerships that drive growth.
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When:3-3:45 p.m.
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Where:Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
Opening Ceremony
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What:Black Tech Week officially begins with a high-energy celebration of community, culture and what comes next.
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When:5-7 p.m.
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Where:American Sign Museum, 1330 Monmouth Ave., Cincinnati.
Wednesday, July 15
Using Your Influence for Good
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What: Explore how leaders can turn visibility, access and influence into meaningful action with Tylik McMillan and Will Allen.
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When: 10-10:45 a.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
90 Days to Save the Brand: Community-Centric Building with Kim Lewis
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When: 11-11:45 a.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Beyond the Prompt
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What: Move past surface-level AI use and explore how stronger thinking leads to stronger outcomes with BoyTwigg's Alex Malebranche.
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When: 11-11:45 a.m.
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Where: Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
IP, Ownership, and the Global Creator Economy
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What:A conversation on protecting ideas, building ownership and creating lasting value in a global creator economy with Opulent Entertainment Group's Denim Richards and Annette Richardson.
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When:1-1:45 p.m.
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Where:Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Engineering at Scale
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What:Learn what it takes to build systems, teams and technical operations that can grow without losing clarity with Karl Seyfried.
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When:1-1:45 p.m.
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Where: Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
Careers in AI
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What:Explore the skills, pathways and opportunities shaping the next generation of careers in artificial intelligence with Brandon Johnson.
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When:2-2:45 p.m.
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Where:Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
The 26 Hours: Reclaim your time. Amplify your potential
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What:An immersive, game-inspired experience where you'll explore AI solutions for work, learning and everyday life with Lightship Foundation's Sindhia Bhanu Chilamakuru.
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When:3-3:45 p.m.
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Where:Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
What My Last Deal Taught Me
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What:Vaugh Crowe with NVP Capital, Damia Murray with Level Up Ventures and Derrick Maultsby Jr. with FBT Gibbons LLP share the lessons, tradeoffs and real decisions behind their most recent deals.
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When:3-3:45 p.m.
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Where:Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Thursday, July 16
Personal Branding
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What: Learn how to communicate your value, build trust and create a personal brand people remember with ZoneofGenius.com's Ramon Ray.
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When: 10-10:45 a.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Machine Manufacturing
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What: Explore how technology, production and new ideas are reshaping the future of manufacturing with Bobby Donor.
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When: 11-11:45 a.m.
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Where: Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
JobsOhio Presents: Why Ohio, Why Now?
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What:ThinkMODA with Rod Walton, Eric Kearney and Nicholas Archer hold discussion for JobOhio.
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When:11-11:45 a.m.
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Where: Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
The Bold Reset: Leadership, Transformation, and What's Next
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What:A keynote discussion between Lightship Foundation CEO Candice Matthews Brackeen and Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun.
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When:1-1:45 p.m.
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Where:Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Beyond Social Media: Modern Marketing with Jon Thompson
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When:2-2:45 p.m.
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Where:Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
Building Platforms People Actually LOVE
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What:A practical conversation on creating products and platforms people want to use, trust and return to with Pinterest's Eugene Partridge III, Ronke Olaleye and Valerie Rodriguez.
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When:2-2:45 p.m.
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Where:Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St.
Transitioning from the Corporate World to Entrepreneurship
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What:Learn how to translate corporate experience into founder confidence, business strategy and a clear next chapter with Sherpa Sports AI CEO and Founder DJ Johnson.
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When:3-3:45 p.m.
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Where:Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St.
The Enquirer's Grace Tucker contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Red Lobster CEO, former NFL star headline Black Tech Week. All to know
