Earlier this year, former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick launched Lumi, an AI startup. There have been thousands of articles written about Kaepernick and he knows all too well what it feels like to lose control of your own narrative. Now, with Lumi, he's trying to help creators take control of their own narrative, giving them AI tools to write and own their stories.
We're thrilled to welcome Kaepernick to the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 in San Francisco. We'll hear from him about his clash with the media industry, the challenges facing creators today, and how Lumi is empowering storytellers. We'll also hear about how Kaepernick's company is addressing the biases that plague AI models across the tech industry.
While many of us know Kaepernick for his performance at Super Bowl XLVII and for taking a knee in protest of racial injustice, you might be surprised to learn that he's also been quietly making angel investments in Silicon Valley startups since 2017. He previously told TechCrunch that he's made more than 50 investments to date.
He's also become a prolific media executive over the past decade. The former NFL quarterback founded and runs Kaepernick Media and Kaepernick Publishing, and has seen the media industry's deep-rooted problems firsthand. He also sits on Medium's board of directors alongside a16z co-founder Ben Horowitz, whom Kaepernick calls a mentor in his journey through Silicon Valley.
Lumi is looking to provide creators with tools that were previously only available to major media companies. The startup is starting out with a focus on the world of Japanese comics, or manga. Some of Lumi's tools use AI to help storytellers generate ideas, write, and character images. Others are AI-free and include publishing resources and merchandising assistance. Kaepernick also describes the Lumi platform as a destination where viewers can browse content from a diverse range of creators.
It's a far-reaching and ambitious idea from someone with experience both inside and outside the media industry, so we spoke to him to find out more about how these plans are coming along.
Don't miss it!
It's an event you won't want to miss: Disrupt 2024 will bring together over 10,000 startup, tech, and venture capital leaders for inspiring conversations with industry heavyweights like Kaepernick. Secure your tickets now before admission prices increase.