Black innovation takes center stage.

AfroTech Conference | 2023, 2024

BLAVITY INC.

Austin & Houston, TX

When a conference built on innovation grows exponentially, the stakes grow with it. AfroTech isn’t just an event. It’s a movement. In both 2023 and 2024, RED VELVET was tasked with evolving that movement into an immersive experience that matched the ambition of its attendees.

In 2023, AfroTech’s return to Austin meant expanding across five locations, each one demanding unique environmental design and programming. By 2024, the conference had nearly doubled in size and entered uncharted territory: Houston. Our challenge? Seamlessly translating the AfroTech spirit while scaling its footprint, deepening its cultural resonance, and ensuring every moment, from the main stage to the makers market, felt intentional, accessible, and electric.

Challenge

In Austin (2023), we transformed the city into a tech playground. From Republic Square Park’s debut as “Culture Park” to immersive brand environments tucked across five strategic locations, we created spaces that weren’t just for show. They were for connection, elevation, and celebration. Think giant AfroTech letters that doubled as selfie stations and wayfinding anchors. A makers market that spotlighted local creators. And a music festival finale that sent everyone home dancing.

In Houston (2024), the canvas was bigger, and so was our ambition. We reimagined the George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green into a high-energy, high-impact AfroTech hub. Using the brand’s vibrant palette as our guide, we built stages, lounges, and partner activations that merged utility with awe. Everything from wayfinding to rest zones were crafted with purpose, so attendees could navigate a sprawling landscape with ease and inspiration. We didn’t just design for foot traffic. We designed for forward motion.

Every detail honored AfroTech’s mission: to carve out more space for Black voices in tech, business, and culture. And across both years, that mission remained our North Star.

Solution

Between two cities, over 54,000 attendees engaged across thoughtfully designed, purpose-driven experiences. More than 200 brands activated, resulting in 1.8B+ impressions. AfroTech Talent Infusion powered 240,000+ resume submissions. RED VELVET didn’t just set the stage. We built the entire ecosystem.