ABOUT
Architect of Growth & Good
Roger Roman is a tech-first entrepreneur and investor who turns overlooked problems into scalable, justice-driven ventures. From managing a $50 M public-private build in D.C. to co-founding AfriBlocks and launching AI-powered LegalEase, he’s spent two decades proving that profit and progress can occupy the same balance sheet.
Profit + Progress /
The Guiding Principle
An entrepreneur who refuses to choose between profit and progress, and keeps proving you can have both at scale. Raised on Westside of Chicago hustle, sharpened at Howard University, and forged in the crucible of entertainment, real estate, and tech, Roman has spent the last two decades turning under-served corners of the economy into launchpads for growth and justice.
Blueprints /
To Platinum Hits
Roman first proved his mettle at Banneker Ventures, managing a $50 million public-private build that became Washington, D.C.’s fastest-constructed school. He then pivoted to the studio, steering platinum records as CEO of Young Heavy Records and SVP at Patrone World Music. By 2016 he’d spun those operational chops into Push Consulting & Marketing—landing 50+ marquee clients and tripling revenue—then parlayed that momentum into Grolo, a SaaS growth platform that converted freemium users at a 35 percent clip before folding neatly back into Push in a strategic exit.
AfriBlocks /
A Continent-Wide Breakout
As co-founder of AfriBlocks, Roman wrangled 20,000 freelancers across seven African nations, sealed payout partnerships with Western Union, Visa Direct, and MoneyGram, and raised a seed round backed by Techstars and Google. Five thousand freelancers up-skilled via DataCamp, another 400 via Coursera, and the annual AfriBlocks Freelancers Summit became the continent’s must-attend talent forum.
Capital, Community /
& LegalEase
Deal flow didn’t stop there. As a Venture Partner at Republic, Roman scouted and mentored founders overlooked by traditional VC, while his stint at the Alliance for Southern California Innovation linked hundreds of under-represented entrepreneurs to capital and rewrote the region’s innovation narrative. His flagship today is LegalEase: Expungement.ai—fresh off a $1.3 million pre-seed—aims to erase one million criminal records by 2030, proving liberation and strong unit economics can share the same cap table.
Rythm Labs /
& The Changemaker Portfolio
Now comes the moon-shot factory: Rythm Labs, a venture studio slated to launch a new AI-first vertical SaaS startup every six months. Alongside that for-profit engine, Roman keeps three impact pillars humming—Rythm Games (game-based STEM learning), Starting With Today (mental-health and financial-well-being programs), and M.A.A.D. Skillz(athletic mentoring that turns raw talent into college-ready scholars). Different lanes, same outcome: whenever Roman builds, whole ecosystems rise. Ask him about it and he’ll shrug: “I make tech that puts people back in charge. If that shakes the room, that’s the point.”
Engineering Prosperity/ Amplifying Impact
CURRENT MISSIONS
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Roger@RythmLabs.com