Nairobi
15 Women-led startups selected to join Standard Chartered USD 175K Women in Tech Cohort 6 program
- The top 15 Women led startups selected to join the Women in Tech Cohort 6
- 15 Kenyan companies will access 12 weeks of incubation, which will culminate in 7 of them getting KShs 1,200,000 million in funding to grow their businesses.
Standard Chartered Kenya in partnership with @iBizAfrica- Strathmore University have today shortlisted fifteen (15) women-led startups that will be undergoing 12 weeks of business incubation training under the Women in Tech Program. This will culminate in seven of the women led businesses receiving USD 10,000 each in funding to grow their businesses.
Standard Chartered Women in Tech (WiT) supports female-led entrepreneurial teams with business management training, mentoring, and seed funding. This year’s top 15 teams were selected from a pool of over 250 startups that applied for the program from different sectors, such as agritech, fintech, the healthcare industry, mobility tech, disability tech, and the construction industry. This is an increase from the previous cohorts, where 10 businesses were incubated and 5 startups per cohort each received funding.
The shortlisting criteria were rigorous and required the selected teams to demonstrate capacity in execution, showcase potential to solve socio-economic challenges in Kenya, have a balanced skill set (team lead, business development, product development, and marketing), while ensuring that they leverage technology.
Commenting on the program, Standard Chartered’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing East Africa, Ms. Joyce Kibe, stated;
“I wish to congratulate the fifteen women-led enterprises that made it out of a pool of over 250 startups and the rigorous shortlisting criteria to join this forward-thinking, efficient, and transformative Women in Tech Cohort 6 program. As Standard Chartered, we are delighted to have scaled the number from the previous cohorts, where 10 businesses were incubated.”
She further alleged: “Our continued funding of this programme is as a result of research that indicated that female-led startups in Africa attracted less funding in 2022 compared to male-led startups in the region. Women-led enterprises were more challenged by societal bottlenecks and financing limits, so we are pleased to contribute to closing the gap through increased capacity building and focused funding toward female-led enterprises.
I therefore encourage the beneficiaries to maximize this opportunity as we empower them to champion more diversity in technology and advance entrepreneurial and leadership excellence.
Speaking during the selection of the Top 15, Dr. Joseph Sevilla, Director of @iBizAfrica- Strathmor University, said;
The Women in Tech Program has been designed to bridge the finance and capacity building gap that women entrepreneurs face, and we are proud to have partnered with Standard Chartered Bank to further champion this cause through an additional cohort.
“I therefore also congratulate the successful beneficiaries and wish to encourage them to take advantage of this programme as it will equip them with the necessary coping mechanisms and professional skills through training, mentorship, and financial literacy that will resultantly contribute to their survival and success.
He added: As Strathmore University, we are confident that the financial contribution worth US 175K made by Standard Chartered towards the Women in Tech—Cohort 6 programme will go a long way in uplifting the participation of marginalized groups, tackling inequality, and promoting greater economic inclusion for women entrepreneurs in our country. As I conclude, I appeal to more men, as they constitute the majority of the workforce in the technology ecosystem, to offer more support to women in the computing and engineering spaces by taking up mentorship roles and opening doors for them.
To align with the theme for this year, Embracing Equity in Women-Led Businesses, the business incubation training has been modeled around emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data, while additionally integrating the fundamentals of business idea conceptualization, strategy, formulation, and marketing, which will be key in moving businesses from incubation to sustainable ventures.
The Women in Tech Incubator Program is committed to being digital by design and supporting female entrepreneurs with technology to grow their businesses.
The 15 enterprises that will be starting the 12 weeks of mentorship @iBizAfrica the Women in Tech 2023 include: –
- Ecorich Solutions Limited -A start-up that provides cheap fertilizer. The company has developed a WasteBot decomposer device/smart recycling bin that use AI-enabled recycling to convert waste into valuable and affordable primary farm fertilizer.
- Imani Health Wallet – An e-wallet that enables people to save specifically for healthcare. It breaks down large payments into piecemeal payments that one can easily pay over time before they need the healthcare service.
- Sol Active (fusion) – A web platform where landlords can list their empty retail space for free, and brands can book it easily
- Saidiwa (squad) Rides – A hailing app that aims to bridge the gap between unreliable public transportation and relatively expensive digital taxis. It introduces a novel driver-passenger pairing model that permits daily commuters to share taxi seats and share costs.
- Ento Farm – A biotechnology company that produces protein-rich animal feed based on dried, inactive insects that are produced through the fermentation of organic waste.
- AgriTech Analytics – They build innovation capabilities of start ups and aspiring start ups in Kenyan universities to help geospatial information systems and AgriTech students develop rare and valuable tech skills needed to come up with profitable and sustainable solutions.
- Techtenum Minds LTD – An E-learning platform that aspires to raise subject matter experts by bridging the practical skill gap between traditional academic curriculum and latest job market needs.
