Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania alum Solo Ceesay carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, some of which is an obligation he feels to influence people who look like him.

That doesn't mean being a 6-foot-2 former Division I defensive end, but being an entrepreneur of color. Ceesay is a former Penn football player and co-founder of the Calaxy app, a platform built on blockchain in which influencers can monetize their likeness and relationships with their followers. Launched in 2020, the Los Angeles startup combines elements of apps like Patreon and Cameo, but can be used by anyone from TikTokers to models to athletes. Ceesay founded the app with Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie and the duo has raised over $33 million in funding to date.