tangnt.

Diversity
Sourcing Guide.

HBCU networks, Black professional organizations, and targeted platforms for all 12 Tangnt roles. Click any role to expand sourcing channels and outreach guidance.

12 roles covered
40+ sourcing channels
Confidential — Tangnt Internal
Post on Every Role — Universal Diversity Platforms
Jopwell
Leading diversity hiring platform for Black, Latino, and Native American professionals across all industries.
jopwell.com ↗
Black Tech Pipeline
Newsletter + talent platform specifically for Black technologists. Strong reach with engineers and PMs.
blacktechpipeline.com ↗
Melanin.tech
Job board focused on Black tech professionals. Startup-friendly posting options.
melanin.tech ↗
HBCUvc
Connects HBCU students and alumni to venture-backed startups. Ideal for early-stage hiring.
hbcuvc.com ↗
NBMBAA Job Board
National Black MBA Association — premier network for Black business and ops professionals.
nbmbaa.org/career-center ↗
AfroTech Job Board
Affiliated with the largest Black tech conference. High visibility, startup-friendly audience.
jobs.afrotech.com ↗
Phase 1 — Engineering
CTO
Engineering · Priority #1
CTO / Lead Engineer
Seed ▾
HBCU Engineering Network
NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers)
Largest Black engineering organization in the world. Post in the NSBE Career Center and reach out to the NSBE Professional chapters in ATL, NYC, and LA — your three seed airport cities.
careers.nsbe.org ↗
HBCU CS / Engineering Pipeline
HBCU Career Center Network
Top HBCU CS programs: Howard University, Spelman/Morehouse, North Carolina A&T, Prairie View A&M, Morgan State. Post directly to their CS department career boards. Alumni with 5–10 years industry experience are your CTO pool.
Howard Career Center ↗
Black Founder / Engineer Community
Code2040
Connects Black and Latino tech talent to opportunities. Strong alumni network of senior engineers who have worked at top consumer tech companies.
code2040.org ↗
Senior Black Tech Network
Black in Tech LinkedIn Groups
Search LinkedIn for "Black software engineer" + "consumer social" + "open to work." Join the Black Tech Slack community and post in #jobs. CTO candidates here often have Snap, Twitter, or Meta backgrounds.
LinkedIn: Black in Tech ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"I'm the founder of Tangnt, a proximity encounter app built on PostGIS — think of it as a serendipity layer for airports. I'm looking for a CTO who wants to co-own something from scratch, not just inherit a codebase. If you've built consumer social infrastructure at scale and want equity + a mission worth talking about, I'd love 20 minutes."
GEO
Engineering · Priority #2
Spatial DB Engineer
Seed ▾
HBCU Geospatial Programs
North Carolina A&T — GIS Program
NCA&T has one of the strongest GIS/geospatial programs at any HBCU. Reach out to the CS and Geography departments directly. Recent alumni with 3–5 years at logistics or mapping companies are ideal candidates.
NCA&T CS Dept ↗
Black Geospatial Professional Network
Blacks in Geospatial (BiG)
Community organization specifically for Black geospatial and GIS professionals. Active Slack community, job board, and newsletter. One of the most targeted channels for this rare profile.
blacksingeospatial.com ↗
NSBE Specialized Chapter
NSBE + URISA Partnership
URISA has diversity initiatives that overlap with NSBE. Post at their intersection — GIS-skilled Black engineers are often found in defense, logistics, or urban planning.
URISA Career Center ↗
Contract-to-Hire Pipeline
Toptal Diversity + Upwork
PostGIS engineers are globally rare. Post a contract-to-hire role specifically mentioning underrepresented engineers. Many Black PostGIS engineers are independent contractors.
toptal.com ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt is a pre-seed proximity app built on PostGIS and Supabase — the encounter engine is genuinely novel spatial work. I'm looking for a PostGIS engineer who wants to own this system from the inside. Contract-to-hire, remote-first, meaningful equity. If ST_DWithin and GIST index tuning excite you, let's talk."