- MyAfya Africa – A mental health organization and digi-health company dedicated to revolutionizing the accessibility and availability of mental health services.
- Rhea Soil Health Management Limited – An IOT soil analysis device that provides soil testing and agricultural extension services to smallholder farmers. A machine learning algorithm is then powered to make recommendations depending on the data shared.
- Know Learning Limited (Recess)- is a platform that enables parents to participate in their children’s learning processes by partnering with teachers and schools to improve the learning outcome. It additionally ensures that schools and parents are on the same page through facilitation of transparent and efficient dialogue on the child’s progress.
- Sign with us – A Sign Language Training Institution Based in Meru and Online The institution teaches sign language to anyone around the world who has a passion for it.
- Acre-insights – They use drones and satellites to collect high-resolution data on crop growth and development, soil moisture, and other key indicators. Through advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to interpret this data and provide farmers with actionable insights to make informed decisions about irrigation, fertilizer application, and pest control.
- Instruct Africa – They provide affordable legal solutions to professionals in the informal sector
- Panacare: A healthcare company that provides affordable and accessible healthcare services through telemedicine. The company leverages USSD technology to offer consultations, remote monitoring, and tools that help patients manage their health and well-being without the need for internet access or smartphone devices.
- Tynka Global – A platform that connects entrepreneurs, experts, and investors, simplifying the process of forming partnerships. The platform’s open database of investors and businesses allows entrepreneurs to showcase their projects and attract potential investors.
Since its inception, the program has trained more than 10 small and medium businesses to leverage technology by offering mentorship, advisory services, coaching, networking opportunities, access to seed capital, and investor forums that help mold their businesses to international standards. 50 start-ups have participated to date, and 25 have been awarded over KES 1.2 million (USD 10,000) in seed funding. 50 businesses have so far gone through the incubation process, with the first five cohorts attracting over 2,000 applications.
STRATHMORE HOSTS THE DYNAMIC SPECTRUM ALLIANCE, COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY FOR A STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP IN SPECTRUM SHARING.
Strathmore University has entered into a collaboration with the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSAL) and the Communications Authority (CA) to evaluate the status and opportunity of spectrum sharing in Kenya through TV White Spaces, 6 GHZ Wi-Fi as well as other sharable bands.
The University played host to all the stakeholders for a stakeholder consultation workshop that was held recently. The main goal of the workshop was to listen to all the stakeholders make their presentations on diverse areas pegged upon enhancing affordable broadband connectivity through spectrum sharing.
The Manager, IoT @iLabAfrica – Strathmore University, Mr. Leonard Mabele, said that technological advances have made it possible for spectrum to be shared in a more efficient manner and boost connectivity. “Sharing spectrum could potentially help governments ensure that no citizen is left behind in the digital age, and that access to connectivity and the internet shouldn’t be a luxury, but a basic service accessible to all,” he added.
Initial researches conducted on broadband coverage show that Kenya is making excellent progress to achieve its target of universal broadband coverage by the year 2030. Presently, the number of unconnected Kenyans stands at 48%.
In addressing the issue on connectivity through TV White Spaces (“TVWS”), Dr. Martha Suarez – President, Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) said, “One solution to the connectivity gap is to allow license-exempt broadband services in unused or underused TV broadcast spectrum whose benefit will be to lower the cost of access and help bring broadband to rural communities.”
In Kenya, rural areas are mostly forgotten when it comes to development and you will find those areas experience development differently from urban areas. Rural areas face a number of unique development challenges that affect the use of digital technologies.
The Kenya Economic Update by the World Bank notes that while 44% of the urban population have access to the internet, only 17% of people in rural areas have access to the same. What works in urban areas may not necessarily work in rural areas.
Speaking during the workshop, the Lead Researcher, Department of Computing and Computer Networks, Technical University of Kenya, Dr. Kennedy Rono reiterated Dr. Martha Suarez sentiments, “The TV White Space (TVWS) band is very effective in rural markets. In fact, the more rural the market is, the better this band performs. This is because of the nature of the band and the fact that it is shared with analog TV station services.”
According to the Alliance for Affordable Internet in its guiding document on addressing the Digital Divide, which was released in March 2020, “it is more urgent than ever to focus on affordable and meaningful broadband access with special attention on rural areas.”
Mr. Dennis Sonoiya – Frequency Planning Engineer, Communications Authority (CA) KE said, “As the Communications Authority, we intend to establish an incubation period for TV White Spaces technology and also evaluate whether a regional approach to the implementation of database is feasible.”
When meaningful access is not addressed, access gaps ensue. The gaps can range from privacy, censorship as well as equality. Do you remember Safaricom’s promotion dubbed ‘Welcome to Safaricom 4G’ which ran from 12th March to 9th June, 2021? It might have seemed to be a mere advert by Kenya’s largest mobile operator but it did wonders.
