Technology news
@ilabAfrica-Strathmore University partners with Ukraine company to train students on block chain solutions.
THE DAWN OF A NEW PARTNERSHIP
@ilabAfrica-Strathmore University has partnered with 482.solutions, Odessa, Ukraine with the aim of providing trainings on blockchain solutions development to students at Strathmore University and other interested professionals. This training is set to equip Kenyan students with skills that will set them apart from others and provide the Kenyan market with highly skilled professionals in blockchain.
The establishment of partnerships between Strathmore University and 482.solutions became possible thanks to the assistance of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Kenya.
Blockchain technology has proven to be a catalyst across a wide variety of industries and the demand for people with Blockchain skills is very high. Many companies are looking to hire those who have the skills set to navigate this new technology. Its features of immutability, distributed nature and provenance guarantee data safety and integrity. Because of the nature of blockchain technology, hackers will have a tough time reaching all the networked nodes to tamper with any records. Blockchain technology is perfect for securing information, storage and sharing.
During the virtual MOU signing ceremony Ms. Eunice Maingi- Project coordinator in the IT Security Department and lead of the Blockchain research team, @ilabAfrica-Strathmore University said, “We are looking forward to have our first workshop in April. It will be a virtual workshop and we will have an option of making it a hybrid course for students who want to attend the course physically @iLabAfrica Strathmore University.”
Mr. Richard Otolo- Manager of the IT security research, @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University said, “After this training we can see our students engaging in projects that are focused on the industry. There are several challenges that blockchain can address like fraudulent certificates, title deeds among other key records that face major threats of fraud and tampering. The training will be a forum to upscale existing techies and to increase the number of professionals who can use this technology to combat the mentioned challenges.”
Over the years counterfeiting has become a global issue that affects a wide range of industries. Proving or disproving the authenticity and quality of an asset can quite difficult because traditional supply is complex and lacks transparency. However, if a producer or manufacturer’s goods are placed on blockchain, their origin and trail throughout the entire supply chain can be easily tracked and verified, making it difficult to pass off counterfeit products for genuine ones.
Mr. Leonid Khatskevych – Strategic Partnership Manager at 482.solutions said, “The training will offer theory and practise. Theory will be about blockchain systems in general, cryptography and about bitcoin protocol while practise will be about smart contract. Students will have an option to choose between creating of Ethereum ERC-721 token or “Voting smart contract”. He further added, “There will be our demo solution “Woden”, based on Hyperledger Fabric, where students can realize the electronic document workflow and digital voting”
Dr. Joseph Sevilla- Director @ilabAfrica, Strathmore University mentioned, “I am happy about this collaboration and I look forward to the outcomes of these trainings which will provide the Kenyan market with highly skilled professionals in blockchain. We are also looking at partnerships with government institutions to help them solve local problems by implementing blockchain solutions.”
To register for the training, Click here
Others in attendance during the signing of the MoU included; Mr. Ivan Balashov- co-founder & CFO at @482.solutions; Roman Kravchenko co-founder & CEO at 482.solutions; Alexander Kryvoruchko – co-founder & COO at 482.solutions and Ms Diana Mutua – PR and Marketing Manager @ilabAfrica- Strathmore University
@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.
About 482.solutions
482.solutions is an international software engineering provider specializing in innovative solutions using decentralized technologies. 482.solutions has offices in Ukraine and Singapore.
The key competency of 482.solutions is creating solutions for “Industry 4.0” issues; Blockchain, Future of Energy, Digital Identity, Decentralized Asset Management, Financial Products, and Services.
482.solutions mission is “We harness decentralized technology solutions that empower business and society evolution to reach a global impact.”
WOMEN IN TECH 2020 INTAKE OPEN
The Search for Women led businesses is back! @iBizAfrica-Strathmore University in Partnership with Standard Chartered Bank Kenya is excited to Launch the Fourth Cohort of the Women in Tech 2020 program. The call for applicants is now open for women led small and medium businesses leveraging on technology and new business models to drive change and grow communities.
Globally, studies show that sub-Saharan Africa boasts the world’s highest rates of women entrepreneurs, at 27%. But female-led tech startups still have some of the lowest numbers across the continent, despite technology firms led by women experiencing a 35% higher return on investment.
The program theme for this year, “Accelerating the Digital Economy through Women Owned Businesses” reinforces the importance of scaling the gains of female focused entrepreneurial programs and expanding their mandate in bridging financing and industry gaps for early stage ventures.
The Top five participants will win Kes 1 million in seed funding. The teams will be taken through a 12week incubation mentorship and training through the Bank’s Employee Volunteering program. Through the incubation, all the entrepreneurs are offered expert training in the areas of idea conceptualization, strategy formulation and marketing which is key in moving the businesses from incubation to sustainable ventures.
Eligibility Criteria
- The business must be based in Kenya i.e. be aligned with the needs of Kenyans and operating in Kenya
- The company must be a tech-enabled and/or leveraging on emerging technologies, including but not limited to; Internet of Things (IoT); Artificial Intelligence; Robotics; Augmented & Virtual Reality; 3D & 4D Printing; Cloud Computing; Big Data; Blockchain; Drone Technology and Biometrics.
