Taiwo Ade is a UX researcher by weekday, storyteller by weekend, and all-around architect of opportunity. With nearly a decade of experience at tech giants like LinkedIn, Meta, and Etsy, she’s spent her career centering user voices—creators, small businesses, and global brands—to shape products that actually work for the people who use them.

When she’s not influencing product roadmaps, Taiwo’s inspiring the next generation through real talk on career pivots, travel, and what it really takes to break into tech. Recognized as a 2025 Future Leader on the Heroes Role Model List (supported by YouTube), Taiwo is leading the charge to open doors that have been closed for too long.

What She’s Pitching at Creator Upfronts

Introducing: Fifty50 Initiative — a career bridge for overlooked talent ready to make their move into tech. From teachers to retail workers to creators, many have the skills, but not the access. Taiwo’s building a pathway to change that.

The pitch:

• A structured apprenticeship program placing pivoters into short-term, paid roles in UX Research, Product Ops, Creator Partnerships, and more.
• Wraparound support like AI-powered coaching, upskilling, and real-world portfolio building.
• Companies get de-risked hiring. Participants get a foot in the door—and a future.

The vision? To make Fifty50 the go-to alternative to bootcamps and degrees. The ask? Pilot partners, funding for apprenticeships, and advisory support to shape high-impact career tracks. Taiwo’s not just pitching a program. She’s designing an entire ecosystem—where overlooked talent finally gets placed, not just prepped.

Erina Adjei-Baffour is a powerhouse at the intersection of culture and content. As the mind behind 365binge, she’s carved out a loyal following of 200K+ fans who come for the sharp TV and film takes—but stay for her wit, insight, and trend-driven storytelling. Whether it’s a new streaming drop or a forgotten cult classic, Erina knows how to bring people closer to the stories they love—and the ones they didn’t know they needed.

What She’s Pitching at Creator Upfronts

Introducing: The Next Binge on TikTok — a creator-led, TikTok-native series that reimagines how audiences discover what to watch next. In a world where everyone’s asking “what should I watch?”, Erina’s answer is simple: Open TikTok.

This 10-minute Upfront segment will unpack:

• The concept of turning TikTok into a launchpad for new shows, films, and even podcasts.
• Creative formats like skits, green screen reactions, and micro-commentaries to make it scroll-stopping.
• The unique power TikTok creators have in shaping entertainment discoveryin real time.

More than just a pitch, this is a call to action: to see TikTok not just as where culture goes viral—but where the next big binge begins.

Erina is building the bridge between creators and content ecosystems. And she’s doing it one stitch-worthy scroll at a time.

YUNG ASTROO is a visual storyteller who knows how to keep you watching. Blending razor-sharp humor with crisp, cinematic visuals, his content feels fast, fresh, and effortless—while always pushing a narrative forward. With brand collaborations spanning McDonald’s, Xfinity, Dollar Shave Club, and more, YUNG ASTROO continues to grow his presence, all while building a legacy as a name you’ll know before the logo even hits the screen.

YUNG ASTROO is solving one of the most frustrating pain points in the creator economy: late payments. His vision? A paid service that bridges the gap between creators and the net-30, 60, or even 90-day wait periods they face after a campaign wraps. Here’s how it works:

• Creator lists the paid service as the recipient of funds on the campaign agreement.
• Once the campaign video is live, the service pays the creator instantly.
• The brand/agency pays the service back based on their agreed terms.

This is more than a financial tool—it’s peace of mind. Many creators aren’t full-time, and waiting months for payment can make or break their ability to create. YUNG ASTROO o knows the struggle firsthand, and he’s determined to change the system. He’s not pitching a brand. He’s pitching a lifeline.

He’s looking for a partner to bring this idea to life. No name yet—but the vision is clear, and the mission is personal.

Simon John Armstrong is the visionary co-founder and CEO of Yatts, a groundbreaking marketplace revolutionizing the tattoo industry. By bridging the gap between artists, studios, and clients, Yatts is reimagining how tattoos are discovered, booked, and paid for by streamlining an entire culture through smart, user-first technology. What began as a bold idea is now a fast-growing platform gaining traction at tattoo conventions and within creative communities across the United States.

Currently a senior at Howard University studying Computer Science, Simon is anything but your typical student. He’s a Milken Institute HBCU Strategic Initiative Fellow and an AltFinance Fellow, where he digs deep into the intersection of finance, tech, and entrepreneurship building the toolkit to lead in both boardrooms and creator spaces. Simon’s resume already spans high-stakes finance, with experience in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and credit investing at Oaktree Capital Management’s flagship Global Opportunities group. But this entrepreneur’s interests go beyond the spreadsheet. As a proud member of Howard University Elite Models, Simon channels his passion for culture, creativity, and self-expression, values that also power his intersectional vision for Yatts.

At Blackweek, Simon will pull back the curtain on the real founder journey: from idea to launch, and from pitch to product. He’ll explore how evolving technology can empower artists, elevate culture, and fuel new forms of entrepreneurship all while championing Yatts as a modern platform that’s changing how tattoos are booked. Simon’s thought leadership is revolutionizing the ways in which artistic expression is valued, seen, and appreciated by an inspiring generation that is leading the charge on human-centered consumer experiences in the digital community age.

About Urban One, Inc.
Urban One, Inc. (urban1.com) is the largest diversified media company primarily targeting Black Americans and urban consumers in the U.S., reaching 93 million unique consumers monthly. Its assets include TV One and CLEO TV, serving more than 40 million households; 72 broadcast stations in 13 top African American markets; and REACH Media, home to nationally syndicated shows such as The Rickey Smiley Morning Show and The DL Hughley Show. Urban One’s digital division, iONE Digital, engages over 40 million monthly readers across leading brands like Bossip, HipHopWired, MadameNoire, and NewsOne.

Influence to Impact: Black Culture’s Role on Brand Growth
The Cultural ROI report measures African American impact via influence across various segments of the U.S. population with respect to categories such as music, entertainment, fitness/sports, fashion/beauty, automotive, food, travel, politics, social impact, and culture. This thought-provoking pitch explores the influence of Black culture through the lens of Cultural ROI, discussing what cultural currency means through three key categories: Influence, Impact, and Financial Value.