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.