For almost 30 years, Subaru fans have enjoyed the beefed up WRX version that came with the STI marker. The company recently unveiled the latest generation Subaru WRX and everyone was looking forward to the WRX STI version to be released in the coming months. Unfortunately, Subaru did the unexpected, the automaker reported that the STI version would not be coming, at least not in the usual setup.
Understandably, car enthusiasts were disappointed with the announcement especially because Subaru didn’t give a good reason why it had axed the beloved car.
Earlier this week, an executive from the company shed more light to the decision.
“If we designed [a new STI] now, it would have a very limited shelf life,” Subaru Director of Corporate Communications Dominick Infante said. “The regulations are changing so quickly that it kind of wouldn’t make any sense.”
In other words, Subaru has been pressing forward it’s electrification agenda and producing a more powerful STI based on the recently announced new generation WRX combustion engine wouldn’t be a smart move at this transition point in the automotive industry.
The electric Solterra STI
However, there’s still some light at the end of the tunnel, WRX STI might return, but it will almost certainly be at least partially electrified (hybrid) , if not a full-on EV. The company stated that it was exploring opportunities for the next-gen STI that included electrification. The internal combustion engine (ICE) based STI will no longer be produced, but the brand still exists.
The STI brand lives on, above the new STI E-RA Concept
“The STI brand still exists,” Infante said, noting that Subaru had unveiled the STI E-RA concept this year in Tokyo. The automaker has also revealed 2 STI concept cars so far this year; the Solterra STI concept, and the S4 STI Performance, both displayed in Tokyo Auto Show. In addition, the name is used on some Japanese domestic market cars, like the Levorg STI Sport.
The 1073bhp Subaru STI E-RA concept
It remains unclear when we can expect the electrified WRX STI, but there are rumours it will have upwards of 350 horsepower, which is a notable power boost compared to the recently announced 271 hp of the WRX non-STI version.
Jiji, a general classifieds player in Africa, which acquired Cars45, the online car auction service, has announced that it is changing the Cars45 brand name to Jiji Cars in a bid to consolidate and strengthen Jiji’s positioning in the car dealership market.
The move came from the fact that car sales and inquiries are among the top five reasons people visit the Jiji site. Apart from real estate, the search for affordable cars constitutes a primary reason people visit the platform. n Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and several other markers across Africa. Last year, Jiji revamped its property section to ensure safety for all property buyers and drive incremental traffic and sales for property sellers in their platform.
According to Jiji Cars COO Maxim Makarchuk said,“ Since launching in 2014, Jiji has connected buyers to sellers in Nigeria and has helped facilitate the exchange of goods and services with ease and convenience. In eight years, Jiji has grown into a team of over 1000 people with 12+ million unique monthly visits, 4+ million active ads with a combined value worth $10 billion. Combining Jiji’s leading position with the Cars45 model brings to the market a new incredible story called Jiji Cars.
Our mission is to make the process of buying & selling cars fast, easy and secure through the digitalisation of automotive trading. As a result, every car seller can get the best price and immediate payment for his car on the same day he decided to sell it through a hassle-free and trusted selling process with Jiji Cars. On the other hand, every car buyer can use an inspection report based on 200+ factors to get a verified car to meet his expectations.”
Jiji Cars offers sellers prompt car sales services by giving good exposure to thousands of dealers who are willing to buy the cars on the same day. Also, sellers are assured of immediate payment following successful transactions. Compared to traditional methods of selling cars, Jiji Cars has a verified process for selling vehicles through online auctions to thousands of dealers. There is also the Jiji Cars Marketplace, where cars not sold during the auctions are posted for visibility to millions of buyers and an opportunity to sell faster, at sellers preferred prices.
After Jiji took over OLX SSA from the Naspers Group as Walie Holdings, acquiring Cars45 was its next possible bet and Jiji didn’t disappoint. The firm took over Cars45 in Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria to give auto buyers and sellers a new level of trade experience. During the purchase, Anton Volyansky, CEO and co-founder of Jiji said Jiji was “looking forward to creating a new advanced experience for Cars45 users. Undoubtedly, our collaboration on future products and services will bring additional value to the consumers. For Jiji, it’s the first bold step into the transactional business model and an important foundation for building the future of the company.”
The rebrand is a great initiative. For buyers, Jiji Cars offers a safe and trusted platform to buy verified cars. They make the transaction process easy by giving buyers access to thousands of verified cars. There is also the consumer financing option which enables buyers to purchase cars on a loan, with low interest rates and tenure up to 36 months. With this option, anyone can be a car owner.
Speaking on this new development, the CEO of Jiji, Anton Volianski, affirmed that the company is happy with Jiji Cars and looks forward to more outstanding achievements in the future.
“We have observed that people come on the platform looking to buy cars. They seek to avoid the high transactional costs from traditional car dealers and want fast and efficient transactions. Most times, they also want to meet one-on-one with the car sellers. With Jiji Cars, we handle car sales faster and more efficiently. We also deliver value for our buyers and sellers through our digitised processes, while working to become the recognized market leader,” Volianski said.
Why Sell and Buy your cars through Jiji Cars?
This is exciting news for the online public and car enthusiasts as there is much confidence that Jiji Cars will improve and enhance the quality of car dealerships in Nigeria and in its other markets.
Jiji’s impeccable record in delivering efficient customer service has made the company a leader in the African e-commerce space. In time, we are sure that this equity will transfer to the new acquisition – Jiji Cars, which will become known as the Number one marketplace for buying and selling verified cars in Nigeria and Africa.
“Jiji Cars provides value and efficiency to customers. Sellers can sell their cars faster and get paid immediately, same day leveraging millions of buyers on the Jiji platform. Our processes are digitised to make buying and selling of cars fast, safe and easy for our customers. Buyers have access to thousands of verified cars on the platform, which have undergone inspection by 200+ parameters to confirm their true state. We also have inbuilt processes to protect buyers interests while ensuring that the sellers get commensurate value for their merchandise immediately. At Jiji Cars,there’s room for fair and easy negotiation between buyers and sellers. The platform is a one-stop-shop for all car sales and purchase services,” Jiji cars, Director of Africa Operations Jiji, Yuliy Shenfled said.
d.light, a leading innovator of solar energy products, announced today that it had raised US$7 million in equity financing from OP Finnfund Global Impact Fund I.
This latest round of funding will help the company expand its solar and Pay-Go consumer finance businesses across Africa.
Commenting on the investment, d.light co-founder and CEO Ned Tozun said, “We are excited to have OP Finnfund Global Impact Fund I as a d.light shareholder. The fund’s alignment with our mission and commitment to job creation and development makes them an ideal partner for d.light as we begin our next phase of growth.”
“We have great confidence that we will continue to accelerate and deepen this impact, as we expand our geographic footprint and product portfolio to delight our customers. The future is truly bright for d.light and the off-grid solar industry as a whole.”
“OP Finnfund Global Impact Fund I targets substantial positive impacts on, for instance, climate change, food security, gender equality, and the availability of financing”, says Finnfund’s Associate Director, Head of Energy and Infrastructure portfolio Jussi Tourunen.
“The way that developing countries meet their rapidly growing energy demand will be crucial for global efforts to curb climate change and we are happy to support d.light’s expansion with this investment.”
d.light has delivered solar energy to over 125 million people in 70 countries since its inception in 2006.
Their diverse product portfolio includes everything from inexpensive portable solar lanterns to solar home systems that can power several lights, phones, and other appliances, even a flat-screen television.
Solar solutions from d.light have won numerous international prizes for innovation and design, and they are marketed in over 30,000 locations throughout the world, making it the largest existing distribution network for these types of products.
Since its inception, d.light has placed a significant emphasis on product quality and customer service, resulting in a devoted customer base in emerging regions. The solar startup continues to sell hundreds of thousands of units every month financially while maintaining high quality.
A strong team of highly experienced, internationally recognized leaders and extremely motivated, skilled local staff lead the company.
Mr. Tozun and Mr. Goldman set a lofty aim for the solar startup when it was founded: to reach 100 million people by 2020. This objective was met. d.light is embarking on a new mission to impact 1 billion lives by 2030.
Your iPhone will automatically set the right time zone based on your location, but you can change it manually by typing the name of your city. Here’s how you can do it.
How to Set the Time Zone on an iPhone Manually
To manually set a time zone on your iPhone, first turn off the automated date and time feature.
To do so, simply open your phone’s Settings app. Tap “General” in the Settings menu.
Tap “Date & Time” on the “General” screen.
Turn off the “Set Automatically” option when the “Date & Time” page appears.
If “Set Automatically” is grayed out, see the last section of this tutorial to figure out what to do.
Select a new time zone by tapping the “Time Zone” option now that the automatic option has been removed.
Type your city’s name in the text box at the top of the “Time Zone” page. The date and time for that city will be used by your iPhone.
Tap your city when it appears in the list.
You’ll be sent back to the “Date & Time” screen, where your iPhone will now display the time and date for the city you choose (time zone).
That’s all there is to set the time zone on an iPhone manually.
Why am I unable to disable the “Set Automatically” option?
If “Set Automatically” is grayed out and you can’t toggle it off, you’ll need to first disable Screen Time on your iPhone. The Screen Time function eliminates the need for users to manually set the time and date.
To turn off Screen Time, go to your iPhone’s Settings and hit “Screen Time.”
Tap “Turn Off Screen Time” at the bottom of the “Screen Time” page.
To turn off Screen Time, press “Turn Off Screen Time” in the popup.
Adding new fonts to Windows 10 is a simple and quick method to personalize your computer and documents. Your freshly loaded fonts will be available in Microsoft Office apps such as Word and other Windows applications such as Adobe Photoshop.
How to Use File Explorer to Install a Font
After you’ve downloaded a font package, you’ll need to go to your downloads folder to install it. You can either extract the fonts into a folder or double-click on them to install them directly from the archive. Either option is viable.
To get the fonts out of the archive, right-click on the file and select “Extract All.”
In the new window that appears, click “Extract.” You should probably ignore the path; by default, it simply creates a new folder with the archive’s name.
Select the fonts you want to install and double-click them. In the pop-up box, click “Install,” then click the “X” in the top-right corner to close it.
