In an era defined by conscious consumerism and the need for economic inclusivity, Cashblack emerges as a mission-driven platform designed to redirect everyday online spending into meaningful community support. Launched by three brothers—Matthew, Jonathan, and Nicholas Addai—Cashblack rewards shoppers who purchase from Black-owned businesses and reinvests part of that value into charitable causes that uplift underrepresented communities.
What began in the UK during a time of global social justice reckoning has since grown into a bold fintech initiative with a growing user base, hundreds of affiliate partnerships, and a measurable social impact. More than just a cashback platform, Cashblack is building an ecosystem that fuses technology, commerce, and community-building.
Company Vision and Origin
Cashblack was born out of a desire to combat systemic economic disparities by providing visibility and sales traction to Black-owned businesses. In 2020, amid the social activism and protests following the murder of George Floyd, the Addai brothers recognized a gap in the affiliate marketing space: Black-owned brands were often excluded from major cashback or rewards programs.
They saw an opportunity to bridge that gap by offering customers a way to support these businesses while receiving cashback—or choosing to donate those earnings to nonprofit organizations. With a model that centers around empowerment, transparency, and giving back, Cashblack positions itself not just as a financial tool but a force for systemic change.
Core Products and Services
Cashblack’s product suite revolves around driving online traffic to Black-owned businesses while providing benefits to shoppers and merchants alike. The platform combines affiliate marketing with cashback features, charitable giving, and data analytics.
1. Cashback Marketplace Platform
- Users can browse and shop from a wide network of verified Black-owned brands across categories like fashion, beauty, food, lifestyle, and services.
- Shoppers earn cashback from purchases made through referral links on the platform, which is paid out once transactions are validated.
2. Donation Matching and Social Impact Tracking
- Users may choose to donate part or all of their cashback earnings to charitable initiatives.
- Cashblack matches these donations, doubling the impact.
- An “Impact Dashboard” tracks the social effect of user spending, including donations made, carbon offset estimates, and community impact stats.
3. Third-Party Retailer Integration
- Users can access Black-owned businesses selling on major platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay, as well as food services through Just Eat and Uber Eats.
- This allows for effortless integration into daily habits, broadening exposure to diverse merchants.
4. Afrofiliate B2B Affiliate Platform
- Cashblack has developed its own SaaS tool for Black-owned brands wanting to manage affiliate programs independently.
- Afrofiliate provides analytics, tracking, and payment management under their own brand, giving businesses more control and visibility.
5. Corporate Tools and Partnerships
- Offers data-driven services to companies looking to improve their diversity procurement and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance.
- Partners with companies interested in funding donation matching, user incentives, and supplier diversity programs.
Funding and Growth Journey
While many fintech ventures raise large capital early on, Cashblack has followed a lean path, choosing to bootstrap its operations with strategic grants, competition wins, and accelerator support. This has allowed the founders to maintain full control of their vision and operations without investor-driven pressure.
Notable Achievements and Recognition
- CogX Transatlantic Accelerator (2024): Received funding, mentorship, and exposure through a cross-Atlantic tech accelerator that helped expand operations into the U.S.
- Black Valley Founders Program (2023): Participated in an intensive support program aimed at supporting Black entrepreneurs in tech.
- Startups 100 Index (2025): Won the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) category, bringing increased national attention and a surge in user signups.
Despite the lack of large-scale VC funding, Cashblack has scaled effectively, demonstrating strong product-market fit and growing brand trust within its niche.
Business Model Overview
Cashblack operates through a combination of affiliate revenue, SaaS subscriptions, advertising, and corporate partnerships. Here’s how it earns:
1. Commission-Based Cashback System
- Retailers pay an affiliate commission (typically 5-10%) for referred purchases.
- A portion of this is shared with users as cashback, while the platform retains a percentage to cover operations.
2. Sponsored Placement and Ads
- Merchants can pay for premium listing positions, newsletter features, and targeted promotions.
- Campaigns are charged based on performance metrics like clicks and conversions.