- The company must be founded or cofounded by a woman with an equal or majority stake.
- The founder or co founder must be over 18 years old and Kenyan
- Business models must have a clear focus on sustainability and alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- 3 months to less than 2 years of operations.
- Seeking support for proof of concept, customer, product and business model development.
- Pre-revenue with early traction (users).
- Post revenue is an added advantage, with the creation of a new business module.
Program Thematic Areas
Companies solving for any of the 17 SDGs with operations within, but not limited to the following sectors are eligible to apply for the programme;
- Agriculture
- Healthcare
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Information Technology
- Financial Services
- Logistics
Programme Benefits
- 12 weeks of an immersive learning experience
- Access to a leading network of coaching experts
- Access to B2B networking opportunities
- Personalized mentorship sessions to address your unique business needs
- Opportunity to join a supportive Women in Tech Alumni Network
- KES 1,000,000 equity-free grant seed funding for the top five finalists
- 9 months ongoing support from Standard Chartered and @iBizAfrica to assist with the go-to market and scale for the top five finalists.
The Women in Technology Incubator program is Africa’s leading women in tech incubator, that supports local tech businesses and calls for more diversity in the Information technology landscape by providing opportunities for women to develop entrepreneurial skills and leadership excellence.
To register Click here
Know more about the program Click >> https://www.womenintech.co.ke/
Five Kenyan Women Tech Startups awarded Ksh 1 Million to fund their business.
@iBizAfrica a Business incubator at Strathmore University that provides a nurturing environment to builds on the potential of the youth to develop innovative solutions and businesses that work for the common good in society and Standard Chartered Bank [description of your organization], today announced they have awarded five local Women led tech businesses with Ksh 1Million each to help fund their business.
Congratulating winners, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Chief Executive Officer Kariuki Ngari said the Women in Tech program aspires to support and nurture entrepreneurship, technology and business growth for women.
“Often, people ask why the focus on women and girls. The reality is that in Kenya and globally, women and girls fall behind in many aspects of development and equality. For instance, in Kenya who constitute about 50% of our population provide 80 percent of Kenya’s farm labour and manage 40 percent of the country’s smallholder farms yet own only 1 percent of agricultural land; and receive just 10 percent of available credit. This is why
there still needs to be continued focus on supporting this half of our population. As a bank, we want to do our part in empowering women and girls,” Mr. Ngari said.
The Startups who are part of the Women in Tech program competition funded by Standard Chartered Bank and implemented by @iBizAfrica- Strathmore University were selected from a group of 380 companies competing for the top prize.
For the first time since inception of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech program the winners were selected and awarded virtually due to the ongoing pandemic. This year’s top 5 companies are
1. Soul Food– Founded by Chanya Mwanyota, Soul food is a Swahili Restaurant serving Swahili cuisine and Nigeria cuisine which has led to the creation of six virtual restaurants where they are able to provide hassle free, fast and efficient quality diverse meals.
2. Taste Afrique– Founded by Anzazi Kiti and Winnie Chiwai, Taste Afrique is a manufacturing company that distributes and sells natural food seasoning products and mixed spices called Chibundiro.
3. BenaCare– Founded by Naomi Monari, Benacare provides home nursing services to people with life-limiting illnesses across the country.
1. Nature’s Touch– Founded by Diana Ochola and Caroline Ngugi, the two are passionate about adopting natural personal care regimes in their lives. They provide health and wellness information to the public, deliver natural personal care products that are designed for individuals and their families to meet their daily grooming needs.
2. Arbes Biotech– Founded by Rachael Akeyo, the company is an agricultural startup that generates seedlings using culture technology to provide quality seedlings of various plants to clients and partners in East Africa.
Each year the Women in Tech program through @iBizAfrica Center trains more than 40 small and medium businesses leveraging on technology by offering mentorship, advisory, coaching, networking opportunities, access to seed capital and investor forums that help mold their businesses to international standards.
@iLabAfrica- Strathmore University Director Dr. Joseph Sevilla said “We are very pleased to be part of this great initiative that annually seeks to grow Women led businesses in Kenya. This program over the years has shown a tremendous increase of women businesses with great potential to drive the Kenyan economy to greater heights. We believe in building on the skills of small and medium enterprises that foster innovation and drive change, and we’re proud to be part of the positive impact they are making in the business community.” Dr. Sevilla added.
The Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator Kenya is Africa’s leading women in tech incubator, aligning with calls for more diversity in technology and for more opportunities for women to develop entrepreneurial and leadership excellence. The program is an initiative of Standard Chartered in partnership with Strathmore University’s @iBizAfrica.
“The unprecedented times we experience now, demonstrate more than ever that technology
is and will continue to be fundamental to a business’ success,” Mr. Ngari noted.
The program combines world class startup support with local and international experience to provide Africa’s most competitive and attractive startup incubation program focusing on immersive learning, mentorship, building and growing Africa’s next iconic startups taking on the continent’s most relevant challenges and opportunities.