Some font packages include different variations of the font you downloaded, such as bold or italicized versions. You can double-click each one and select “Install” from the drop-down menu.
You can also install them all at once if you choose.
To install them all at once, you must first choose them all.
To do so, select the first font from the list, then press and hold the “Shift” key while selecting the last font. If you like, you may also drag to choose them. It doesn’t matter how you do it as long as they’re all chosen.
Then, right-click on any of the font files’ names. If your computer has numerous user accounts, you may want to select “Install for All Users.” If not, simply click “Install.”
You’ll see a popup warning if you’ve already installed some of the fonts. Allow it to proceed by clicking “Yes.”
Another window will show the installation’s progress. Your fonts will be installed and ready to use after it disappears.
How to Use the Fonts Menu to Install a Font
Click Start, put “fonts” in the search field, and then hit Enter to install a font from the fonts menu. You can also go to Settings > Personalization > Fonts to get there.
Right-click the font archive file in your Downloads folder and select “Extract All.”
In the new window, select “Extract.” Unless you want it to go somewhere specific, you should leave the extraction folder name alone. The archive file’s name will be the same as the folder’s name.
Double-click the newly formed Downloads folder. There will most likely be multiple font files in the folder, one for each font variant, such as bold or italics.
To snap the top bar of the Settings app to the left side of the screen, click and hold it and drag it to the left border of the screen.
If you wish to snap the font folder to the right border of the screen, repeat the process.
If you used the Snap feature successfully, the Settings app should be on one half of your screen and the Font folder on the other. Although it isn’t exactly necessary, it does make things easier.
By choosing the first font on the list, then holding shift and clicking the last font on the list, you can select all of the fonts you want to install.
If you like, you may also drag to choose. Drag the fonts to the “Drag and drop to install” box by clicking, holding, and dragging them there.
When the “Copy” indicator appears, release your mouse.
The fonts you install on Windows 10 should be available to all of the programs on your PC immediately, regardless of the method you use.
OnePipe, a Nigerian API and embedded finance startup, has teamed with Fidelity Bank, one of Nigeria’s leading banks with a wide network of branches, to launch PayGatePlus, an enhanced version of PayGate, Fidelity Bank’s flagship payment gateway for businesses and merchants.
Fidelity has expanded PayGate into PayGatePlus, a comprehensive integrated finance platform that empowers companies in any sector to integrate financial services into their businesses and offers, with the help of OnePipe as an innovation partner.
Virtual accounts, web payments, online collections via NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP), funds transfer, direct debit, balance inquiry, statement, BVN validation, direct credit, and Buy Now, Pay Later services are now available through PayGatePlus.
OnePipe’s CEO and Founder, Ope Adeoye, expressed his delight at the company’s renewed partnership with Fidelity to modernize the payment gateway.
He commented, “Our core at OnePipe is to help businesses and partners achieve maximum operational excellence, deeper customer intimacy and ultimately revenue growth.These and more are the opportunities our partnership with Fidelity enables. PayGatePlus essentially provides merchants with the rails to deliver diverse financial services to their customers across a range of platforms viz; website, mobile app, social media and even in-store (in the case of retail outlets)”
Mr. Stanley Amuche, Executive Director and Chief Operations and Information Officer of Fidelity Bank, said on behalf of the Fidelity Bank MD, “Innovation is the key pillar of our strategic framework and we are constantly looking for new ways to improve our services and delight our customers. Everything we do as a financial organization including the design of our products and services has the customer as the main focus.”
“It is on this basis that we have worked with our technical partner, Onepipe over the past few months to innovate a solution that enables businesses across different sectors to easily integrate financial services with their product offerings.The new PayGateplus is a significant upgrade of the legacy PayGate product and we’re very optimistic that it will open more opportunities for revenue growth for our customers.”
PayGatePlus makes irreconcilable payments, reporting, and settlement a lot easier. Since the platform’s initial launch a year ago, various companies in the FMCG, aviation, agency banking, and fintech industries have integrated a variety of the platform’s services.
OnePipe has remained committed to providing embedded finance to Nigerian businesses, and has since partnered with about seven financial institutions in the country, as well as allowing non-financial institutions such as Omnibiz, Grow Trade, and Winich Farms to launch and cross-sell a range of financial services such as credits, accounts, and payments.
On 15 March Tuesday 2022, at iLabAfrica, Strathmore university Telkom held their open day.
“We have been looking forward as the Telcom community to tell you what our plans are in 2022 and engage you in our telkom journey. Today you will hear from my telkom colleagues and more importantly will be hearing from you, I look forward to an engaging conversation where we will be able to come down and engage with the stakeholder community,” Mugo Kibati, the Chief Executive Officer exclaimed.
The CEO stated to the stakeholder community in the tech world their objective was to engage with them regularly.
Julius Cheptiony, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer. said,” As as the digital space we have stories to tell. I want to thank all of you for coming to share your stories. There are many things we do as Telcom but only when we speak do you get to know what we do.”
He assured everyone in the room that, the opening was the first in the series when they get to bring the community together
so that they can collaborate and share ideas. This way they will create a thrive in an open world together.
He explained that to them as the Telcom family, the journey was the boldness to act and courage to take decisions.
“We have come from somewhere, a place where quite a lot could be unimaginable. But because of colleagues in the room and some who are not here the courage to act, boldness and resilience continue to grow,” said Julius.
“The reason for the open day was because over a couple of months of engaging and repurposing the Telkom’s journey we have figured out to take the bold step to say there is no misery in readiness to partner we want to partner and get a thriving equity system to tell entrepreneurs to work together.”
The Telcom family called out for an exclusive partnership in digital financial services and mobile managing to work together.
The following is a highlight of the journey of Telekom technology company of the future.
The increased demand for data and broadband by corporates, the public sector, and the individual consumer was reinforced by the pandemic, leading to an accelerated digital transformation.
Telkom is already committed to better positioning our infrastructure asset base our terrestrial network and our submarine cable capacity to drive this digital transformation.
Creating a future smart landing hub for the majority of the submarine cables in the region as they continue to provide connection to all data entering and exiting Kenya.
The pandemic confirmed their strategic urgency to bridge the digital divide, to ensure equitable access to mobile internet a fundamental human right across all demographics through the upgrade and expansion of their mobile data network.
Giving customers more value through innovative products and solutions
To better demonstrate their brand values innovation by way of strategic partnerships.
In November 2021, Telcom announced a partnership with NEC XON and Ericsson to upgrade the network and also expand 4G capacity by adding 2,000 additional sites by 2023 for $100 million.
There will be more than 200 sites that will be live at the end of March 2022, largely concentrated in the coastal region moving inward to other areas across the country.
Telcom plans on incorporating the customer voice into product architecture to enhance the overall user experience.
In January 2022, T-Kash App was launched for beta testing. Offering simpler user journeys, similar to entertainment travel and banking Apps.
Focus Areas
Data investing in innovative technologies that will enable faster scaling of our network and services, realizing better experience.
Financial services. Telkom is enhancing its financial solutions offering to be reflective of current customer demands, concerning increased security, simplicity, and availability.
“Partnership is central to all we will be doing. We hope we can all coexist to solve all the problems bringing together the whole community to have a real conversation. Being a team sport we need integration across the tech world”, Julius said.
“The future remains on all of us in this room. We appreciate the compliments and insights from both our partners and customers. And yes, Julius such conversations will be continued.” anchored George Mlaghui, the director of corporate communications.
The App is available on Google Play Store, Apple Store, and Huawei Store.
Astute Imaging LLC, a US-based imaging-guided therapy provider, has announced the acquisition of DilenyTech, a Cairo-based HealthTech and AI-powered deep technology screening company.
Astute Imaging will be able to use AI to improve its present offering, extend services, and develop new medical imaging solutions as a result of the acquisition.
Dileny Technology (DilenyTech) is a cutting-edge startup that develops and deploys cutting-edge AI technologies to help radiologists perform more efficiently. It focuses on medical imaging analytic applications, risk assessment for breast cancer, and structured reporting for a variety of medical applications.
The merger with Astute Imaging, a healthcare IT solutions firm focused on developing breakthrough AI solutions to advance image-guided therapy and procedure planning for cardiovascular and interventional radiology, is a significant step forward for the Cairo-based startup.
Astute Imaging is focusing on adopting state-of-the-art AI and cloud technologies to advance its unique patented imaging software and enable precision medicine for healthcare providers and device companies. DilenyTech developed several vendor-neutral AI proprietary technologies for radiology workflow with a special focus on women’s health.
The company was recently granted a US patent for its novel AI technology in medical imaging and provided its services to top-tier international healthcare companies and medical organizations.
“This strategic acquisition of DilenyTech will enable Astute Imaging to expedite the development of an AI-driven image-guided therapy platform and add more automation to our imaging services and procedure planning solutions,” Wael Elseaidy, co-founder and CEO of Astute Imaging, stated.
“Empowering our surgery planning and patient follow-up imaging platforms with AI will help our customers and medical imaging stakeholders to provide more patient-centric proactive services.”
Astute Imaging is planning to launch an AI-powered tracking application for the aorta to provide proactive patient-centric services for providers. Whereas for the medical device companies, Astute Imaging is planning to enable its imaging core lab and procedure planning services with AI to allow seamless workflow and device tracking for the medical device industry.
“This acquisition will help Astute Imaging to expedite the introduction of AI into its cloud-based platform for image-guided therapy and workflow automation utilizing millions of procedure data assets to drive faster and enhanced services.” Ewald de Vries, co-founder, and Astute imaging CTO indicated.
“Incorporating AI into our cloud-based alert management system and creating data-driven predictive algorithms for procedure planning will make our offering very powerful and unique.”
Astute imaging is also planning to develop and offer predictive models for cardiovascular case planning and to expand into other areas such as women’s health, and cancer treatments.
Predictive models will help companies to get better insights about future enhancements for interventional devices for image-guided procedures, especially in the cardiovascular and cancer domains.
“We are excited to be part of Astute Imaging’s amazing team and adopt our expertise and technologies to build reliable AI technologies for imaging-guided therapy,” said Ahmed Ehab Mahmoud, DilenyTech founder and innovation director who will be joining Astute Imaging’s founding team and managing the imaging operations.