MOB
Engineering · Priority #3
Mobile Engineer
Seed ▾
HBCU CS Alumni Network
Howard University + Morehouse College
Howard and Morehouse both have strong CS alumni with mobile engineering backgrounds, many now at Google, Meta, and consumer startups. Reach out to the CS alumni associations directly — Howard's "Howard West" Google partnership produced dozens of strong mobile engineers.
Howard Alumni ↗
Black Mobile Dev Community
React Native Radio + Black in Tech Slack
React Native Radio podcast has a strong Black listenership. Sponsor a shoutout or post in their community. Also post in the #react-native channel of the Black in Tech Slack.
reactnativeradio.com ↗
NSBE Career Center
NSBE Mobile / App Dev Track
Post specifically mentioning React Native, Capacitor, and consumer social. NSBE's Atlanta chapter is especially strong — ideal given ATL is Tangnt's primary seed airport.
careers.nsbe.org ↗
Diversity Tech Bootcamp Alumni
CodePath + Kibo School
CodePath trains Black and Latino engineers with a strong mobile track. Kibo School trains African engineers in software — some of the strongest React Native talent globally is coming from their network.
codepath.org/hire ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"I'm building Tangnt — a proximity app that reveals who around you has the same vibe. The encounter animation and radar UI are core to the product experience, not afterthoughts. I want a mobile engineer who obsesses over how things feel, not just how they work. React Native / Capacitor, remote, seed equity."
Phase 1 — Product & Design
PM
Product
Head of Product
Seed ▾
Black Product Manager Network
Black Product Managers (BPM)
Largest community of Black product managers, with active job board, Slack, and mentorship programs. Many members have consumer social backgrounds at Snap, Twitter, and Meta. Post here first for this role.
blackproductmanagers.com ↗
NBMBAA + HBCU MBA Pipeline
National Black MBA Association
Many Black PMs at consumer companies have MBA backgrounds. NBMBAA career center reaches senior professionals. Also target Howard University School of Business MBA alumni.
NBMBAA Career Center ↗
Reforge Community
Reforge + Diversity PM Cohorts
Reforge has made efforts to diversify its network. Filter LinkedIn searches by Reforge alumni who are Black and have consumer social backgrounds. Strong signal of rigor and ambition.
reforge.com ↗
AfroTech Conference Network
AfroTech PM Track
AfroTech's annual conference has a dedicated PM and product track. Post on the AfroTech job board and look for speakers or attendees with consumer social product backgrounds.
jobs.afrotech.com ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt is building the serendipity layer for physical spaces — proximity encounter with mutual reveal. I'm looking for a Head of Product who has lived through a cold-start consumer problem and has strong opinions about what makes connection apps survive. This is a seat at the table, not a seat at the roadmap."
LD
Product
Lead Designer
Seed ▾
Black Designer Community
Where Are The Black Designers (WATBD)
One of the most active communities for Black designers globally. Active job board, Slack, and database of Black design talent. Reaches product designers, motion designers, and UX leads.
wherearetheblackdesigners.com ↗
HBCU Design Programs
Howard Fine Arts + Spelman Arts
Howard University's art and design programs produce strong visual designers who have gone on to top consumer companies. Spelman College has a growing design program with a strong emphasis on digital and interactive media.
Howard Arts ↗
Black UX / Product Design Network
Blacks Who Design
Twitter/X community and directory of Black product and UX designers. Many with consumer app portfolios at Airbnb, Spotify, and Google. Search their designer directory for mobile-focused portfolios.
blackswho.design ↗
Motion Design Pipeline
Dribbble — Diversity Search
Search Dribbble for "dark UI," "mobile social app," and "motion design" — then cross-reference with Black designer directories. Find designers who have made something that feels premium and warm simultaneously.
dribbble.com/jobs ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt is a dark-premium proximity app — the design language is intentional, not generic. I need a designer who makes things people screenshot. If you've designed a consumer mobile product that felt alive, and you want to own the visual identity of something from day one, I want to see your work."
