Recent College Grad Launches New App, Videloo

Tanaka Tava, recent college graduate, and Dallas native, is the Co-Founder and Chief Information Officer of Black-led social networking app, Videloo. The app, which was developed by a team of Black college and graduate students from across the country, brings together the power of live streaming, reviews, and search to enable businesses to reach their customers directly and to create a new way for individuals to authentically connect, create, and gather together socially.

Tava describes the live-streaming social network app as more of a social utility tool that helps people get a pulse on what’s going on in a way that hasn’t been seen in other apps, with a unique approach that’s more authentic. In his role as the Chief Information Officer, Tava works as the product development head, serving as the liaison between the engineers, designers, and end-users. He also serves as the spokesperson for the company. 

3 out of 4 members of Videloo Leadership Team: Lendl Charles CFO, Jerry Dimanche CEO, and Tanaka Tava CIO. Courtesy photo

Additionally, as a self-taught coder, he coded the first version of the app, which the team started working on last November. Learning to code during the pandemic, Tava says coding has become a hobby and passion. He believes coding is the future and that it is important that everyone, especially people of color and women, look into learning to code. 

Inspired by multi-faceted people who truly live in their gifts, like DeVon Franklin and Donald Glover, some of Tava’s friends describe him as a modern-day renaissance person; someone who is curious has a desire to learn and a willingness to take chances and risks, even in areas that are not perceived as normal or safe. This is reflected in various aspects of his life. While in school he managed to publish some of his poetry, host a podcast, start a fashion line, among other businesses and activities, including giving a Ted Talk about the “highlight effect;” which he describes as paying it forward by giving people their flowers and kudos while providing them a platform to have their voices heard. 

As a believer, he credits God with being able to successfully manage all of his passions, as well as the time management and life balance skills he learned while attending Uplift North Hills Preparatory. North Hills’ emphasis on representation, equity, diversity and inclusion has made all four concepts integral to all of the work Tava does, especially after experiencing other environments where those things were not valued.  

Tava recently graduated from Baylor University, where he double majored in Theater Arts and Neuroscience, and minored in Entrepreneurship. He says majoring in Theater Arts gave him transferable skills for the startup world, noting the similarities between a theater production and a startup, “starting from scratch, building something, and then after that developing, getting the right pieces, the right team.” Next he heads to the University of Southern California for graduate school, where he will be in their multi-disciplinary program, Integrated Design, Business, and Technology; a non-traditional MBA combining media, the engineering school, the arts school, and the business school for entrepreneurs wanting to shape the future of the world. 

As a first-generation American with parents from Zimbabwe, and coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Tava is driven by the sacrifice his family has made for him to be in the position he is in, to give him access to the education he has and continues to attain, and allow for him to dream beyond what some may see as typical; including someday winning an Oscar as a producer or executive producer. He says he owes it to his family to make sure he remembers where he comes from and knows his roots and foundation, thinking of his ancestors and continuing to honor his family’s legacy and the foundation they have given him. He makes it a point to reflect this in his art, in his podcast, in his interactions with others and the opportunities he creates for them; especially those who may come from a similar path and not have the same representation or access as others. 

Videloo is expected to be in beta in late summer and officially launch in the fall, with pre-order being available in the coming months. Visit www.videloo.com/download to join the waitlist.