“We have applied our technologies successfully in the area of breast imaging and we look forward to expanding our AI pipeline to other imaging areas such as thyroid, liver, and gynecology as well as cardiovascular 3D imaging and procedural planning. We believe Astute Imaging will be a game-changer for healthcare providers and device companies.”
Xiaomi today announced the launch of the all-new flagship Xiaomi 12 Series for global markets. The 12 Series delivers impressive advancements in Xiaomi’s AI algorithm that include flagship processing power, and an all-around elevated experience.
Xiaomi 12 series features groundbreaking devices: Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12. Designed to empower users around the world with a cutting-edge videography studio and entertainment powerhouse,.
Xiaomi 12 Series features
Capture cinematic shots at any time
Xiaomi 12 Series enables users to record studio-quality shots no matter the scenario, be it challenging lighting conditions or moving objects. The phones boast a pro-grade triple camera array for versatile shooting, starring a massive 50MP main wide-angle camera, with 8K recording capabilities on both Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12.
Xiaomi 12 Pro stands out with its state-of-the-art triple 50MP array, which features a cutting-edge Sony IMX707 ultra-large main sensor. This sensor is capable of catching large amounts of light and empowers advanced imaging capabilities with faster focus speeds and increased color accuracy. Xiaomi 12 features a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, along with a 5MP telemark camera, for filming life from different perspectives.
Beyond impressive hardware, Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12 also advance Xiaomi’s proprietary AI algorithms. These innovations make it easier than ever for users to record every moment the way they want to, even in low-light or moving subjects. Xiaomi ProFocus intelligently identifies and tracks objects, preventing blurring or out-of-focus shots of moving or veiled subjects. These advancements also include eye and face autofocus capabilities. Ultra Night Video uses Xiaomi’s proprietary algorithms to record video even under extreme low-light, meaning moody, atmospheric shots are clearer than ever.
Available on all two devices, One-click AI Cinema offers numerous creative options for show-stopping video editing, such as Parallel World, Freeze Frame Video, and Magic Zoom modes.
Flagship processing, unprecedented performance and power-efficiency
Flagship experience requires flagship performance. Xiaomi 12 Series features advanced Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM mobile platforms. Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12 boast a Snapdragon® 8 Gen 1 processor – Qualcomm’s most advanced mobile platform. Built on a 4nm process, this processor also boosts GPU graphic rendering capabilities by 30% and energy efficiency by 25% when compared to the previous generation1. Both devices come with UFS 3.1 exceptional loading and data transfer speeds, along with LPDDR5 RAM for memory speeds up to 6,400Mbps.
For optimal product experience, Xiaomi 12 Series packs high-performing cooling systems, bolstered by a super-large vapor chamber and multiple layers of graphite to offer a leading–cooling capability.
All-around elevated entertainment experiences
Xiaomi 12 Series not only lets users capture every moment in exquisite detail, but also allows them to relive those moments in astonishing detail via an exceptional entertainment experience.
The devices offer vivid viewing on an AMOLED Dot Display rated A+ by DisplayMate, and with TrueColor support. For added peace of mind, the display features scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® and supports Dolby Vision®, the industry’s leading imaging technology that brings your content to life with vibrant colour and details. Xiaomi 12 Series also supports HDR 10+. Xiaomi 12 Pro is SGS Eye Care Display Certified, showing care for users’ long-term visual health during marathon sessions.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi 12 Pro redefines the flagship display with incredibly smooth viewing, scrolling, swiping, and sliding. The device’s highly power-efficient 6.73-inch WQHD+ display leverages AdaptiveSync Pro to intelligently adjust dynamic LTPO display between 1Hz and 120Hz based on content.
Xiaomi 12 delivers Xiaomi’s most colorful smartphone display to date, with more than 68 billion colors on 6.28-inch full-HD+ displays. Both feature 120Hz AdaptiveSync, for an impressively high-definition, vibrant, and flicker-free display that conveys every detail.
No cinematic experience is truly complete without pro-grade audio. Xiaomi 12 Series features SOUND BY Harmon Kardon and creates an immersive audio experience powered by Dolby Atmos®, delivering spatial sound with rich detail, clarity, and realism across all your favorite entertainment. Xiaomi 12 Pro’s quad speakers – in the form of two tweeters and two woofers – deliver clear details and cover an astounding range of sound. Xiaomi 12 delivers balanced stereo sound ideal for immersive gaming or video.
To optimize core user experience further, Xiaomi 12 Series incorporates MIUI 13, released globally earlier this year. The update includes faster storage, higher background process efficiency, smarter processing, and longer battery life. New features in the upgraded experience include Xiaomi’s proprietary Liquid Storage, Atomized Memory, Focused Algorithms, and Smart Balance.
Next-generation charging
To ensure Xiaomi 12 Series delivers pro-grade cinematic and entertainment experiences all day, the devices deliver next-level charging speed and safety.
Xiaomi 12 Pro features an incredibly fast 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge. With a 4,600mAh battery fully charged in just 18 minutes using Boost mode, Xiaomi 12 Pro delivers next-generation charging capabilities that keep up with user demands2. Xiaomi 12 fits a 4,500mAh battery into a compact body design.
It supports 67W wired turbocharging for speedy power-up. Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12 also support 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse charging.
Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12 both leverage Xiaomi AdaptiveCharge, a smart charging algorithm that learns and adapts to charging habits, which prolongs battery life.
Flagship capabilities packaged in an iconic design
These portable pocket-sized studios fit comfortably in the palm of your hand thanks to Xiaomi 12 Series’ iconic and user-centred design. Slimmer high-capacity batteries and a narrower ridge gap save precious space within the device. Xiaomi 12 Pro’s 6.73-inch display is encased in a sleek middle frame with sophisticated 3D curves. Meanwhile, Xiaomi 12’s 6.28-inch display measures just 69.9mm in width and is accented by smooth curves for a perfect fit3. All devices are available in Gray which is the color preferred by most of our fans.
Market Availability
Xiaomi 12 Pro will come with a flagship variant of 12GB+256GB, which will be available starting from Ksh. 104,999/- while Xiaomi 12 will come with a flagship variant of 12GB+256GB, which will be available starting from Ksh. 84,999/-
Xiaomi 12 Series Quick Specs
Xiaomi 12 Pro
Xiaomi 12
Display
120Hz 6.73” AMOLED Dot Display DisplayMate A+ Samsung E5 material Aspect ratio: 20:9 WQHD+, 3200 x 1440 TrueColor HBM 1,000 nits (typ), 1,500 nits peak brightness(typ) Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1(typ) 16,000 level brightness adjustment Dynamic 120Hz LTPO Micro Lens AdaptiveSync Pro Up to 480Hz touch sampling rate Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ support 360° ambient light sensor SGS Eye Care Display Certification X-axis linear vibration motor
120Hz 6.28″ AMOLED Dot Display DisplayMate A+ Aspect ratio: 20:9 FHD+, 2400 x 1080 TrueColor 1,100 nits peak brightness(typ) Contrast ratio: 5,000,000:1(typ) 16,000 brightness adjustment Over 68 billion colors Dolby Vision®, HDR 10+ support 120Hz AdaptiveSync Up to 480Hz touch sampling rate 360° ambient light sensor Low blue light certification X-axis linear vibration motor
Rear Camera
• 50MP wide angle camera – IMX707, f/1.9 – 1/1.28” 7P lens – 2.44 μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel – 8K recording – 4K HDR 10+ recording – Ultra Night Video, One-click AI cinema – Xiaomi ProFocus (Motion tracking focus/ Motion Capture/Eye tracking focus) – Ultra Night Photo, Portrait Night mode • 50MP ultra-wide angle camera – 115° FOV, f/2.2 • 50MP telephoto camera – 48mm equivalent focal length, f/1.9 • Night mode (wide/ultra-wide/telephoto) • 50MP mode (wide/ultra-wide/telephoto)
• 50MP wide angle camera – f/1.88, 6P lens – 2μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel – 8K recording – 4K HDR 10+ recording – Ultra Night Video, One-click AI cinema – Xiaomi ProFocus (Motion tracking focus/Eye tracking focus/ Motion Capture) – Portait Night mode, Portrait HDR • 13MP ultra-wide angle camera – 123° FOV, f/2.4 • 5MP telemacro camera – 50mm equivalent focal length, Auto Focus • Night mode (wide/ultra wide)
Front Camera
32MP in-display selfie camera f/2.45, 1.4μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel HDR 10+ recording Selfie Night mode, AI portrait video
32MP in-display selfie camera f/2.45, 1.4μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel HDR 10+ recording, AI portrait video, Selfie Night mode
Dimensions3 & Weight3
163.60mm x 74.60mm x 8.16mm 205g
152.70mm x 69.90mm x 8.16mm 180g
Processor
SnapdragonTM 8 Gen 1 4nm power-efficient manufacturing process ARM-V9: 1x ARM Cortex-X2 @ 3.0GHz 3x ARM Cortex-A710 @ 2.5GHz 4x ARM Cortex-A510 @ 1.8GHz Qualcomm® Adreno™ LiquidCool Technology MIUI 13 with Android 12
SnapdragonTM 8 Gen 1 4nm power-efficient manufacturing process ARM-V9: 1x ARM Cortex-X2 @ 3.0GHz 3x ARM Cortex-A710 @ 2.5GHz 4x ARM Cortex-A510 @ 1.8GHz Qualcomm® Adreno™ LiquidCool Technology MIUI 13 with Android 12
RAM+ROM
LPDDR5 RAM UFS 3.1 storage
LPDDR5 RAM UFS 3.1 storage
Audio
Quad speakers SOUND BY Harman Kardon Dolby Atmos®
Symmetrical dual speakers SOUND BY Harman Kardon Dolby Atmos®
Sokowatch, the informal retail supply chain startup has closed a $125 million Series B equity round, officially launched in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Dakar, Senegal and rebranded to Wasoko, Swahili for ‘the market people” as it pursues product growth and expansion across Africa, fifteen months after its $14m series A raise.