The promotion led to a massive growth of 2.4 million active mobile subscriptions (SIM) cards, as outlined by Communications Authority of Kenya (CA’s) Sector Statistics Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2020/2021 Financial year. An extra benefit to such subscribers was the provision of 2GB data bundles every month during that promotion period.
The Senior Manager – Spectrum Management and Regulatory Affairs, Hawlett Packard Enterprise Company, Detlef Fuehrer’s speech focused mostly on Wi-Fi 6E Versus Wi-Fi 6. “While some might question how soon they’ll be able to take advantage of the 6GHz band, it’s safe to say that end devices may be on their way sooner rather than later. Kenya is infact considering to join several countries in designating the 6GHz band for unlicensed use.”
Dr. Raul Katz – Director, Business Strategy Research – Columbia Institute for tele-Information said, “If we put effort to enhance backhaul capacity then this will give way to a deeper penetration in our rural areas.”
Spectrum sharing technologies present a far greater spatial, temporal and frequency-domain dynamism in the nature of spectrum usage. Kenya has already demonstrated its leadership in embracing this dynamism to successfully connect the underserved in the country.
The enactment of the Television White Spaces (TVWS) regulatory framework will probably seal the loophole that was there in terms of demand. It outlines that spectrum will not be assigned to a particular licensee due to limited demand and it will not be used by licensees at all times.
WOMEN IN TECH 5th COHORT LAUNCHED
The Standard Chartered Bank in partnership with @iBizAfrica – Strathmore University has launched the 5th Cohort of the Women in Tech incubator program. The program aims to support women in entrepreneurial and leadership skills through technology by allocating funding and incubation support.
This year’s theme, “Advancing global trends in women owned businesses” gives an indication that more focus will go towards women owned businesses to come up with corporate global trends which include; emerging technologies, sustainability, and digital economy accelerance.
Speaking during the event, Maureen Mbaka, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, said, “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many women-led businesses have mushroomed to become important contributors to the economy and this is because women have responded to the COVID-19 crisis with resilience and innovation.”
Makabelo Malumane – Head of Transaction Banking, Standard Chartered Bank said, “What makes the Women in Tech program powerful is not just the seed funding it provides, but the long term mentorship/training that the businesses receive. Over 40 women-founded start-ups have walked this journey with us.”
In the 5th cohort of the Women in Tech program, 10 applicants will be chosen to participate in the 12-week incubation program. These companies will undergo training, coaching and mentorship offered by @iBizAfrica- Strathmore University network of key industry experts, faculty, business leaders, experienced mentors, and professionals.
Through the incubation, all the entrepreneurs will get expert training in the areas of idea conceptualization, strategy formulation and marketing, which is key in moving the businesses from incubation to sustainable ventures.
Speaking during the launch, Mr. Emmanuel Kweyu, Deputy Director @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre, Strathmore University said, “A healthy startup ecosystem is a diverse startup ecosystem. SMEs drive innovation and champion local entrepreneurial growth but women-led businesses tend to face more bias in their entrepreneurial journey. @iBizAfrica recognizes this and wants to give all women entrepreneurs the platform and exposure that they deserve to make them strive to create supportive communities that give them the tools and resources necessary for success. Providing equal opportunities to women-led startups is only the start. By participating in this program, we are certain that these women-led businesses will create and sustain a diverse startup ecosystem to tap into the full potential of emerging technologies and business models.”
Among the thematic areas that will be covered in the 5th cohort is post Covid-19 recovery, along with its intersection with the growth of internet media, AI & Big Data, gender diversity in businesses and green businesses. The 5th cohort provides a unique opportunity for women with unique innovations to grow their entrepreneurial success through capacity building, mentorship, coaching and access to financial support.
The Women in Tech program is part of the bank’s community engagement initiative, Futuremakers, that aims at tackling the issue of inequality and promoting greater economic inclusion for young people in various communities and economies, with a focus on girls and women.
Since the launch in 2017, the Women in Tech program has attracted over 1,150 applications supporting 4 Cohorts. Of the applicants, 41 businesses have gone through the program with 20 teams being awarded USD 10,000 each in seed money. Winning teams have ranged from ecommerce platforms to food supply and nutrition, beauty care, education, insurance, and more.
Women in Tech Cohort 5 will provide a unique opportunity for women with unique innovations to grow their entrepreneurial success through capacity building, mentorship, coaching and access to financial support. It aims to attract businesses using technology and digital resolutions to respond to global trends. 75 businesses will be mentored, 10 incubated and 5 businesses awarded with seed money.
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS BUILD APP THAT OFFERS SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICA
Strathmore University @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre in partnership with Oracle Academy organised a 5-day virtual Bootcamp for undergraduate students in Kenya to train them build scalable and secure enterprise applications that address UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using Oracle APEX.