3. Afrofiliate SaaS Licenses
- Subscription-based affiliate tracking platform for large merchants, with tiered plans ranging from £99 to £499 per month.
4. Social Impact & ESG Data Tools
- Corporate partners can subscribe to anonymized data sets and reporting tools to track impact, community spend, and supplier diversity metrics.
5. Future Expansion Opportunities
- Plans are in place to introduce a digital wallet for cashback storage and instant payouts, which could generate additional revenue via payment float, FX fees, or financial services integrations.
Revenue Streams Summary
| Source | Description | Revenue Potential |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate Commissions | Merchant pays Cashblack on each validated sale | High |
| Cashback Retention | Unclaimed cashback or user donations contribute to margin | Moderate |
| Merchant Advertising | Sponsored content and homepage placement | Moderate |
| SaaS Licensing (Afrofiliate) | Monthly recurring fees from B2B users | Growing |
| Corporate Partnerships | Licensing of analytics, data, and donation matching funding | Emerging |
Case Study: AfroThreads
Background:
AfroThreads is a Black-owned UK fashion label known for its Afrocentric designs and cultural prints. While it had strong engagement on social media, it struggled to convert that attention into consistent sales growth.
Engagement with Cashblack:
The brand joined the Cashblack network in 2024 and opted for a promotional campaign during Black History Month, which included sponsored listings and email marketing.
Results Over 3 Months:
| Metric | Before Cashblack | After Cashblack | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Sales | £22,000 | £48,000 | +118% |
| Conversion Rate | 1.8% | 3.7% | +105% |
| New Customers Acquired | ~150 | ~420 | +180% |
| Donations Generated | £0 | £900+ | — |
Conclusion:
Not only did AfroThreads double its monthly revenue, but it also gained a new, value-aligned customer base. Nearly 40% of users were first-time shoppers from a Black-owned brand.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Purpose-Driven Model: Social mission resonates with conscious consumers.
- Unique Market Positioning: Few competitors offer a cashback model focused specifically on Black-owned businesses.
- Loyal User Base: High retention due to social impact transparency and reward mechanisms.
- In-House Technology: Developed their own tracking and affiliate engine, improving scalability.
Weaknesses
- Limited Awareness in Mainstream Market: Recognition is largely within niche or socially-conscious communities.
- Bootstrapped Growth: Lack of large funding rounds may limit rapid expansion.
- Dependency on Third-Party Retailer Policies: Commission structures could change without warning.
Opportunities
- U.S. Market Entry: American expansion can multiply brand value and affiliate reach.
- Fintech Integrations: Potential for loyalty programs, co-branded credit cards, or buy-now-pay-later partnerships.
- Wider Inclusivity: Potential to adapt model for other minority-owned or underrepresented groups.
- Corporate ESG Partnerships: Growing need for supplier diversity tools in large organizations.
Threats
- Larger Cashback Players Entering Niche: Established platforms like Rakuten or TopCashback may launch similar features.
- Tech Disruptions: Affiliate tracking reliant on browser cookies, which may face regulatory limitations.
- Economic Downturns: Reduced discretionary spending affects consumer cashback behavior.
The Road Ahead
Cashblack’s immediate focus is on scaling its merchant network and customer base in the U.S., building strategic partnerships, and enhancing its fintech infrastructure. Their goals for the next 12–18 months include:
- Launching a digital cashback wallet for faster redemptions.
- Expanding the Afrofiliate SaaS offering to more merchants.
- Licensing anonymized data to organizations working on diversity procurement.
- Closing a £2M–£3M strategic seed round to support U.S. hiring and marketing efforts.
As the brand grows, the team remains committed to maintaining its social impact foundation while expanding its technical capabilities and market influence.
Conclusion
Cashblack proves that technology can be used not just for convenience or profit, but for equity and empowerment. By incentivizing everyday spending with community returns, the platform creates a new kind of economic participation—one where values and value go hand in hand.
It’s more than just a cashback site. It’s a statement that commerce can uplift communities, and consumers can be changemakers—one purchase at a time.