According to Daniel Yu, Global CEO and Founder of Wasoko,“After more than six years building and constantly iterating on our operations, we are proud to have demonstrated the traction and quality of business required to raise funding from world-class investors. We’re fully focused on leveraging their strategic support to build one of the biggest e-commerce companies in the world and transform access to goods and services for African citizens across every corner of the continent.”
With the latest raise, the largest venture financing round ever raised for a non-fintech startup in Africa, Wasoko is exploring expansion into Nigeria and Southern Africa and also examining opportunities to expand its product offering to verticals such as merchant point-of-sales systems, bill payments, and social commerce through both internal innovation as well as strategic investments and acquisitions of relevant companies.
Over $600 billion of consumer goods are sold in Africa through informal retail channels every year, supplying the vast majority of the population. Despite the importance of the informal retail sector, the industry still remains highly fragmented and inefficient with local shops facing a number of major challenges including frequent stockouts, limited access to capital, and difficulty receiving goods from suppliers. Through Wasoko’s platform, informal retailers are able to order products at any time via SMS or mobile app for free same-day delivery to their stores. Leveraging historic purchasing data, the platform also evaluates retailers to provide them with access to Buy Now Pay Later financing.
In Nigeria, Wasoko will face off stiff competition from Omnibiz, Twiga, Sabi, MarketForce and TradeDepot among others (which have both recently raised significant funds for expansion) with its sole aim to revolutionize access to consumer goods across Africa’s $600 billion informal retail sector. TradeDepot recently raised $110 million to support the delivery of Buy-Now-Pay-Later services to 5 million SME retailers and drive further expansion of its merchant platform across the continent. On the other hand, MarketForce raised $40 million to scale merchant inventory financing through a BNPL offering, grow deeper in existing markets and avail more digital financial and banking services through its extensive merchant network. Egypt’s MaxAb aims to do the same for Egypt and the Maghreb region.
Sokowatch launched in Nairobi, Kenya in 2016 as a backend distribution software platform for the region but the pivot and the rebrand will help it pursue its dream of providing free delivery of essential goods and working capital financing and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options to informal retailers across Africa. The firm has also appointed Sujeet Kumar, Co-Founder of Udaan – the world’s largest B2B retail e-commerce company – to its Board of Directors to provide strategic guidance for Wasoko’s continued growth.
Wasoko has delivered 2.5 million orders to over 50,000 informal retailers across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal with revenue growth over the past 12 months at over 500%. To strengthen its presence across Africa and consolidate its gains, the firm recently hired Mellany Msengezi from Airtel as its Head of Marketing; Aurelien Barreau from Carrefour as Head of Sourcing; and Georges Bejjani from Jumia as Head of Business Intelligence.
Andrew Sugrue, Founding Partner at Avenir Growth Capital, adds “Informal retailers capture the vast majority of consumer spend in Africa, and they are dramatically underserved by existing distribution and financial infrastructure. We’re excited about the category-defining, Pan-African commerce platform Wasoko is building and the efficiencies it brings to these retailers and their suppliers through a combination of superior product selection, logistics, and financial services.”
Luno, a Digital Currency Group (“DCG”) firm, has today launched Luno Expeditions, its global, early-stage investment arm to support the best fintech and crypto/web3 founders on their journeys to build the next generation of financial services.
Luno Expeditions has not yet announced its ticket sizes but will target between 200 to 300 early stage startups per year via both seed and pre-seed rounds with expertise from DCG’s [7]-year track record in early stage crypto investing.
In a statement, Luno Expeditions Jocelyn Cheng: “I am thrilled to join Luno Expeditions as Chief Executive. These are incredibly exciting times in cryptocurrency and the broader fintech ecosystem. We’ve got ambitious plans to build a leading fund designed around the needs of early stage founders. It will be a privilege to work with ambitious entrepreneurs from all over the world, all intent on solving problems and building the next generation of financial service companies.”
Whilst in stealth mode over the past few months, Luno Expeditions has already invested in over 20 leading crypto and fintech companies globally, including a crypto compliance solution in Israel, an NFT marketplace in the United States, a bank dedicated to women in Pakistan and a ground-breaking remittance solution in Tanzania.
Last year, DCG which also owns Coindesk, raised $700 million in funding and hit a $10 billion valuation. Since its inception in 2015, DCG has invested in over 200 blockchain companies in more than 30 countries. In 2021, DCG said it’s revenue exceeded $1 billion. Luno’s customer base in Africa in 2021 was over 9 million and its trading volume in Africa is over $7bn showing a rising demand for cryptocurrencies globally.
Luno’s customer base in Africa grew by 2.3mn to 4.7mn in 2020 and between January 2020 and January 2021, it saw a 271% surge in app downloads while its trading volume in Africa grew over 12x from $555mn to $7bn showing a rising demand for cryptocurrencies globally.
Luno hit 7 million customers worldwide just seven weeks after passing 6 million customers. Its exponential growth in Africa is due to the fact that it played enabled an efficient market for customers to trade crypto in a safe and secure way through local currency.
Barry Silbert, founder and CEO of DCG, and Marcus Swanepoel, co-founder and CEO of Luno, are both closely involved in the initiative and will be part of the Investment Committee.
“We know how hard it is to build a company, especially in the fintech space, and with our deep experience building, scaling and operating fintech businesses in some of the hardest markets in the world, we’re looking to support a new generation of entrepreneurs from all over the world do the same,” Marcus Swanepoel, Luno co-founder and CEO commented:
Kenya’s 4G Capital, a micro and small enterprises (MSEs) lender, has raised $18.5 million in a Series C funding round with private equity fund Lightrock to scale its last-mile finance and enterprise training solutions to MSEs in Kenya and Uganda.
The lender will also use the funds to expand its use of digital channels and data science to complement its hybrid ‘touch-tech’ approach and expand its Kuza retail credit service to help store-owners, FMCGs and distributors boost their sales.
According to Wayne Hennessy-Barrett, CEO and Founder of 4G Capital, “We are delighted to partner with Lightrock to further our financial inclusion mission. Lightrock and 4G Capital share a complete alignment of purpose and mission. They bring unrivalled experience of Africa and emerging markets. This capital will have a transformative effect in enabling us to scale the best products and services to the world’s most important sector.”
Shakir Merali, Partner at Lightrock has joined 4G Capital’s Board. Shakir oversees the deployment of funds across Africa and previously managed the Africa Health Fund, as well as the Africa activities of the Global Health Fund, both funds are backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the IFC and several other Development Finance Institutions. He was formerly a partner at Aureos Capital and a Managing Director at Abraaj, and Geocapital Partners investing in early to mid-stage technology businesses across Europe and the United States. Shakir has also worked as a strategy consultant at the Monitor Group and an Information Technology Consultant at Price Water house Coopers. He is also on board of Nairobi-based Copia Global.
Shakir holds a BSc (Econ) in Accounting and Finance and an MSc (Econ with distinction) in Information Technology from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
In March 2019, Lord David Currie, former chairman of the UK Competition and Markets Authority and current chair of the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority was appointed as Non-Executive Director for 4G Capital. Last year, the firm appointed Alex Siboe as Chief Operations Officer to drive the business’s day-to-day administrative and operational functions. Siboe was formerly Head of Digital Financial Services at KCB Bank Kenya. The firm also received a SILVER award as “SME Financier of the Year – Africa” with “distinction serving International Development Association (IDA) countries and fragile and conflict-affected situations” at the 2021 Global SME Finance Forum Awards.
4G Capital provides 100% unsecured business loans for business growth, along with enterprise training, and access to digital solutions. The company blends client-centric relationship management with proprietary AI technology to minimise default risk. 4G Capital’s clients maintain high repayment rates (around 94%) without the need for refinancing; on average customers increase their annual revenue by 82%. One of the world’s top 10 Finance B-Corporations, 4G Capital has positively impacted over one million people to date.
Through its plug-and-play lending service Kuza, 4G Capital allows low income entrepreneurs to obtain stock from distributors using its credit and partnerships, rather than traditional cash on delivery. 4G Capital also enables traditionally excluded groups to better access education, healthcare and improved living standards as their take-home income grows. 4G Capital’s focus on growing value chains from the bottom up means its model has the potential to scale in communities across Africa and wider global emerging markets.
Despite the pandemic, 4G Capital’s revenues for 2021 were 85% higher than in 2020 and in return for $9 million raised from 2016-to 2020, the company has loaned over $230 million to MSEs which, despite being the foundation of frontier economies, are more vulnerable than larger enterprises to shocks. Today’s raise will help the fintech increase effective financial inclusion which is critical to regional economic growth. The IFC’s SME Finance Forum reports MSEs in Sub-Saharan Africa account for 80% of total employment and contribute over 55% of GDP. Without access to institutional capital, 72% of MSEs rely on family or friends for loans, and 30% fail due to funding shortages.
“Often used to justify the backing of many African companies, ‘Financial inclusion’ has not always translated into positive outcomes for customers. What is needed on the continent is investment capital to back companies with the mission of financial empowerment. 4G Capital provides liquidity to the vast market of economically generative businesses – the mobile phone repairers, hairdressers and food sellers – that dot the landscape of Africa,” said Shakir Merali, Partner at Lightrock.
Merali says the the systemic value of improving lives is compounded, as productive employment leads to economic outcomes and better education and health outcomes in the communities these businesses serve.
Forbes featureda24-year-old Kenyan who isrunning a US firm worth KSh 800 million.
Because of his successful endeavour in the United States of America, Forbes nominated Joseph Kitonga to its top 30 under 30 list for 2022. (USA). The 24-year-old was honoured for Vitable Health, a digital platform that aims to give health care coverage to millions of uninsured Americans in the United States.
Forbes praised the Kenyan software developer’s accomplishments, noting that he dropped out of Pennsylvania State University to start his company.
Forbes stated:
“He dropped out of college to found the platform which gives home health workers and others a primary care-based health insurance plan with virtual and at-home visits with no copays,”
Kitonga’s parents established a home care service for the elderly in the United States, who are frequently neglected by their families or do not have carers. The software engineer also mentioned that he chose to follow his ambition after finding a gap in the medical insurance market, which he saw as a result of the multiple challenges that health care employees were facing.
Despite the digital platform’s rapid growth, the 24-year-old claimed that the concept for the platform came to him after he competed in an IT competition in 2018 while still a student at a US-based university.