In his opening remarks Mr. David Bunei, Oracle Kenya Country Leader said “the Oracle APEX training will give many developers an opportunity to build secure scalable applications in a short time to solve real world challenges” Further, he noted that the platform is being used globally by over 50,000 customers.
Over 500 applications were received from which 200 participants were shortlisted and selected to attend the two day Virtual bootcamp on Oracle APEX (a platform that enables you to build enterprise applications 20x faster with 100x less code) and concluded with a 3-day Virtual Hackathon event.
Dr. Joseph Sevilla, Director @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University said “Participants should make use of this great opportunity by Oracle Academy and @iLabAfrica. It is an area that can make a tremendous impact on solving some of the problems that Africa faces. The projects developed here will go a long way to create solutions to local problems, develop skills and offer job opportunities.
The three-day hackathon saw participants build scalable and secure enterprise applications that address UN SDGs using Oracle APEX. They received mentorship and technical support from @iLabAfrica and were judged by a team comprising of subject matter experts in Software Development, Information Systems Security, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation who reviewed their final project solutions.
At the final stage of the bootcamp 16 unique Oracle APEX solutions that address the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), within the Kenyan context, were developed and the top 3 best solutions were awarded.
56 schools were represented, Top 5 participants of the Bootcamp were from Strathmore University, KCA University, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology.
Keating5 Group 2nd runners up: Built a platform where people can sell/buy raw plastics, scrap metal or recyclable items. Their platform creates job opportunities and contributes to reduction of air, water and land pollution.
SDG17 Group 1st runners up: They addressed the UN SDG Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. Their solution provides universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible, green, and public spaces, for women and children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.
Equators Group Winners: Their solution addressed SGD Goal 10 on Reduced Inequality. The team noted that traditionally, small scale farmer businesses in Rural areas in Kenya have limited access to financial services such as loans and other investor financing, due to their inability to collect, record and store credible financial information. Most loan applications require business owners to provides information such as proof of sales, through submission of invoices and receipts. To address this gap, the team built an Oracle APEX application, with capabilities to collect, record and maintain financial records. The information can then be certified and provided to a funding agency, through the application, with necessary approvals.
The students parted with skills and knowledge on Oracle APEX and could not wait to express their gratitude for the opportunity given. The opportunity to learn the Oracle APEX from the expert facilitators was a great opportunity for students to learn new efficient skills.
“The oracle apex Bootcamp was an amazing experience for me. I got to know how to navigate through various tools and create web apps in a short period of time, thanks to Oracle Academy and @iLabAfrica for the opportunity”Melisa Michuki, 2nd year computer Science student – University of Nairobi (UoN).
“The experience was very informative, I learnt new technology and received all the motivation and support to try it out” said Loise Nyambura 4th year student from Zetech University.
Kevin Odhiambo a 3rd year, Computer Science student, from Kenyatta University who attended the bootcamp mentioned, “It’s a tool people should know exists. It really gets things done.”
The team leading the bootcamp from Oracle Academy was led by Ms. Bekere Amassoma, the Oracle Academy Program Manager, Sub Saharan Africa ” Oracle Academy is Oracle’s global philanthropic educational program, which aims to provide students with hands-on and practical skills to support IT students in becoming career ready.” said Mrs. Bekere Amassoma, while giving an overview of the Oracle Academy and its functions. “We are now dependent on technology for convenience and in almost all sectors including Security and for convenience. Oracle Academy supports the IT sector by filling the skills gap between IT workers and IT jobs worldwide” she added.
Representing Strathmore University was Mrs. Lorna Mutegi, the Industry Relationship Manager at Strathmore University, also welcomed all participants and urged them to actively participate in the bootcamp. She noted that the program was designed to equip participants with technical skills on how to leverage on the Oracle APEX platform, that is widely used by more than 50,000 customers. “This is therefore a great opportunity for you to build a match needed skill in the market”, she added.
@iLabAfrica-Strathmore University
@iLabAfrica is a Centre of Excellence in ICT Innovation and Development at Strathmore University. The Centre spearheads Research and Innovation in Information Communication Technology for the Development (ICT4D) of ecosystems towards the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to contribute toward Kenya’s Vision 2030. The research Centre is involved in interdisciplinary research, students’ engagement and has partnered with over 800 institutions (Universities, NGOs, foundations, and government) worldwide and other funding agencies.
Nurturing kids through computer training & mentorship
Technology has taken over the world and now in many activities one involves themselves in, you realize that technology has to come into play. With technology many things have been made simpler and easy.
Kenya is one of the countries working hard to see that kids are introduced to computer learning at young ages. Empowering kids with computer skills at a tender age gives them an upper hand in class work as they are able to grasp concepts easily due to the fact that their mind have been challenged with things other kids of their level are doing.