The highly interactive event also provided the opportunity to discuss with various investors in the ecosystem the way forward for startups in Africa to thrive. The discussion revolved around the challenges and possible solutions for entrepreneurs to survive and thrive as the effects of the COVID 19 Pandemic continue to unfold. The conversation also forecasted different sectors and opportunities to exploit through innovation and entrepreneurship.
About @iBizAfrica, Strathmore University
@iBizAfrica is the business incubator of Strathmore University, a leading private University in Kenya. The incubator since 2012 provides a nurturing environment that builds on the potential of the youth to develop innovative solutions and businesses that work for the common good in society. @iBizAfrica over the years has provided over 400 startup companies with training, advisory, mentorship, coaching, networking opportunities, access to seed capital and investors.
We prepare startups to be investor-ready and launch into the market through our custom incubation and acceleration programs.
For more information, please visit www.ibizafrica.co.ke.
Follow us on our social media pages @iBizAfrica on Twitter and Facebook
About Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with around 84,000 employees and a 150-year history in some of the world’s most dynamic markets. We bank the people and companies driving investment, trade and the creation of wealth across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, Here for good.
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges as well as the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges in India.
For more information please visit www.sc.com. Explore our insights and comment on our blog, BeyondBorders. Follow Standard Chartered on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook
@iLabAfrica Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Grant
Nairobi, Kenya– @iLabAfrica- Strathmore University, today announced it has received a grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions.
Through the grant, @iLabAfrica will build Capacity Development on Internet of Things and Data Analytics Technologies to Rural-based Universities in Kenya.
The Motorola Solutions Foundation awards grants each year to organizations which support and advance public safety programs and technology and engineering education initiatives.
“With the help of the Motorola Solutions Foundation grants program, @iLabAfrica will help provide underrepresented and underserved students across the globe with technology and engineering learning.” Leonard Mabele- @iLabAfrica, IoT Manager.
This year, Motorola Solutions Foundation grants will support programs that help more than 2 million students, teachers, first responders and community members around the globe. There is a specific focus on providing grants to programs that impact underrepresented populations, including females, minorities, people with disabilities, veterans and others.
“We are very pleased to support the work of @iLabAfrica- Strathmore University,” said Monica Mueller, executive director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “We believe in organizations that foster innovation and drive change, and we’re proud to be part of the positive impact they are making in the community.”
For additional information on the Motorola Solutions Foundation grants program, visit: motorolasolutions.com/foundation
For more information on @iLabAfrica- Strathmore University please visit www.ilabafrica.ac.ke
About @iLabAfrica
@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.
About the Motorola Solutions FoundationThe Motorola Solutions Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions, the leading provider of mission-critical communications, software and video solutions that help build safer cities and thriving communities. The Motorola Solutions Foundation makes strategic grants, forges strong community partnerships and fosters innovation by funding programs in public safety education, disaster relief, employee giving programs, and technology education. The Motorola Solutions Foundation provides over $11 million in support to over 250 charitable organizations and universities in over 30 countries annually. For more information on 3 Motorola Solutions Corporate and Foundation giving, visit our website:
www.motorolasolutions.com/foundation
Women in tech – Last call
WIN KSH 1,000,000 FOR YOUR BUSINESS!
Standard Chartered in partnership with @iLabAfrica has launched a search for the third cohort of women-led technology startups which will see five entrepreneurs win Sh1 million each.
The program combines world class startup support with local and international experience to provide Africa’s most competitive and attractive startup incubation program focusing on immersive learning, mentorship, building and growing Africa’s next iconic startups taking on the continent’s most relevant challenges and opportunities
- be a woman
- be the CEO with equal or majority ownership in the company
- 18 and above
- of Kenyan nationality
- Agribusiness
- Education
- ICT
- E-Commerce
- E-Health
- Fintech
- Three months incubation at Strathmore University’s leading business and innovation incubator- @iBizAfrica
- Mentorship from world class mentors
- Coaching by top business, technology and legal professionals
- Immersive, world-class entrepreneurship curriculum
- Networking and exposure to expand your business networks
- USD 10,000 or KES 1,000,000 equity-free grant seed funding for the top 5 winners
- 9 months ongoing support from Standard Chartered and @iBizAfrica to assist with go-to market and scale.
- Participants must be physically available to attend the program over the three months incubation
- Participant accommodation costs are not catered for
| Application deadline | 4th November 2019 |
For more information Click here
To Apply click here
Safaricom Academy Students Youtube Channel Initiative
The current 2014 Full time Masters in Mobile Telecommunication and Innovation students from the prestigious Safaricom Academy have created a YouTube channel with videos that showcase interviews and tips from leading players in the Kenyan Mobile Phone scene. It covers in depth some of the things that made these people great at the things that they do and helpful tips on how to improve your innovative skills around the mobile scene. It also features interesting news in the mobile industry from around the world and brings you the best from the world of app news.
Have a look below at the first video they made…..
N.B You can subscribe to their channel and watch them bring you different tech stories that will always keep you informed of the ever vibrant technology world.
@iLabAfrica 