He stated:
“In fall of 2018, I built the tech product that would enable Vitable, found a lawyer, and applied to Inc.U. I remember going to the taping the next semester, and that was the first week we’d launched.
“We were doing on-demand urgent care, and quickly it shifted to being an urgent care membership service. Members pay a monthly fee and get access to our network of providers,”
Users may arrange and schedule appointments with medical service providers using his website, ensuring that they receive medicine at a time that is convenient for them.
In 2021, his platform piqued the interest of investors, and he got Ksh822,000,000 in capital to help him grow his business. The IT firm, which is valued at Ksh800 million, is expected to develop in the next years, with 19 investors indicating interest. Kitonga is a music fanatic who likes playing the guitar and chess when he is not working as a tech guru.
Computer Learning Centre, an IT and Business training provider, and PeopleCert, a global leader in the assessment and certification of professional skills, today held a joint breakfast session to sensitise organisations on the importance of staff certification. The coming together of the two organisations has been buoyed by the changes taking place in the IT ecosystem, including Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT).
“A lot of data is coming out of various’ providers’ IT infrastructure. But whatever IT services being offered must add value to customers. Certification is therefore imperative as it enables African workforce to work anywhere across the globe”, said Mr Kevin Kamanga, Lead Trainer, Business Courses, CLC Africa.
Mr Kamanga was speaking on the side lines of a breakfast event held in Nairobi under the theme Emerging trends in IT Service Management and Project Management: Best Practice Frameworks Based on PeopleCert. He noted that in terms of mega projects, a lot of money was being lost as people embark on projects without proper guidelines. But with certification, African workforce can play in the global arena as it ensures structures have been put in place to ensure everything goes according to plan.
The event was held to sensitise organizations in Kenya about the need to continuously re-skill their employees and create a linkage between academia and the industry. The industry needs to speak to universities to know what to recalibrate because it influences the future which academia wouldn’t know how to teach if they don’t get feedback from the industries. This is the reason why companies need to create simulations to help students have industry experience on how to solve real problems.
[From Left] CLC Africa CEO Aunally Maloo, Business Development Manager, PeopleCert Africa, Romeo Mabasa, Sales Operations Manager, East Africa, CLC Africa Emily Nthiga and Sales Account Manager, CLC Africa Caroline W. Njoroge during a breakfast event held in Nairobi.
According to Romeo Mabasa, Business Development Manager, People Cert, individuals and organisations cannot leave to chance skills development capacity building because there are so many opportunities created by massive online courses that one can take to develop themselves by at least learning one course per month to stay relevant.
“Knowledge wears out if you don’t use it and therefore one has to keep on re-skilling to be relevant in the current job market. These job markets are driven by the 21st century skills such as collaboration, analytical and communication skills, which are driven by the 4th industrial revolution that requires the knowledge base to be grown by robotics, Virtual reality, GIS, among other opportunities driven by technology”, said Mabasa.
“There is need to create a linkage between academia and the job industry. Organizations need to speak to universities to know what to recalibrate because it influences the future which academia wouldn’t know how to teach if they don’t get feedback from the industries. This is the reason why companies need to create simulations to help students have industry experience on how to solve real problems” says Aunally Maloo the CEO, CLC Africa.
The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic has forced organizations to reconsider how they do business through digital transformation. For instance, a lot of employees have to work from home despite the infrastructure not being ready for cloud environment. This forces the organizations to educate their employees on some cloud skills that influence companies to build and be prepared for the future.
The qualifying firms for Microsoft’s inaugural accelerator program, which will begin March 21, 2022, have been unveiled in collaboration with Flapmax.
The FAST program, run by Microsoft, received 800 applications from 25 African nations. Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt received the most applications from a diverse variety of areas. AgTech, EdTech, HealthTech, and FinTech were among the industries with the most participants.
During the 12-week boot camp, the founders of the firms will participate in activities such as company growth, cloud and AI integration, fundraising, and community building, all of which will help them scale and remain sustainable.
Working on co-innovation projects with Microsoft technical teams will benefit the participants. They will also have access to new technological tools and services thanks to the Flapmax engineering team’s assistance. Flapmax combines AI technologies to assist businesses in developing more sustainable goods.
Here are the qualifying startups;
From Kenya:
Silqu– This is a prop-tech platform in real estate and technology.
Snark Health – Partner with your doctor. Leverage your data. Pay less.
K-12 EdTech – Kindergarten to 12th-grade education app
Taimba – East Africa’s first Data-driven food supply chain platform.
From Nigeria :
Casa Technology – Online platform to buy and sell invoices for businesses in Africa
LegitCar– Building Africa’s biggest vehicle data service
Pade HCM– Automated HR for all African businesses
DayDone– eCommerce platform digitising the agriculture market
Others:
Tanzania : Tuamini La Maisha– Pediatric Oncology services
Ghana : Wala Digital Health – Platform for hospitals to access blood and save lives
Uganda: KaCyber Technologies– Seeking to make Seamless Mobility a reality
Egypt : VAIS– Comprehensive precision agriculture platform powered by AI & earth observation
In addition to the training, the startups will get $250,000 in Microsoft Azure cloud credits, Participants will benefit from up to $250,000 in Microsoft Azure cloud credits, access to Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, including access to OpenAI APIs.
Applicants had to be headquartered in Africa, ready to scale or develop inside the continent, and have a proven product-market fit while meeting one or more Sustainable Development Goals to be eligible for the FAST program (SDG).
The cryptocurrency market is booming, and currently, there are over a thousand digital currencies, with Bitcoin leading with the highest value. Giant companies like Tesla are even embracing crypto as their legitimate payment method. So, you can reap significant benefits from crypto trading.
There is so much hype in the crypto market and the enticing rewards its offering. However, crypto trading can be risky, and it might not be the safest way to invest your cash. Digital currencies are speculative, meaning you can hardly tell their staying power. These currencies are highly volatile; hence their prices can drastically rise or fall.
However, you can still trade safely in the crypto market by following simple rules. Keep reading!
1. Understand the risks
Different reasons could lead to cryptocurrency values declining. For instance, introducing new regulations could cause upheavals, and it’s difficult to tell when that will happen. Additionally, if the companies that accept crypto as their legitimate payment method stop the practice, the value of digital currency investment will go down.
Other risks associated with cryptocurrency include:
Cybertheft and hack: crypto is stored in digital wallets, and you can only trade them via digital currency exchanges; hence they depend on online platforms. This dependence makes it possible for cybercriminals to access crypto wallets and trading platforms using various phishing attacks.
Volatility: cryptocurrency is the most volatile investment. Because cryptocurrency prices are unpredictable, it is advisable to prepare for difficulties. If you plan to invest in this market, make sure you have enough cash to last you for at least six months.
Cryptocurrency is unregulated: the government and financial institutions don’t support it. Thus, no one is protecting investors’ interests or ensuring their safety.
Trading cryptocurrencies shouldn’t scare you because of the above risks. Instead, you should ensure that you understand what they are and develop a high level of risk tolerance if you wish to trade or invest in digital currency.
2. Understand your cryptocurrency
There are over a thousand cryptocurrencies in the market, and they all have different prices. Hence, it would be best to invest in five different digital currencies. Ensure you conduct deep research to understand the right crypto you should choose.
List the top five performing cryptos and watch their growth chart to understand what is happening in the market. Bitcoin is currently the world’s largest and most trusted cryptocurrency, followed by Ethereum, Binance Coin, Litecoin, and Ripple.
Understanding your cryptocurrency is vital for your investment journey. In the last decade, many cryptos entered the market and disappeared without a trace. In other words, a quick decision can turn your $1000 investment into nothing.
3. Learn how to store your cryptocurrency
A cryptocurrency wallet is the safest place to store your digital currency. Crypto wallets are pieces of software that hold private and public keys that give you access to your crypto assets on the blockchain. This wallet allows you to access your digital currency on the blockchain through a crypto address, also known as a key.
Consider contacting experienced investors and reading reviews to get a detailed list of cryptocurrency exchanges before investing. This will help you understand where to invest your coins.
Bottom line
Crypto trading is a wise investment if you are willing to take risks to reap great rewards. Remember that these currencies are highly volatile, and their prices can fall in a blink of an eye. So, before venturing into the crypto world, conduct extensive research and find guidance from reliable sources.
The above rules will help you start trading cryptocurrency. However, regardless of the digital currency you choose, you must be prepared for price instability. Don’t invest in cryptocurrencies if you cannot handle the dramatic price swings. If you’re a high-risk investor, invest in what you’re willing to lose if things don’t work well.
The Smart Africa Alliance’s BLOC Smart Africa fund (BLOC SA), managed by Bamboo Capital Partners, has announced plans to invest €300,000 in Digitech, a SaaS insurance technology start-up based in Côte d’Ivoire. The Seed round, which is led by BLOC SA, is being catalyzed by Launch Africa Ventures. BLOC SA’s initial investment is in Digitech.
“We are ecstatic to announce BLOC SMART AFRICA as the main investor in this round. Their assistance extends beyond cash and includes strategic counseling and business development.”Mr. Alexandre N’Djore, CEO of Digitech, said.
“We are pleased to watch the digital transformation of a century-old sector as we gear up to create a new digital ecosystem for the whole reinsurance and insurance industry in Africa.”
Hyperion 2.0, a cloud-based reinsurance ERP solution that optimizes operations between insurers and reinsurers, will be designed and commercialized with the funds.
“We are ecstatic to be able to influence and boost the growth of such a dynamic start-up as Digitech, which will benefit the continental insurance and reinsurance market.The BLOC Smart Africa fund’s DNA is to invest in firms that use sustainable technology-led solutions. Côte d’Ivoire is the initial benefit, as one of the first investors.”Mr. Lacina Koné, CEO/Director General, Smart Africa Secretariat, stated.
“We believe their pledge will inspire and motivate other countries to join the fund so that we can quickly accomplish the aim of €100 million.”
The Ivory Coast’s government is a founding sponsor of the Bloc Smart Africa fund, which aims to boost Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and stimulate support for innovative, scalable technologies that may help the continent grow.
