Toronto-born Warren Salmon is a black man who believes that everyone, regardless of race, should have an appreciation for African history and culture.

Remembering his days as a student in Canada, Salmon recalls, "…not feeling included in the material that was provided in the school system and the negative portrayals in the media of people of African descent."

So, once armed with a degree in computer science, Salmon founded Black Board International and used technology to address black issues by developing Afrocentric educational software.

Feedback from the entrepreneur's 9-year-old daughter and "special assistant" helped shape the software. Its title shares his daughter's middle name, Asha-from a West African word for life.