Phase 2 — Growth & GTM
GH
Growth
Head of Growth
Post-Seed ▾
NBMBAA Growth / Marketing Track
National Black MBA Association
NBMBAA's marketing and growth track has strong candidates who have worked at consumer startups. Reach out to annual conference marketing competition winners — they often go on to growth roles at tech companies.
nbmbaa.org ↗
Reforge + Lenny's Network
Reforge Alumni — Diversity Filter
Filter LinkedIn for Reforge alumni with consumer social growth backgrounds who are Black. This is a small but high-signal group. Likely at Snap, Cash App, or similar.
reforge.com ↗
HBCU Business Alumni
Howard Business School + AUC
Howard University School of Business and the Atlanta University Center (Spelman/Morehouse/Clark) produce strong consumer business talent. ATL alumni are especially relevant given Hartsfield-Jackson is Tangnt's #1 seed airport.
Howard Business ↗
Black Marketing Leaders
Black in Marketing
Community of Black marketing and growth professionals. Active LinkedIn presence and job board. Look for members with a consumer social or marketplace background — Uber, DoorDash, Bumble alumni are ideal.
blackinmarketing.com ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt grows through density, not paid ads — the growth challenge is manufacturing encounters before critical mass, which is a genuinely novel problem. If you've engineered a viral loop for a real consumer product (not just optimized a funnel), and you want to own the growth story from zero, let's talk."
BD
Growth
Airport Partnerships Lead
Post-Seed ▾
Travel Industry Black Professionals
National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals
NCBMP connects Black professionals across travel, hospitality, and events. Airport and airline BD talent with established relationships often surfaces here. Strong Atlanta and New York presence.
ncbmp.com ↗
HBCU Hospitality / Business Alumni
Florida A&M + Howard Travel / BD Alumni
FAMU has a strong hospitality and business program with alumni in travel industry BD roles. Howard alumni are well-represented at American Airlines, Delta, and travel tech companies.
FAMU Business ↗
Skift + Travel Tech Community
Skift Forum Diversity Network
Skift's annual forum has increasing diversity in travel tech. Post on Skift's job board and look for Black professionals in the travel BD and partnerships space through their community network.
skift.com ↗
NBMBAA BD / Sales Track
National Black MBA Association
NBMBAA's BD and sales community is strong for this profile. Look specifically for members with travel or hospitality industry backgrounds. The commission component of this role's comp will appeal to sales-oriented candidates.
NBMBAA ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt is building a presence inside airports as a welcome product — not an unsolicited download. I need someone who has real relationships with airport authority BD teams or airline lounge operators. One warm intro to Delta Sky Club or Amex Centurion is worth months of outbound. Commission + equity on top of base."
CL
Growth
Community Lead
Post-Seed ▾
Black Community Builder Network
CMX Hub + Black Community Managers
CMX Hub is the largest community management organization. Filter their member directory and job board for Black community builders with consumer or social app experience. Many have run city launches for Airbnb, Bumble BFF, or Peloton.
cmxhub.com ↗
HBCU Student Ambassador Pipeline
HBCU Campus Ambassador Networks
HBCUs in ATL (Clark Atlanta, Spelman, Morehouse, Morris Brown) are ideal early adopter and ambassador pipelines given ATL is Tangnt's seed airport. Consider hiring a community lead who is an HBCU alumnus.
AUC Atlanta ↗
Black Event Producers
National Association of Black Event Professionals
NABEP connects Black event producers and community organizers. This role is part event producer — NABEP members with a tech or consumer brand background are a great fit for Tangnt's IRL launch strategy.
nabepro.org ↗
Luma + Eventbrite Creator Network
Black Luma Organizers
Search Luma for Black community organizers running high-attendance tech or social events in ATL, NYC, and LA. Someone who has built a following for IRL events in these cities is exactly the density-manufacturing profile Tangnt needs.
lu.ma ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt's launch is an IRL event as much as an app launch — we're manufacturing encounter density in airports before the network does it naturally. I need someone who has made a room feel electric before. If you've launched something in a city and people showed up because of you, not because of the brand, I want to meet you."