@IlabAfrica, a Research and Innovation Centre of Strathmore University took up an initiative of empowering the children at the Home of Hope children rescue and support Centre in Donholm, Nairobi by taking them through a basic computer training course.
The three-month virtual training and mentorship program has been running since April and came to an end on Saturday 10 July 2021 with the final session being held at the children home premises.
The program sought to impart the less privileged children with basic computer knowledge while also preparing them for the future through mentorship, the kids were taken through courses such as database creation & management, basic programing, electronic communications, coding and creating commands which opened up their minds on the existence of many opportunities in the areas of information communication technology.
Daniel Simiyu, of @iLabafrica served as the lead trainer for the program and says that he was motivated to have an impact on the lives of the young children by offering them something unique in Information Communication Technology while also preparing them for the world outside school.
“@iLabAfrica had envisioned to have this kind of a project to impart knowledge on young children, challenge them to think widely as problem solvers, challenge them to embrace Information Technology (IT) because during this pandemic we have learned that IT is a part of our lives and soon it will become a necessity. This project has given the children an opportunity to be part of the next generation of problem solvers” said Mr. Simiyu.
David Jasili, 14 aspires to be a pilot in future and was happy to have been among the trained children, he says that the program really changed his view of life while also giving him some new skills in computing.
“I am happy to have been part of this important exercise, through the training I have been able to learn about database creation, electronic communications, basic programming and coding which are new skills to me now. Through the mentorship conversations with our trainers, I also got to learn that almost all professions require computer skills in modern times which underlines the importance of this training and the impact it will have in our future” said Jasili.
Speaking after the final session, the children’s home social worker Margaret Ndonji thanked Strathmore University for their support through the training, saying that the program had positively impacted on the young children.
“The program has been an exciting journey for the kids because it is something new that has never happened before, they have learned a lot and now they can explore more in the digital world of computers while also getting to know what is happening outside there in the world apart from classroom books” said Ms Ndonji.
Today’s classroom is a far cry from the traditional image of locker desks, chalkboards and pencils. With education expected to prepare children for a fast-changing digital workplace, technology-led learning is becoming the norm.
The short program by @iLabAfrica demonstrates the importance of computing knowledge to the young generation in preparing them for a technology focused world with many career opportunities in the future being projected to be in the areas of emerging technologies.
Using Technology to improve sanitation in Dandora slams
In many towns, cities and peri-urban locations globally, the growth of populations has not been directly proportional to access and growth of essential facilities such as water and sanitation, poor planning, lack of attention, inadequate government support and other factors have deteriorated many urban sanitation systems making them unable to meet the rising demand. The risk of disease outbreaks, groundwater contamination, and sub-standard living conditions have been on the rise as a result.
According to African Population and Health Research Center (APHR, 2020), the growth of urban slums has been one of the defining characteristics of the past decades in the developing world and is expected to rise in many African towns. Hygiene and sanitation in urban slum settlements has been a problem worldwide with more than one quarter of urban population lacking adequate sanitation facilities.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics from the 2019 census indicates that more than 4.3 million people live in Nairobi with a majority 2.6 million living in informal settlements within the city county. The data further indicates a majority of the slum residents lack access to piped water, making them rely on expensive informal water vendors.
Due to the unplanned set up of most of the settlements and illegal pipe networks, water is prone to contamination by overflowing sewages, posing health risks to the population. Over a half of the existing toilets in low-income urban areas are pit latrines which are emptied manually and the contents dumped illegally into the environment. In areas near a river, the toilets are built in a way that directs waste straight into the river, polluting groundwater sources and the Nairobi River’s ecosystem.
According to a World Bank research (2019), Nairobi has the highest annual growth rate compared to other African cities and 75 per cent of the urban population growth is absorbed in informal settlements. This highlights the need for solutions geared towards improving the state of hygiene and sanitation facilities within the slum areas.
Strathmore University’s Research and Innovation Centre-@iLabAfrica in collaboration with UN-HABITAT and Liquid Telecom have come up with a technology based project aimed at improving access, coverage and quality of sanitation services in Nairobi’s low income settlement areas.
The project named Integrated Sanitation Management System uses Internet of Things(IoT) Technology to link pit latrines and septic tanks to a central platform collecting data and a process for authorities to improve the existing processes of fecal waste removal, and provide a solution that could potentially address the lack of appropriate sanitation management in Kenya in its slum areas.
Stephen Gitahi, IoT researcher at @iLabAfrica says that the new project will involve the use of sensors installed in different latrines and relaying data to a central data base from where county officials can make data driven decisions on timely emptying of filled latrines or timely repairs for latrines that could have leakages.
“In this project, we have developed a digital prototype that will collect and provide data required to improve the management of pit latrines by the devolved government and building up coordination among the stakeholders involved in sanitation services in low income settlements in Kenya” says Mr. Gitahi.
