In a world chasing clicks, Andre Byers is building systems.

Not apps. Not hype. Systems.

From Washington DC’s community corridors to the cutting edge of augmented reality, Byers’ ventures are laying the foundation for a future where commerce meets community, and legacy becomes infrastructure. Whether it’s New Era Ventures, NEAR delivery, AIP (Augmented Intellectual Pursuits), or the family-founded hunnybunny boutique, Andre’s mission is clear: build with purpose, pass with power.

From Urban Roots to Regenerative Tech

Byers’ journey didn’t start in Silicon Valley or an Ivy League dorm. It started in Kansas City, Missouri—at a time when the urban core wasn’t a gentrifying hotbed of boutiques and bike lanes, but a warzone of divestment and neglect. “As a kid,” Andre says,

“I used to wonder how they could let us live like that.”

That curiosity grew into action.

Over the years, Andre moved through the ranks: from academic researcher and professor at Howard University, to leading neighborhood investment as Director of DC’s Great Streets Initiative. But it was legacy—his daughters, his faith, and the limits of government work—that pushed him toward ownership.

“As hard as I was working, there was no way for me to amass that work and pass it down… Ownership became the only path forward.”

The NOVEL Thread: Why His Ventures Matter

Byers is not just launching companies—he’s launching proof points.

1. NEAR Delivery:

A hyper-local delivery platform built for creators, makers, and neighborhood entrepreneurs. Using wind- and solar-powered vehicles, NEAR lowers the barrier to entry for product-based businesses in underserved areas. It doesn't just move products—it moves possibility.

2. AIP (Augmented Intellectual Pursuits):

AIP Evolution is Byers’ flagship augmented reality software designed for smart glasses.  On October 18, 2024, Byers filed for patent protection and originally developed AIP to help couriers navigate deliveries hands-free, the platform now represents a scalable solution for logistics, safety, and human-AI co-performance. It’s not AI replacing the worker—it’s AI enhancing them.

3. hunnybunny Boutique:

Founded with his daughters, hunnybunny is a sustainable skincare brand that began with a father’s love and a child’s sensitive skin. Now, it’s an award-winning D.C.-based boutique redefining youth entrepreneurship, Black-owned product innovation, and eco-friendly business models. Their latest venture? A patent-pending “Save Mars” soap container to reduce single-use plastics. (Patent protection file date: April 4, 2022)

“The goal is to build pyramids,” Andre says. “Things that will still be standing

5,000 years from now.”

Innovation at the Intersection of Ownership and Equity

In traditional economic development, wealth creation often begins and ends with job creation. But Andre challenges that logic:

“Why are we always trying to increase income in a capitalist society? Capitalism is about ownership—rent, interest, profit. We need to stop preparing people to earn wages and start preparing them to build equity.”

This principle is the throughline across his ventures—and the force behind the NEAR platform’s ability to transform anyone with a product (even if made in a kitchen) into a legitimate business owner with instant market access.

With zero sign-up costs, real-time tracking, and neighborhood-focused scaling, NEAR Delivery becomes more than a logistics service—it’s a regenerative commerce network.

Enter AIP: Tech That Knows the Street

When handheld devices slowed down NEAR’s couriers and caused dropped packages, Andre did what great founders do: he built the solution himself.

No hardware provider had what he needed, so he coded the first version of AIP’s smart glasses software in-house, from scratch. That decision has now positioned AIP to lead in the augmented delivery intelligence space—with applications far beyond DC.

Think: hands-free urban workforce, route optimization, proof-of-delivery automation—all running through wearable AR.

And while AIP is still in its early stages, patent protection is underway. The vision is Mars-level scalable.

“I want our product to be the first on the planet,” Andre says. “Universal readiness is the endgame.”

What's Next for New Era Ventures?

Andre’s current challenge isn’t ideas—it’s visibility. “No one knows we exist,” he says.

That’s why NOVELCITY News is spotlighting this work now—because NEAR, AIP, and hunnybunny aren’t isolated ventures. They’re building blocks of something far greater: a system designed to regenerate neighborhoods, prepare families for ownership, and bring Black-led innovation to the global stage.