Phase 2 — Operations, Trust & Data
T&S
Operations
Trust & Safety Lead
Post-Seed ▾
T&S Professional Community
Trust & Safety Professionals Association (TSPA)
TSPA has a growing diversity initiative and an active job board. Filter their community for Black T&S professionals with location-aware platform experience. Lyft and Airbnb T&S alumni are especially relevant.
tspa.org ↗
NBMBAA Policy / Legal Track
National Black MBA Association
T&S roles increasingly require policy writing and regulatory fluency. NBMBAA's policy and legal track is a strong pipeline for senior T&S professionals with both operational and policy backgrounds.
nbmbaa.org ↗
Black Policy + Tech Community
Color of Change + Tech Policy Institute
Color of Change trains Black policy advocates who transition into tech trust and safety roles. Alumni who have moved into platform safety at consumer apps are a strong pipeline for this role.
colorofchange.org ↗
AfroTech + Black in Tech
AfroTech Job Board
Post specifically calling out proximity safety and location-aware platform experience. The specificity of the T&S challenge will attract candidates genuinely interested in novel safety problems, not just platform moderation generalists.
jobs.afrotech.com ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Proximity apps have a safety challenge categorically different from dating apps — real-time physical encounter creates scenarios that require proactive policy, not reactive moderation. I want to hire this role before we need it. If you've designed T&S systems for a location-aware consumer platform, I'd love to talk about building it right from the start."
GC
Operations
Legal / Privacy Counsel
Fractional Now ▾
Black Attorney Network
National Bar Association (NBA)
The NBA is the oldest and largest national association of Black lawyers. Their technology law section is the right place to find Black privacy and data law attorneys. Post in their career center and reach out to their Tech Law committee directly.
nationalbar.org ↗
HBCU Law School Alumni
Howard University School of Law
Howard Law is the most prominent HBCU law school and has produced a significant number of Black tech attorneys. Reach out to the alumni association — specifically target graduates who have moved into privacy or startup law practices.
Howard Law Alumni ↗
Black Privacy Law Community
Future of Privacy Forum + IAPP Diversity
The IAPP has a diversity initiative. Filter their member directory for Black privacy professionals with location data or consumer tech backgrounds. GDPR + CCPA specialists with startup experience are the target.
IAPP Communities ↗
Fractional Legal Platforms
Paragon Legal + Lawtrades
Both have diversity initiatives and connect startups with fractional counsel. Specifically request Black privacy attorneys with location data experience — the fractional nature makes it accessible to senior attorneys who prefer flexible engagements.
paragonlegal.com ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt handles real-time location data in a consumer context — GDPR Article 9, CCPA sensitive provisions, and a proprietary encounter engine that needs trade secret protection from day one. I'm looking for fractional counsel (10–15 hrs/month) who has done this before. Startup-experienced, location-data literate, equity-eligible."
DS
Operations
Data Scientist
Post-Seed ▾
HBCU Data Science Programs
North Carolina A&T + Morgan State + Howard
NCA&T has a strong data science and applied ML program. Morgan State has a growing CS graduate program with ML focus. Howard's CS department has increasing ML research output. Reach all three department chairs for PhD and masters alumni with graph or recommendation systems research.
NCA&T Data Science ↗
Black ML / AI Research Community
Black in AI
Black in AI is the premier organization for Black researchers and practitioners in artificial intelligence. Active job board, conference presence, and a community of ML engineers with academic and industry backgrounds. Post specifically for graph ML and recommendation systems.
blackinai.github.io ↗
NSBE Data / ML Track
NSBE Data Science Community
NSBE has a data science and AI special interest group. Post here and reach out to NSBE chapters at universities with strong ML programs. Members with graph-structured data or geospatial ML backgrounds are the target profile.
careers.nsbe.org ↗
Academic Research Pipeline
ICWSM + WWW Conference Diversity
ICWSM and WWW conference have diversity scholarship programs. Look for Black researchers presenting work on location-based social networks, encounter modeling, or recommendation systems. A research-to-startup transition with equity upside is compelling for this profile.
icwsm.org ↗
Suggested Outreach Message
"Tangnt's encounter engine generates a novel graph dataset — physical co-presence signals with temporal, spatial, and behavioral dimensions. I'm looking for a data scientist who wants to turn that raw graph into meaningful connection signals. The research problem is genuinely unsolved. Part-time or research consultant to start; full-time post-density."
12
Roles covered
40+
Sourcing channels
6
Universal platforms
12
Outreach scripts
tangnt.
CONFIDENTIAL · INTERNAL USE ONLY · APRIL 2026
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