Smart Africa will help BLOC SA with its fundraising efforts and work closely with the fund’s management team by offering access to its local and regional technology platforms, such as incubators and accelerators, as well as assisting with deal flow development.
Digitech was founded in 2016 and focuses on the development, integration, and marketing of professional alternatives and value-added consumer services utilizing rapidly evolving information and communication technology.
For incumbent reinsurance and insurance businesses, Digitech provides seamless integration with cloud-based Insurtech platforms.
Digitech’s technologies are extremely scalable and adaptable to the needs of each enterprise. Thanks to secure web access and data repositories that comply with the most stringent global cloud standards, including GDPR and PCI-DSS, reinsurance and insurance companies can already optimize over 80% of all processes, from paid subscription to smart billing process and charging to specialized real-time accounting and visual statistics.
With this funding, Hyperion 2.0 will cover all reinsurance contract types for Digitech clients using unique machine-learning algorithms, as well as automate 100% of the processes, resulting in immediate operational efficiencies for clients.
Spleet, a Nigerian prop-tech startup , has raised US$625,000 in pre-seed funding to help it launch a new product that gives tenants with low-interest loans to help them pay their rent.
Spleet, founded by Tola Adesanmi in 2018 in response to a need in Lagos for flexible rental payment alternatives rather than the customary one- or two-year upfront payment options, allowing homeowners to rent to vetted persons while simultaneously assisting people in finding places to stay. Landlords can use the service to check and evaluate tenants, as well as automate rent collection.
Spleet has secured US$625,000 in an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by MetaProp VC, with Future Africa, FEDHA Capital, VFD Group, Moonshot VC, HoaQ, Squarefoot CEO Jonathan Wassersturm, Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, and others also participating.
Spleet will utilize the funds to develop its newest rent financing product, “Rent Now Pay Later,” as well as other products that will make residential leasing procedures more simple. The new product will provide tenants with low-interest loans to help them pay their rent.
“After launching a marketplace in 2019, we realised that the issues in our rental market were beyond what our marketplace could solve. Affordability is one of the biggest pain points for tenants. Most tenants earn income monthly and can therefore not afford the 1-2 years burden of paying their rent in advance,” said Adesanmi.
“We decided to change this by building a financing solution, “Rent Now, Pay Later”, to help tenants get homes with as little as 1-2 months rent worth of savings. We are currently in beta testing our rent now, pay later product with a select number of tenants and we are happy with the results so far. We will extend this to a wider market of tenants and potential tenants in the coming months.”
Zachary Evans, co-founder and general partner at MetaProp, said Spleet had distinguished itself as a best in class product within the “nascent and exploding” prop-tech sector in Nigeria.
“It remains extraordinarily difficult to rent apartments efficiently and we believe Spleet will create a massive business by removing this friction. We are very excited about our investment in Spleet and our broader entrance into the West African proptech market,” he said.
The first closing on Startup Wise Guys’ major new fund for African startup investment has been completed. Startup Wise Guys is Europe’s most experienced startup accelerator and one of its most active investment funds.
SWG also recently announced the first cohort of startups to be selected into its new African B2B digital SaaS accelerator program.
Wise Guys Africa Fund I, the first closing of this new €8.5 million fund, marks the start of a major commitment for Startup Wise Guys’ African initiatives.
Through 2023, SWG will invest in a minimum of 30 startups. More than 300 African startups applied, and the first group was picked from among them.
The nine selected startups, which span the fields of Fintech, Agritech, Edtech, Cleantech, HealthTech, and RetailTech, will each receive a €65,000 ticket and a four-month mentorship. The selected startups will also get the opportunity to pitch for up to €250,000 in follow-on funding.
As the startup investment and venture capital scene in Africa heats up, there is still a significant absence of real support from the very beginning.
Recent headline-grabbing announcements regarding startup funding in Africa have primarily centered on scale-ups and other larger-scale activities, leaving early-stage startups wanting for resources.
SWG believes that while there have been incredible success stories in Africa, the African ecosystem could benefit from more support at the very early stages, the exact area where they are experts.
Startup Wise Guys is proud to be both first believers and ecosystem catalysers, and works hard to get their startups traction and follow-on investment.
“It is a great privilege for me to be working closely with these nine, multi-talented teams from across Africa and in different verticals. All entrepreneurs deserve to have an accountability partner and someone that can give an independent opinion and critique their business strategy, which will be my main role,” said Program Managing Director Eliud Mungai.
He added that he’s “eager to get to know the selected teams better and help them to connect with mentors, partners and investors from all over the world.”
Startup Wise Guys’ investment in Africa is part of a larger initiative, years in the making. SWG has a long-term vision and strategy in which Africa plays a big role.
This stems in part from the experience of some of its managing partners, including global CEO Cristobal Alonso who was a co-founder of MOBOfree.
Other Venture Partners for the Africa program include Chika Nwobi (Nigeria), Adia Sowho (Nigeria, MTN Nigeria CMO), and Ambassador Samuel Amanor (Ghana).
“I spent many years traveling to Nigeria and a number of other African countries. There was always a sense of excitement in the startup scene, and at Startup Wise Guys we have felt the growth of the African ecosystem in our European programs, with an increased number of applicants from across the continent,” said Startup Wise Guys’ Global CEO Cristobal Alonso.
“Our purpose is to help founders become entrepreneurs and to help them to build great international, sustainable companies. In addition, we want to create a strong, long-lasting impact. We have a long-term vision and this covers also becoming a considerable player on the African continent.”
The selected startups for SWG’s Africa Saas are:
T40 (Nigeria) – T40 helps intercity transport and logistics businesses manage their online and offline sales, payments, operations, fleet, and customers all in one place
Zofi Cash (Uganda) – Making everyday a payday through real-time payroll processing and flexible salary advance.
KIOTAPAY (Kenya) – A cloud-based property management and services platform that automates tasks and processes for property owners and creates access to goods and services for tenants.
Nigenius (Nigeria) – A smart website that provides teachers with free quality lesson plans and online teaching resources.
Dukapepe (Kenya) – Empowering small shop owners for Stronger Communities
Cylon Accounting (Namibia) – An accounting software to help small businesses in Southern Africa to manage their money like a BOSS!
FloodGates (Ghana) – Digital Identity Solutions for Africa.
FxKUDI (Ghana) – FXKudi is solving the problem of offline cross-border money transfers in West Africa by offering instant and reliable no-fee money transfers using distributed agent networks and in-app self-service transfers.
Scrapays (Nigeria) – On-demand disposal of recyclable wastes for independent businesses.
talabat, Kuwait’s food ordering and delivery startup owned by Delivery Hero, has inaugurated its new 10,000 sqM headquarters in Cairo, reconfirming the strategic importance of the Egyptian market to the company, and its plans to create local employment opportunities, support local businesses through technology, and provide a seamless customer experience.
The event was attended in the presence of Dr. Ibrahim Ashmawy, Deputy Minister of Supply for Investment and Chairman of the Internal Trade Development Authority who delivered a keynote speech on the Egyptian government’s vision to create an enabling environment for e-commerce in Egypt.
According to Hadeer Shalaby, Managing Director of talabat Egypt, “Our new Cairo office ushers in a new era of world-class tech-backed operations. Egypt is a clear strategic choice for talabat, given its large pool of young talents with an eagerness to tap into their potential. We are dedicated to upskilling our teams on the latest and best technologies in order to support the solid infrastructure built by the Egyptian government, which allows us to create a talabat tech hub, right here in Egypt.”
The office represents a leap forward in agile work environments in Egypt, as almost one third of the office space is dedicated to recreational areas tailored around the employees’ physical and mental health, and will also house the organization’s five different business operations: its core operations and talabat Mart, as well as three regional hubs including a shared service center, the dispatch center of excellence, which supports riders, and a regional tech and product hub.
Jérémy Doutté, Chief Business Officer, reiterated: “We are excited to enter the next phase of our strategic expansion in Egypt. Our new Egyptian office embodies our long-term commitment towards the Egyptian economy and further cultivating digital skills in Egyptian talent. As a transnational organization, we are always keen in showing our commitment and support to Governments across the region.”
Included in the event, talabat also held a panel discussion on “Global Best Practices in Regulating the E-commerce Sector”, moderated by Susanne Stulemeijer, Vice President of Communications, Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility at talabat. The discussion was between Dr. Ibrahim Ashmawy, Tarek Badawy, Partner in Shahid Law Firm and Mahmoud Osman, Commercial Director of eAswaaq Misr. The panel tackled prominent trends in the ICT regulatory landscape, in addition to key standards for tech-policy making and main obstacles facing the industry from a legislative perspective.
Founded in 2004 in Kuwait, talabat delivers hundreds of millions of food orders, grocery items and other products per year, to customers in nine countries throughout the region. talabat works with over 25,000 brands and almost 50,000 branches, while talabat mart, now delivers groceries to customers in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman Qatar, and the UAE in 30 minutes or less!
OPPO will launch the OPPO A96 in Nairobi Kenya in the next coming weeks as a successor to the OPPO A95 professional that was launched in January 2022.
The A96 is equipped with a 16MP Front Camera, producing gorgeous portrait shots. Features such as AI Natural Retouching includes blemish removal while still preserving the user’s natural facial features. Portrait shots are now brighter and clearer in dim environments with the help of the 360° Fill Light feature delivering customers a softer and unflawed user expertise.
Running on ColorOS 11.1, OPPO A96 is equipped with the 5000mAh long-lasting battery and 33W SUPERVOOCTM flash charging, complemented by the OPPO Glow Design that allows the phone to be scratch and fingerprint resistant. OPPO A96’s battery allows users to text on WhatsApp for up to 15 hours while SUPERVOOCTM fast charging gives users more flexibility with a 30-minute charge providing 55%4 of battery power. In addition, OPPO’s battery usage efficiency features such as Super Power Saving Mode based on the power-saving strategies, such as CPU frequency adjustment and backlight regulation that adopts specific apps to extend battery life. The serie Optimized Night Charging allows the phone’s AI to learn the user’s sleep patterns and schedule a segmented battery charging plan during the nighttime.
Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ OPPO A96 delivers an exceptionally smooth user experience with the 8GB + 256GB large memory and storage. This is complemented by RAM Expansion and, which gives the OPPO A96 an extra boost to performance and storage, meaning better multi-tasking and smoother experience, and extra storage via SD cards expansion to preserve more photos and videos.
A great audio experience is central to calling and entertainment. Dual speakers and microphones on OPPO A96 produce high volume stereo audio while reducing ambient noise. The high-fidelity Dirac HD audio technology makes the viewing experience more immersive. Additional camera features such as AI Palette, Neon Portrait, Flash Snapshot, and Selfie HDR to deliver even more versatility to users as they shoot in different scenarios.
The demand for software engineers is very high at the moment, and it continues increasing by the day. This means that software engineering skills are some of the most valuable skills in the job market right now. A career in software engineering is also a great option because all industries need their services. Most people see software engineers as developers, writing code and releasing software, However, there are other interesting career options for software engineers, and these are what we are going to be looking at below.
A technical recruiter position is often a managerial position where you will be responsible for finding candidates who are interviewed to fill technical positions. Your knowledge about the industry as well as your experience will come in handy when analyzing candidates and seeing who would be a great fit. You might work with other people as part of a larger recruitment team or alone. You might also be called in to advise during interviews and to assess the technical knowledge of the candidates being considered for different positions.
Web Development
Web developers are typically people with computer science degrees, but you will find a lot of software engineers working as web developers in companies that often handle complex web development projects. Web developers create the websites and applications that we use online.
There are three main types of web developers: front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers. Front-end developers work on the visible part of the internet. They ensure the information you see is readable, presented appealingly, and offers a good experience. They handle user interfaces and user experiences on the front end of websites.
Back-end developers work on the services that make websites possible. These include databases and services that allow websites to exist. They do not do the physical work required to maintain server hardware, but they write the code and services that link these information systems to the front end so you can see this information when you visit a website.
Full-stack developers work on the front and back end. They are highly trained and often have years of experience working as either front-end or back-end developers. Because they are essentially two developers rolled into one, back-end developers are highly sought after in the market.
Game Engineering
Game engineers are software engineers who work on the development of video games. Gaming engineers usually work for larger game development studios. However, they will occasionally work in small teams or even individually.
Game engineers do not design games, but they code the various elements that go into the game, including maps, user interfaces, and characters. Many gaming engineers specialize in one area of game development, such as character or landscape development. However, they might be required to work on areas out of their specialization depending on their roles within a development team. They can also be called on to test the game and provide feedback to designers, developers, and other engineers on the gaming experience.
Game engineering has been growing over the past few years as the popularity of video games has increased. It is very lucrative and those who want to get into it are required to have an advanced degree. You can pursue a software engineering masters at Baylor University and graduate with the skills required to work for game studios, smaller teams, or even independently.
Mobile Developers
Just like web developers build applications for the web, mobile developers build applications for mobile devices. Specifically, they build applications for Android and iOS devices. They also develop applications for tablets running either operating system.
One of their most important tasks is ensuring their apps run on all kinds of devices including those that have different screen sizes, platforms, and operating system versions. Mobile developers are concerned about both user interfaces and the backend. They use some programming languages used by web developers, but some mobile developers use Java and other tools.
Project Management
Project managers’ roles include ensuring projects are completed on time and according to set standards and specifications. They talk directly to clients to know what they need and then come up with a plan that includes the timeline, budget, goals, and objectives. Project managers put together teams of individuals whose skills would help with the compilation of the project. After that, they check in regularly to ensure everything is going as it should be. They also talk to clients to update them on project progress or delays.
Quality Assurance Engineering
QA engineers are meant to ensure no bugs reach the final user, essentially ensuring only high-quality products are released. They check the codebase to squash bugs and ensure the code therein is of high quality. They also talk to team members to ensure the issues they unearth do not come up again.
Beginner software engineers can start as quality assurance engineers as finding bugs will help them be more informed about what to avoid once they start writing code. It also helps them develop technical skills while working on real software engineering objects but without writing too much code.
Data Engineering
Data engineers manage data and information. They also create systems that make data management and analysis easier. Their roles often involve building databases, collecting and processing data, ensuring data is secure, and correcting data errors. They might also be tasked with going through a database to find missing data and correct this issue if it exists.
Technical Support Engineers
Technical engineers are the bridge between software engineers who create software, technical IT support staff who make the software available, and customers who use the software. They handle and manage issues and expectations especially if a customer is not happy with a piece of software. They can also report to software engineers, work on issues and bugs and work with developers to find solutions to hard-to-fix bugs.
Technical support engineers need to have a mix of technical and soft skills so they are able to traverse between customers and engineers effectively.
The career options discussed above are great for software engineers who are looking to go on a different trajectory than the traditional one. They may require some additional skills, but they are very fulfilling career options.
Yoco, a South African payments startup, has acquired Nona Digital, a fintech and Web3 software development agency based in Cape Town, in order to accelerate its roadmap by bringing in a team of highly specialized fintech product and technology professionals.
Yoco creates tools and services to assist small businesses with accepting credit card payments in-store and online, obtaining loans, and managing their day-to-day operations.
Over 150,000 small companies in South Africa have selected the startup as their preferred payment partner, with the startup handling over $1 billion in card payments each year.
Nona Digital was recently acquired by the company, which raised US$83 million in Series C funding last July.
Nona was founded in 2012 in Cape Town by Mike Scott, Ed O’Reilly, Gordon Angus, and two others with the aim of completing software products and teams at a level that elevates the industry as a whole. They’ve developed into true financial professionals over the years, with a particular flare for Web3 application development.
“We are excited to welcome Nona and its team to Yoco. Nona is an industry leader behind some of the best digital banking and Web3 products both in the region and globally. All of this makes them a great fit for the direction we are taking and the evolution of our products. After working with the team for over a year, we realised that the cultural alignment between the two organisations and a shared passion for creating financial products for millions of self-employed Africans made working together a no brainer,” said Lungisa Matshoba, CTO at Yoco.
Mike Scott, CEO at Nona, said the company had spent the last 10 years building an exceptional team and capability in the fintech and Web3 space.
“This acquisition allows us to direct everything that we have built towards a vision and mission that we believe in, and that matters. It is a natural evolution for a strong services business to move into product and we are very excited to now be part of the Yoco story,” he said.
Yoco plans to be the primary financial platform for the self-employed in Africa and the Middle East, with ambitions to serve one million entrepreneurs by 2024 through its payments software and capital products. The company claims this type of team acquisition is especially effective in today’s context of high demand for talent.
This is the third and largest acquisition of a software development agency by Yoco since 2019, having acquired Cobi Interactive in 2019 and Dado in 2021. This latest addition takes Yoco’s team size up to 500 people, half of which are product and technology-focused.
Off the back of its Series C last year, Yoco is increasing its talent footprint across Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
“We have been bringing in talent aggressively across South Africa and other markets – employing people remotely across 15 geographies and in our talent hubs in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Cairo and Dubai,” said Matshoba.
Launched back in 2019, the Puma crossover is now Ford’s best selling car in Europe. The automaker sold 130,000 of the vehicle last year. Building on that momentum, Ford today announced the hybrid crossover is getting a fully electric version. It will be the first of nine electric vehicles the automaker is planing to hit the market by 2024 in collaboration with Volkswagen.
Ford and Volkswagen made a partnership back in 2019, the deal allowed Ford to produce electric vehicles based on VW’s MEB platform. That’s the same platform Volkswagen uses on cars such as the ID 4 and the recently announced ID Buzz van.
Out of the 9 electric cars announced, one is already available, the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The small size crossover, Puma, was also available but in a hybrid version. The remaining 7 cars will be new models which include two new cars and four commercial vehicles.
For those who want a crossover but find the Puma too small, Ford is introducing a new ‘medium-sized crossover’ which will be based on Volkswagen’s platform and have a targeted range of 500km (310 miles). The car is scheduled to a 2022 reveal.
The remaining car is simply titled as ‘sports crossover’. Ford only revealed that it will be produced in Cologne Electrification Centre in Germany by 2024.
The other vehicles announced are commercial vans. By 2023, Ford will debut the next generation of the Transit Custom which is the best selling van in the UK.
Ford will also launch its first electric van, the E- Transit in the same year (2023) alongside the Tourneo Custom commercial vehicle for passengers.
The following year, 2024, electric versions of the Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier will follow.
Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe, said, “These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimised for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences.”
Ford is planning to sell 600,000 electric cars annually in Europe by 2026. The brand aims to go carbon-neutral across its operations by 2035.
The Google for Startups Accelerator Africa Class 7 participants have been announced, with the selected startups set to receive mentorship and expert advice throughout the course of the three-month program.
The Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, announced in 2017, is a three-month program that connects early-stage African tech startups with Google’s best products, people, and advanced technology.
The seventh class consists of 15 tech startups from seven African nations, who were selected from hundreds of applications based on product stage, program alignment, and market fit.
Five of the participants are Nigerian, namely Clafiya, which connects patients to health practitioners on-demand; iVerify.ng, a digital identity onboarding platform; MDaaS Global, which builds and operates modern, technology-enabled diagnostic services; Terawork, a pan-African online freelance marketplace; and truQ, a tech-enabled logistics platform.
South Africa has three representatives, in the shape of data-driven design platform Multiplied, mixed reality software development startup Nulitics, and ed-tech solution The Marking App, as does Kenya, which is represented by fleet management platform Fleetsimplify, virtual water network HydroIQ, and decentralised community-based commerce platform Sukhiba.
The other selected startups are Tanzanian ed-tech startup SmartClass, Egyptian recruitment platform LyRise, Ugandan cargo mobility platform Ridelink, and LaRuche Health, an inclusive healthcare app from Ivory Coast, which is represented within the accelerator for the first time.
Over the next three months, these startups will work with Google mentors and facilitators learning best practices on a range of topics including artificial intelligence, big data, organisational culture, growth strategies and more. Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programmes are organised around a virtual bootcamp concept that includes seminars, one-on-one coaching sessions, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Bootcamps will take place in March, April and May.