“The product is a web based application that can be installed on computers and mobile phones, providing the users with real time data on the levels of waste at the latrines septic and early warning signals once the latrine storages are almost filled up to enable timely removal of the waste” adds Mr. Gitahi.
According to Mr. Gitahi, the sanitation project also incorporates geographic positioning technology that will provide exact location of all latrines within a specific slum area for quick responses in times of needed attention on the sanitation platforms.
The Integrated Sanitation Management System has been implemented in Dandora slums and plans are underway to have the project implemented in other low income settlements of Nairobi such as Mathare and Kibera.
According to UN-HABITAT (2018), urbanization has been on the rise globally and is expected to keep on growing, the number of urban population living in slum areas in Nairobi is expected to double in the next 15 years, this calls for relevant intervention measures by governments and other development actors to help improve living standards in informal settlements especially in the areas of hygiene and sanitation.
The outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic and its effects globally has highlighted the importance of simple hygiene and sanitation practices such as hand washing in the management of public health. The adoption of innovative ways of ensuring improved living standards for people living in Nairobi slums should be welcome and supported by all stakeholders as it will go a long way towards enabling a healthy nation.
Driving IoT innovation for Covid-19 and Beyond
The shudders of the COVID-19 pandemic have projected newer challenges in the healthcare, business and institutional domains across the world, highlighting the need for technology based solutions in the different sectors of the economy.
A new survey by the McKinsey & Company Research Institute (2021) has found that responses to the Covid-19 pandemic have speeded up the adoption of digital technologies by several years and that many of these changes will be here for the long haul.
Internet of Things(IoT) is increasingly becoming a vital technology in many industries where it can deliver lower expenses, a better quality of services, and advanced user experiences. As a result of its wide capabilities including tracking, identification, authentication and data collection, the adoption of the new technology is expected to grow exponentially.
Strathmore University’s Research and Innovation Centre @iLabAfrica, through its IoT unit held a
Webinar titled `Driving IoT innovation for Covid-19 and Beyond’, the forum sought to highlight how IoT can be utilized during the covid-19 pandemic and its growing relevance in the future. The unit also showcased some of the works it had done in the new technology area, aimed at providing solutions to some existing challenges. Various speakers, majorly experts in the areas of IoT and software development shared their knowledge and experiences during the digital forum.
According to Mr. Leonard Mabele-Manager at the IoT research lab, IoT is basically the use of sensors and programmable electronics hardware which is linked to the internet through various connectivity technologies, this is then integrated to a cloud to implement value driven applications with the stored data enabling the generation of valuable output. The applications can be used to control a system on the ground remotely.
IoT is an enabler of a smart planet driven by digital ecosystems which link the physical world with a digital system of technology creating entities with more efficiency and simplicity such as smart health, smart transport systems, smart cities, smart entertainment, smart energy among other areas.
“IoT can be viewed as an umbrella of various concepts, protocols and technologies-all of which are somewhat dependent on a particular industry, the technology digitizes the world by connecting people, processes, data and things. IoT further encompasses a vast amount of disciplines and can be implemented in energy production, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, retail, transportation, logistics, aviation, travel etc” said Mr. Mabele
“Technologies will come in to aid in the better performance of industries and companies, for instance in manufacturing, there already machines performing a lot of work, IoT comes in to add more functionalities to the existing equipment by enabling them to collect data and provide real time feedback which will lead to increased processing of goods while also closely monitoring quality control for optimum output” says Stephen Ngetich, Software Developer at @iLabAfrica.
Mr. Mabele further explains that IoT can be used in the creation of smart driven systems such as smart water system which can be able to monitor water levels in storages and cases of non-functional taps or leakages, smart health systems to monitor patients’ data and tests, a smart farming system where sensors can be used to relay information on soil moisture levels, pests & disease attacks for possible actions by the proprietors. The technology can also be used in the establishment of smart homes with real time monitoring of home equipment such as automated lights and doors.
The enabling technologies for IoT are sensor networks, embedded systems, cloud computing, discovery services, communications, software, system integration, knowledge aggregation, future internet, security privacy and standards.
The IoT research unit at @iLabAfrica is working on multiple projects which are all aimed at providing solutions to some human interest challenges in the country. These Projects include Transforming Water, Weather and Climate Information through Geo services in Africa (TWIGA) which is project in partnership with western & south African countries and European Union, it aims at creating a system of monitoring climate, weather, water levels and farming with real time updates to farmers for relevant actions. Disaster Management and Prediction is a project which targets areas prone to floods and drought and being able to develop a system that advices locals in times of expected disasters for their preparedness to avert cases of losses. Other projects are low income urban sanitation, livestock monitoring, air quality monitoring, Genset monitoring system and smart water management system.
At the height of the covid-19 pandemic, it has been critical for research centers to focus on new innovations in the area of healthcare that can help fight the spread of the deadly virus. @iLabAfrica made developments through the implementation of hygiene and sanitation projects in Nairobi’s slum areas.
