How one entrepreneur is changing the narrative about African travel
Photo credit: Shoppe Black
When Cherae Robinson worked at the World Bank, traveling frequently to Nigeria and Kenya, she noticed something that troubled her. Her colleagues—mostly older white men—found their experiences through TripAdvisor. But as a young Black woman, she couldn't find experiences that resonated with who she was.
So she built a platform that would.
In 2014, Robinson founded Tastemakers Africa, a peer-to-peer tour and activities marketplace that has fundamentally changed how the world discovers African cities. She became one of the few Black women entrepreneurs to raise over $1 million in venture funding, proving that the intersection of culture and technology creates extraordinary opportunities.
From International Development to Tech Entrepreneur
Cherae Robinson is a graduate of Morgan State University who spent years bridging the gap between science and people within large international organizations like the World Bank, CARE, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But it was her personal frustration with finding authentic experiences in Africa that sparked her entrepreneurial journey. She launched Tastemakers Africa with nothing more than a Facebook post—no website, no app, just a vision.
"I started feeling like I couldn't find experiences that resonated with me and who I was," Robinson explained. That feeling became the foundation for a company that would transform African travel.
What Tastemakers Africa Represents
Tastemakers Africa isn't just a booking platform—it's a movement to change how the world assigns value to people, places, and experiences on the African continent.
The platform offers:
- Curated local experiences led by African hosts
- City guides that go beyond safari stereotypes
- Cultural immersion that connects travelers with authentic communities
- Tech-enabled discovery that makes booking seamless
Robinson's approach challenges the tired narrative that reduces Africa to wildlife and poverty. Instead, she showcases the continent's vibrant cities, innovative entrepreneurs, world-class cuisine, and contemporary culture.
Breaking Barriers in Tech
Robinson's journey hasn't been easy. As a Black woman in tech, she faced the same barriers that keep so many founders from accessing capital. But her persistence paid off.
She became one of the rare Black women to raise significant venture funding, proving that products built for underserved communities can attract mainstream investment. Her success has opened doors for other founders building at the intersection of culture and technology.
The Vision
Tastemakers Africa represents a new way of thinking about travel—one that centers local voices and celebrates the diversity of African experiences. Robinson isn't just booking tours; she's rewriting the story of an entire continent.
Her work reminds us that travel is most meaningful when it connects us with real people and authentic cultures. The best experiences aren't found in guidebooks—they're created by passionate locals who want to share their world.
What Cherae Teaches Us
Cherae Robinson teaches us that the best solutions come from those who understand the problem firsthand. She didn't wait for the travel industry to create experiences for people like her—she built the platform herself.
Her journey from a single Facebook post to a funded tech company shows that entrepreneurship is about solving real problems for real people. When you build something that resonates with an underserved community, the world takes notice.
Cherae Robinson is changing how we experience Africa. Learn about Cherae and other Black history pioneers, then explore our upcoming trips to discover curated experiences that celebrate Black excellence.