Whether in media, tech, supply chain, or sustainable commerce, investors and ecosystem builders should be paying attention. Byers isn’t building the next app. He’s building the next era.

Learn More & Connect

Website: newera.ventures

LinkedIn: Andre Byers

About This Article

This feature is published under NCN | LOCK THIS, part of NOVELCITY News’ 12-environment editorial system for understanding, protecting, and scaling novel ideas. It also aligns with MOE2M (Mars on Earth, Earth to Mars)—our flagship series exploring entrepreneurial readiness for universal innovation.

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Los Angeles, CA | January 17, 2025 — On a day marked by urgency and unity, the Los Angeles Rams joined forces with the city’s 11 other professional sports teams for a landmark donation event at The Shops at Hollywood Park, rallying in response to the unprecedented wildfires that displaced thousands across Los Angeles.

What took place was more than a charitable drive. It was a blueprint for something bigger.

Over $3 million in goods were distributed through Fanatics, alongside vital resources—from mental health care and legal guidance to groceries, clothing, and school supplies—contributed by team partners like Uber, Cedars-Sinai, Albertsons/Vons/Pavilions, and Call Jacob. With Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, and front office staff on-site, the Rams activated not just star power, but system power. Three city-wide venues—SoFi Stadium, Dodger Stadium, and BMO Stadium—served as hubs of hope.

It was a powerful testament to what happens when LA’s sports ecosystem aligns around purpose.

But that was just the start.

From Recovery to Regeneration: May 2025 and Beyond

Now, five months later, as Los Angeles begins to shift from emergency response to long-term renewal, the question isn't just how we rebuild—but who tells the story of how it's being rebuilt.

NOVELCITY News (NCN) is launching a new Sports & Entertainment Column to chronicle this exact moment—where teams, players, brands, and neighborhoods are forging the future together. With global events approaching, including FIFA 2026, the 2028 Olympics, and the city’s expanding sports infrastructure boom, now is the time to document the movement—not just the milestones.

This new column doesn’t just capture moments—it catalyzes them.

Introducing the NCN Sports & Entertainment Column

Where Sports Culture Meets System Design

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• Sports teams innovating on disaster response, community health, and education access
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This is not sideline reporting. This is storytelling as civic infrastructure.

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To the Rams, Dodgers, Sparks, Lakers, Clippers, Galaxy, LAFC and every franchise shaping the city’s future—we believe your role is bigger than game day.

You’re not just tenants in the LA story. You are architects of it.

By partnering with NCN, your organization becomes a central narrative anchor in:

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Writers. Teams. Visionaries. Join the Movement.

We’re looking for contributors, brand collaborators, and editorial partners who believe that what’s happening in LA isn’t just a local story—it’s a global signal.

Let’s show the world how sports can regenerate cities, anchor equitable growth, and inspire generations.

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Note: By 2027, NCN will expand to 43 cities across the globe, activating a global storytelling network to map the new economic landscape and spotlight the cities building what’s next.

First stops: Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, New York, Washington DC, Denver, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix, Bay Area, New Orleans, Orlando, Boston, Austin, and

Las Vegas

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A bold new voice in global innovation media has officially launched: NOVELCITY NEWS (NCN). Born out of Kansas City’s rich legacy of entrepreneurial grit and visionary storytelling, NCN is a next-generation media platform focused on identifying, tracking, and celebrating the people, ventures, and cities shaping the future of business and society.

With the philosophy that “There’s a NOVELCITY in every city,” the platform takes a hyperlocal-to-global approach—connecting grassroots ecosystems with global capital, talent, and opportunity.

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And this is just the beginning. By 2027, NCN will expand to 43 cities across the globe, activating a global storytelling network to map the new economic landscape and spotlight the cities building what’s next.

📍First stops: Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, New York, Washington DC, Denver, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix, Bay Area, New Orleans, Orlando, Boston, Austin, and

Las Vegas

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