“During the pandemic we have been able to implement a project dubbed TechNawa which is an automatic hand washing system, aiding hand washing with minimal contact which is among the ways of preventing covid-19 spread. We also did a Peri-Urban sanitation project in collaboration with UN habitat and liquid Telecom in Dandora, Nairobi County which was aimed at resolving basic sanitation challenges through the putting up of sensors in supply systems to relay information in cases of breakdown for quick action, the project will also be done in Korogocho in partnership with Mobile Alerts Toilets (MAT) and Toilets for All (T4A) to help improve sanitation practices while also controlling the spread of Covid-19” said Mr. Marbele.
The webinar sought to clear the air on the existing belief among many people that technological advancement brought by IoT and other technologies would come with widespread job cuts resulting from the replacement of human labor with machines.
The COVID-19 crisis has brought about years of change in the way companies in all sectors and regions do business. Many companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their internal operations, the share of digital or digitally enabled products in their portfolios has also significantly accelerated.
To stay competitive in this new business and economic environment requires new strategies and practices, most firms recognize technology’s strategic importance as a critical component of the business, not just a source of cost efficiencies.
The adoption of IoT is certainly not new, today, it’s no longer just an emerging technology, but a game changer propelled by the pandemic. IoT is now building upon the foundations of artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and the cloud to unlock new possibilities for the future.
Strathmore partners with University of Bristol to improve African rural data science skills
Strathmore University, through its Research and Innovation Centre @ilabAfrica last week entered into an agreement with University of Bristol-Jean Golding Institute in UK in a collaboration aimed at Capacity building in Data Science skills to develop rural digital solutions in Africa.
The partnership will see the two institutions working together towards the development of digital programs backed by data science aimed at solving major challenges facing rural populations in Africa especially in the areas of agriculture and health.
Under the project, smart farming agricultural approaches on battling pests and diseases, access to information, climatic conditions will be developed with a key focus on farming in Kenya which is majorly done in rural locations and has a huge potential towards creating employment opportunities while also meeting domestic nutritional requirements for the local population.
According to the Journal of Natural Sciences Research study on Tomato Diseases Occurrence (2020) in Kenya, 91% of farmers observed fungal wilting infection on their tomatoes with 58% of sampled respondents recording yield losses of 1-10%. From the study, the most injurious diseases to farmer profits were early blight and late blight at 53.8%.
The biggest challenge facing farmers has been the lack of information on pests and diseases coupled with poor extension services with a majority of farmers using wrong pesticides and chemicals in battling the pests.
According Joseph Gitonga, data scientist at @iLabAfrica the threat of pests, diseases and climate change variations can have a significant impact on crops such as maize, tomatoes, bananas and Coffee resulting in major impacts on household livelihoods, national economies and global food security, and correct identification of a disease or pest when it appears can be crucial towards efficient disease management.
“Considering surrounding factors in rural areas such as increased internet penetration, mobile phones spread and access to low cost computing power, these can lead to a situation where disease diagnosis based on an automated image recognition system can be made at an unprecedented scale” said Mr. Gitonga.
Dr. John Olukuru, Head of Data Science at Strathmore University says that Data Science holds the key to the future of the African continent.
“Data Science is a new area that many young people can exploit to develop their careers, many challenges facing Africa can be resolved through data and above all looking at our private sector, they don’t have proper skills to make data driven decisions, so data science holds the key to the better future of the continent” said Dr. Olukuru.
The creation of smart farming systems for rural populations in Africa using data science skills will be key towards improved yields, creation of more employment/income generating opportunities and food security while growing the African economies.
Global Innovation firm working with Strathmore for African Tech challenge
Strathmore University’s Research and Innovation Centre @iLabAfrica in collaboration with the Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Company (GIE) Dubai, UAE, and other partners in play launched the Africa Internet of Things (IoT) & Artificial Intelligence(AI) challenge competition. The challenge is an incubation program, targeting senior University students and young entrepreneurs with innovative ideas in the areas of IoT and AI among other technology related areas.
Powered by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), which is the world’s largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology, the program was first launched in 2016 in Egypt, then in Arab countries in 2019. The 2021 challenge has kicked off in Kenya, Uganda, Tunisia and Nigeria and will later expand to include South Africa and Rwanda. The initiative targets the whole continent online and will only make on-ground activities in the mentioned countries.
Mr. Mahmoud Kelany, a Communications Lead for the African IoT and AI Challenge said that the program will help participants leverage on a smart future through these modern technologies, the digital transformation initiative will deliver training and workshops to the participants while also providing them with the needed support in the development process for their solutions. After the training, participants will compete in the local finals, thereafter, winners from each country will qualify for the regional finals in the IEEE Global Conference on IoT and AI later this year.
