Kevin Hart is aligning himself with an initiative to support Black founders using artificial intelligence (AI).

 The AI Illumination Grant has been launched by the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit advocacy organization founded by Aurora James. The initiative challenges retailers and corporations to allocate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, 29 retailers have committed to this pledge, benefiting 800 Black-owned brands.

 The Fifteen Percent Pledge is scaling its efforts to support Black entrepreneurs with the aid of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz (A16z). Eligible members of the Fifteen Percent Pledge’s Business Equity Community are invited to apply for a chance to gain insights on leveraging AI and compete for a share of a $35,000 grant pool—$20,000 for the winner and $15,000 for the runner-up.

 “It is specifically focused on ensuring that the Black founders that are a part of the 15% pledge program don’t get left behind in the usage of AI because everybody’s talking about it, but it’s not really clear where you start, and it’s not really clear how to supercharge your business using AI. And so we’re doing a $35,000 grant,” A16z Partner Megan Holston-Alexander said on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucas.

According to the AI Illumination Grant’s website, the recipients will be chosen based on the following criteria:

  • High potential for growth
  • Sustainable competitive advantage
  • Strong management team
  • Strong use case for AI tools
  • Grant dollars to manage growth challenges and expansion
  • Prioritizes inclusivity and centers community impact

The grant application opens on April 1, 2025, and will close on May 2, 2025. Two prior webinars will be held: “Leveraging AI for Seamless Storytelling with Gamma” on March 13 and “Generative AI for Product Design with Raspberry AI” on March 21.

“People are doing the work to highlight Black brands, and now it’s just a matter of supporting them and being sure they’re set up for success,” Holston-Alexander expressed.