“We’re thrilled to be starting off our seventh cohort with such a diverse and inspiring group of companies who are harnessing technology to tackle the problems that many people on the continent face every day. Startups in Africa are solving some of the region’s most pressing issues -from employment to logistics, banking, healthcare, and education. This is a journey that we’re happy to be on,” said Folarin Aiyegbusi, head of startup ecosystem for Africa at Google.
Over the last four years, the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme has supported 82 startups from 17 African countries. They have raised a total of $112 million and created 2,800 direct jobs. During this time, Google has invested $5 million into the company through a combination of equity-free funding and Google product credits.
Have you heard about the new NTSA smart license requiredfor all boda boda riders?
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is preparing to issue new smart driving permits to motorists and boda boda riders. Kevin Mubadi, the founder and National Chairman of the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya, further stated that the license will be linked to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for successful service delivery.
He went on to say that the operators would be obliged to contribute at least Ksh500 per month to the NHIF, but that there would be no ceiling on the NSSF. The rider will be allowed to donate as much as he or she wants, with a daily minimum commitment of Ksh36. He also mentioned that the license will include the riders’ personal information, which would make it easier to track them down in the event of a crash.
“The license already has the details of the rider but right now, under NTSA, the new smart license has a lot of information unlike the previous one and it is also digital. All these are just for easy tracing of the people.
“The smart license will have the name of the SACCO where the rider operates from. For you to get the licenses, you must be registered in a SACCO and the SACCO will be registered under the association so that it becomes a piece of digital information. Once you get the information, you go to NTSA for the license,” he explained.
How will it help?
He went on to say that the improvements will help the operators financially by providing medical care and retirement programs. For KRA, operators will have simple access to services like land purchase, but the costs would vary according to the tax rates.
“The license will have NSSF, NHIF and KRA. KRA will help in buying the goods and land. Instead of moving around with PIN numbers, it will be in that license.
He added:
“We are going to Universal Health Coverage but we are also looking at the pension. It will be prudent for anybody who wants to live a good life, to pay NHIF for health purposes and retirement plans. The charges will follow a schedule. NHIF’s flat rate is Ksh500 per month and NSSF, charges will depend on individuals. If you want to place Ksh100 or Ksh200 fine. The minimum per day for NSSF is Ksh36,”
In an effort to simplify the dysfunctional industry, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i issued a decree requiring all boda boda riders to get new permits. All payments, from license application to exam fees, have been waived, according to Mubadi, in order to allow as many businesses as possible to comply with the new mandate.
“No one will be allowed to operate without the required documents. The first step will be to attend formal training and all fees have been waived by the government. They will only pay school fees charged by the individual school. The license is free as well as the exam,” he stated.
There are over 2.4 million operators in the nation, who undertake 22 million journeys every day, generating a daily income stream of over Ksh1 billion.
Moove, a Nigerian mobility fintech startup, has raised US$105 million in an oversubscribed Series A2 round to help it expand to seven new markets in Asia,MENA , and Europe over the next six months.
Moove is democratising vehicle ownership in Africa by providing revenue-based vehicle financing to mobility entrepreneurs. It was founded in 2019 by British-born Nigerians Ladi Delano and Jide Odunsi.
Moove may leverage proprietary performance and revenue analytics to approve loans to drivers who have previously been barred from financial services by integrating its alternative credit scoring technology onto ride-hailing, e-logistics, and instant delivery platforms.
In Moove-financed vehicles, over three million rides have been completed in six markets – Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, and Ibadan – and three product categories – cars, trucks, and motorbikes.
“Less than two years ago we discovered this whitespace of mobility fintech and launched Moove. Having now surpassed over three million trips in Moove-financed vehicles across Africa, launched in six new cities and connected thousands of ambitious mobility entrepreneurs to ride-hailing, e-logistics and instant delivery marketplaces, we’re now leading this growing category within fintech,” Delano said.
“But there are still millions of budding mobility entrepreneurs in emerging markets across the world who have limited or no access to vehicle financing and marketplaces that are facing critical supply issues. With this new fundraise, we are well-positioned and well funded to help solve this global problem. We’re delighted to have the support of leading investors across the globe who will be integral in enabling us to take our Nigerian-born model to the world.”
Odunsi said Moove was working hard to create disruptive and impactful tech solutions to solve real-world problems.
“The Moove model that we’ve pioneered in Africa providing revenue-based vehicle financing to mobility entrepreneurs can be applied anywhere in the world, which is why we’re excited to be expanding to new emerging markets in Asia and the MENA region. As we scale, we remain committed to empowering women, leading the electrification of the mobility space and driving financial inclusion. These ideals are at the core of what we do as we continue to build a sustainable and impact-driven global business,” he said.
Julius Tichelaar, partner at AfricInvest, said his company was focused on supporting and growing companies it believed will go beyond their own borders and become regional champions.
“Ladi and Jide have proven that Moove has the potential to transform the lives of millions of people across the continent and we’re delighted to be supporting them as they expand Moove in Africa and beyond into more emerging markets. Through the AfricInvest FIVE Fund, we’re incredibly proud to be joining Ladi, Jide and all the Moovers on their exciting journey of disrupting financial services,” he said.
The first cohort of the FAST startup accelerator, founded by Microsoft in partnership with Flapmax and focused at strengthening and expanding Africa’s digital ecosystem, has been selected.
The 12-week FAST program, which begins next week, brings together startups from six countries and nine industries, which were selected from over 800 applications from 25 countries.
Applicants for the FAST program had to be based in Africa, ready to develop or expand inside the continent, and have a proven product-market fit that addressed one or more Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Four of the selected companies are based in Nigeria, namely Capsa Technology, an online platform to buy and sell invoices for businesses; LegitCar, which is building Africa’s biggest vehicle data service; Pade HCM, an automated HR platform for all African businesses; and DayDone, an e-commerce platform digitising Africa’s agriculture market.
Another four are from Kenya, in the shape of prop-tech platform Silqu, e-health startup Snark Health, educational app K-12 EdTech, and data-driven food supply chain platform Taimba, while the other selected companies are Egyptian agri-tech startup VAIS, Tanzanian e-health service Tumaini La Maisha, Ghanaian e-health startup Wala Digital Health, and Ugandan mobility company KaCyber Technologies.
The FAST accelerator cohort will participate in a variety of activities to help them scale rapidly and sustainably, including training, company development, cloud and AI integration, fundraising, and community building events.
Participants will work one-on-one with Microsoft engineering team members on co-innovation projects ranging from product integrations to new offerings.
The Flapmax engineering team will assist the startup founders in gaining access to new technology tools and services.
Participants will also get up to $250,000 in Microsoft Azure cloud credits, as well as access to Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, which includes OpenAI API access.
“Microsoft believes that African startups are well-placed to become a cornerstone of the African digital economy, with relevant solutions to local societal challenges. Participation in the FAST startup accelerator programme will help these entrepreneurs capture available funding opportunities and plan for growth and future market expansion,” said Gerald Maithya, startups lead at the Microsoft Africa Transformation Office.
Holoride, a virtual reality focused Startup that spun out of Audi will start having its technology in the automakers cars starting June this year. The VR entertainment will be available for passengers in the back seat to make trips more entertaining.
Holoride’s technology adapts to the car’s movements so that your VR journey mimics the acceleration, turns, and stops of the car. Whether you are operating a space ship or a submarine, its motion will be synchronised to your trip in the back seat.
Holoride partnered with Terranet, a company that develops advanced driver assist systems, to capture data received by the car which the VR system uses to interpret the environment quickly and accurately.
Select Audi models with the latest infotainment software, which the automaker calls MIB 3, will be able to sync with Holoride compatible VR headsets. The wireless headsets will let the passengers experience films, video games, and interactive content. Compatible Audi models include the A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Audi Q5, Q7, Q8, e-Tron , and e-Tron GT Quattro.
Luckily, Holoride is brand agnostic, which means other automakers can support it, too. Additionally, the software to build virtual-reality content for cars is open source, allowing developers to create content and expand the offering. So far, Holoride has collaborated with partners such as Disney to provide content. The company has worked to sync the cars motion to the VR headsets in a way that reduces or avoids motion sickness.
According to an Allied Market Research report, the global automotive AR and VR market is projected to reach $674 million by the year 2025. In future, once cars become driverless, everyone will be a passenger and more in-car VR startups will begin to pop up, we could also see more automakers integrate Holoride in their models.
When you have a large sheet with a lot of data, the filter and sort options in Google Sheets can help you discover what you’re looking for. If you utilize color to make data stand out, you can use that color to filter or sort your data.
In Google Sheets, you may filter by color.
Start by selecting the cells if you wish to filter data so that you only see data that matches your color criteria.
Click the Create a Filter button in the toolbar or go to Data > Create a Filter in the menu.
A filter button will appear in the column header as a result of this. To apply the filter, click that button.
Select Filter by Color with your pointer. Go to Fill Color or Text Color in the pop-out menu and pick a color. As accessible selections, you’ll only see the colors used in your document.
Your data will then be updated to only show cells that possess the fill or text color you chose.
In Google Sheets, sort by color.
Perhaps you don’t want to filter data but merely want to see it sorted. The Filter tool can also be used to sort data by color.
Make sure you’ve selected all of the data you wish to sort before adding a filter. For example, if you have two columns, as in our case, you should select both of them. If you just select one color-related column, the sort will only apply to that column. This results in a data mismatch.
To display the filter buttons in the column headers, apply a filter as stated above.
Move your cursor to Sort by Color and click the button for the column you wish to sort by. Select a color from the pop-out menu’s Fill Color or Text Color options. Only the colors that appear on your sheet are available.
Your data will be updated and sorted by the column and color you choose.
When you’re done, follow the steps above to remove the filter. Remove the filter by selecting Data > Remove Filter from the menu or pressing the Remove Filter button on the toolbar. Keep in mind that your data will stay sorted in this order unless you change it.
Colors can be used for more than just making data in your spreadsheet stand out. Those colors can be used to filter or sort your data as desired.
With the latest raise, the largest venture financing round ever raised for a non-fintech startup in Africa, Wasoko is exploring expansion into Nigeria and Southern Africa and also examining opportunities to expand its product offering to verticals such as merchant point-of-sales systems, bill payments, and social commerce through both internal innovation as well as strategic investments and acquisitions of relevant companies.