Stephen Gitahi, an IoT researcher at @iLabAfrica simplifies the two leading technologies, further adding that the importance of IoT and AI technologies cannot be underestimated in modern times and that they will be drivers of the fourth industrial revolution which will be about smart technology driven ecosystems.
“AI can be defined as when machines simulate human intelligence, gain knowledge and collect information through advanced algorithms. This information is then used in decision-making, aiming to make the process accurate and safe. IoT on the other hand, is a network of interconnected physical devices exchanging information over the internet. IoT is characterized by hardware (sensors, actuators, processing and communication units), software and other integrated technologies that work in harmony, providing needed data for processing and analysis” says Mr Gitahi.
The partnership between the two institutions and other players comes at a time when technology is seen as integral in keeping business wheels turning during this Covid-19 global pandemic. IoT and AI technologies are becoming more imperative with many businesses using the two to ensure continuous processes in their value chains, supporting customers, suppliers and employees. It is clear that not all businesses have taken advantage of the emerging technologies and lack of awareness and knowledge on these technologies has been evident over time.
The African IoT and AI challenge is expected to have a big impact towards bridging the technology and innovation gap in the continent, participants in the program will be given an opportunity to learn, explore and build solutions around these technologies for the African businesses, startups and institutions leading to advancement in technology adoption within the continent.
IoT and AI are powerful technologies that work hand in hand and can pose many benefits to businesses, the year 2021 has been challenging to many businesses & industries, IoT & AI have played a crucial role in shaping business and consumer trends globally. Manufacturers have been forced to adapt quickly to maintain momentum and remain competitive.
With the necessary knowledge, support and insight into the technology industry provided by this program, the Kenyan & African market will be able to produce highly marketable and skilled IoT and AI professionals ready to provide challenge driven solutions.
Israeli Centre to work with Strathmore on Agriculture, Finance innovations
The Milken Innovation Center in Israel has entered into an agreement with Strathmore University’s Research and Innovation Centre, @iLabAfrica to develop, monitor, review and implement a Kenyan Development Lab that will offer training, student fellowships and jointly secure fundable projects that address existing gaps in agriculture and finance sectors.
Milken center is based at the Jerusalem Institute and focuses on developing market-based solutions to Israel’s greatest challenges as it transitions from a startup nation to a global nation. It seeks to accelerate economic growth, build human capital while addressing global challenges in water, food, education, health, and energy with solutions that others can replicate.
The partnership between the two Innovation Centers is expected to benefit students & scholars from both institutions through capacity building and knowledge exchange. Students from Strathmore University will be enrolled into Milken Innovation Center’s 3-credit graduate course on Financial Innovations for Economic Development taught at the Hebrew University’s School of Business, the course will nurture the learners with relevant knowledge and prepare them for development projects in the country. The students will also have an opportunity to enroll for the Global Development Practice Fellowship Program which will impart them with relevant skills to steer development activities beyond their home countries.
Speaking during the event, the Director and Senior Fellow/Founder at Milken Innovation Center- Professor Glenn Yego said that the center remains committed to working with leading institutions across the world for mutual benefits in addressing societal problems.
“I am delighted to sign a partnership agreement between Milken Innovation Center and @iLabAfrica Research Centre, partnerships between research centers are fundamental, and that is why our institution strives to work in cooperation with leading organizations around the world. We look forward to a productive relationship with the @iLabAfrica Research Centre, and with the Strathmore University Network,” said Prof. Glenn.
Milken Innovation Center will further support Strathmore University in the Co-designing and implementation of project development labs in Kenya on pressing issues such as agricultural innovations, water solutions among other challenges as identified by local country stakeholders.
@iLabAfrica Director Dr. Joseph Sevilla said that the agreement was good for staff and students at both institutions and that it was instrumental in promoting research and innovation.
“It is important to identify that the agreement we are signing today is built on the confidence springing from the efforts of colleagues at both our centers. These early steps have focused on the development of interdisciplinary research, student commitment and association with Industry” said Dr. Sevilla.
The deal is aimed at accelerating economic growth, growing skills and cementing Israel’s role as a pioneer in addressing global challenges in water, food, education, health, and energy with solutions that other countries can adopt and implement.
This new agreement builds on @iLabAfrica’s decade-old commitment to Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) of ecosystems towards the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with the deal set to stimulate growth in the areas of agriculture and finance.
About Jerusalem Institute Milken Innovation Center
The Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, Milken Innovation Center focuses on developing market-based solutions to Israel’s greatest challenges as it transitions from a startup nation to a global nation. Our work leads to innovative policies and programs and financial technology transfer that democratize capital, finance ideas, create jobs, and accelerate economic growth.
The Blum Lab for Developing Economies is part of the global network of Blum Centers for Developing Economies based at the University of California (UC-Berkeley) enabling interdisciplinary problem-solving in key areas of energy, health, technology, food, water, health, and other challenges to sustainable development.
@iLabAfrica 