Home Blog Page 45

Schneider Electric Go Green Global Competion 2022

Hassan Barakat
-
0
Schneider Electric Go Green Global Competion 2022

At Schneider Electric, we believe energy is a fundamental human right, and we are committed to advancing humanity by utilizing innovative technology. Our mission is to empower everyone to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging the gap between progress and long-term sustainability. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.

We see an urgent need for bold ideas that may re-shape a smarter and more sustainable future for our industry and our company, as part of our aim to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

This is where your assistance is required. Schneider Electric and AVEVA are searching for game changers all over the world who are willing to challenge the status quo, put their abilities to the test, and push the boundaries of digital transformation in Energy Management.

Application to the Middle East & Africa region is now open

Submit your bold idea related to one of our five segments within energy management.

Categories

  • Access to Energy
  • Homes of the future
  • Supply chain of the future
  • Grids of the future
  • De(coding) the future

How it Works

Schneider Go Green 2022 is open to teams of 2-4 members from anywhere in the world. To take part, you must:

  • Be a Bachelor’s or Master’s student anywhere in the world
  • Be studying in the same country with your team for the duration of the competition
  • Be studying Business, Engineering, Marketing, and/or Innovation-related studies
  • Your team must be gender diverse to enable diversity and inclusion
  • The submission and final pitch must be presented in English, as proficiency in English is a must.

Application Phase

Registration; Until Dec. 15, 2021

Register on the platform, choose a competition category, and submit a proposal in English (PPT or PDF or MP4 format), addressing the following:

  • What is your team’s problem statement?
  • What is your solution?
  • Why is your solution different?
  • How will your solution work?
  • Who is benefitting from your solution?
  • Who is on your team?

Regional Pre-screening; Dec. 2021

Regional judges will review submitted proposals then vote on the top student to receive mentorship on the following criteria:

  • Innovation
  • Feasibility
  • Sustainable impact
  • Presentation Quality

Mentorship; Dec 15, 2021-Jan 6, 2022

Selected teams will be mentored by Schneider Electric and AVEVA professionals in order to refine and polish their solutions and ideas. By the end of the mentoring period, teams will be expected to submit a proposal deck, expanding on their prior submission with new appendices such as CVs/resumes. (Not including title/transition/appendices, this is a ppt with 10-15 slides.)

Regional Semi-finals; Jan 6, 2022

The regional semi-finals will provide various teams the opportunity to pitch their business ideas virtually to a panel of judges. After deliberation, a regional jury will select a limited number of teams to progress to the regional finals.

 Selection will be based on the following criteria:
  • Solution innovation
  • Feasibility, financial business case, and understanding user needs
  • Sustainable impact
  • Presentation quality

Mentorship 2; TBC

 Selected teams will be mentored by Schneider Electric and AVEVA professionals in order to refine and polish their solutions and ideas. By the end of the mentoring period, teams will be expected to submit a proposal deck, expanding on their prior submission with new appendices such as CVs/resumes. (Not including title/transition/appendices, this is a ppt with 10-15 slides.)

Regional finals; Jan 10, 2022

The regional finals will provide various teams the opportunity to pitch their business ideas virtually to a panel of judges. After deliberation, each regional jury will select a single team to progress to the global finals.

Selection will be based on the following criteria:

  • Solution innovation
  • Feasibility, financial business case, and understanding user needs
  • Sustainable impact
  • Presentation quality
  • Alignment to rules and conditions

Finals Preparation; Mar-June 2022

Once the final eight teams have been announced, each team will be prepared by Schneider Electric and AVEVA experts to further develop their innovative solution and prepare for the final event. Teams will have a few weeks to practice and perfect their pitch before the global finals.

Global Finals; June 2022

Each team will have the chance to pitch their business idea in a 15-minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of Q&A to a panel of judges made up of Schneider Electric and AVEVA’s senior management. The top team will be selected on the following criteria:

  • Solution innovation
  • Feasibility, financial business case, and understanding user needs
  • Sustainable impact
  • Presentation Quality
  • Alignment to rules and conditions

Global winners will be awarded a €10,000 Prize to be split equally among winning team members.

The winning team will also be gifted a 1-year subscription to the Coorpacademy platform.

Bitrefill, a Global Payments Crypto Company Launches in South Africa

Sopuruchukwu Elizabeth Mba
-
0
Bitrefill, a Global Payments Crypto Company Launches in South Africa

Bitrefill, a global payments crypto company has launched in South Africa.

Since the inception of cryptocurrency in 2009, the digital currency has made enormous strides in the digital economy, receiving stamps of approval and adoption worldwide and across Africa.

Despite the surge and the unique benefits that bitcoin provides, there is still a great deal of work to be done in the area of using cryptocurrencies for physical and online purchases. Given this, Bitrefill, a global payments crypto company, has launched in South Africa to provide a long-term solution. 

Bitrefill says that it drives towards proffering solutions that allow holders to utilize their cryptocurrency for making purchases. This is quite different from other crypto solutions in South Africa and Africa at large that guide people on buying, trading, and investing in crypto.

 The Bitrefill team said in an official announcement, “South Africa has consistently been near or at the top of the list for countries in which the word ‘Bitcoin’ is googled. Now, at last, Bitrefill is completing the local cycle, making it easier to live on Bitcoin.”

To think about it, making purchases in a store and paying with a cryptocurrency directly is a lot of conveniences. 

According to Bitrefill, “Bitrefill’s ‘cryptonaut’ has now landed on the tip of Africa, bringing an exciting new range of products for local users to try out.”

With Bitrefill, South Africans can now pay for goods and services, buy gift cards (vouchers) with cryptocurrency in renowned stores including, to name a few:

Here are the features Bitrefill is offering users:

  • Bitrefill supports the use of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Dogecoin, Litecoin, and USDT to make a direct in-store purchase. 
  • The Bitrefill App lets users purchase vouchers the same way using a credit card enables one to.
  • Users can put funds into Bitrefill’s internal wallet to make quick payments by avoiding on-chain transactions, which incur on-chain delays. 
  • Unlike the traditional gift card, Bitrefill’s gift cards enable users to pay exact amounts down to the cent.
  • Non-crypto users can utilize Bitrefill to buy gift cards using a credit card, thus allowing them to buy what they want with fiat currency. 
  • Bitrefill allows travelers to spend internationally off a single platform, hence creating the avenue for many around the world to finally ‘live on crypto.’

African Conference on Computational Mechanics

Abidemi Ogunyemi-Aderibigbe
-
0
African Conference on Computational Mechanics

African Conference on Computational Mechanics (AfriComp) is an event series with the main objective of creating a forum for researchers and students on the African continent to interact with members of the computational mechanics community from across the globe.

Hence, the conference series is viewed as a key initiative aimed to promote computational mechanics in Africa.

AfriComp conference was previously held in Sun City (South Africa) and subsequently in Cape Town (South Africa), Livingstone (Zambia), and Marrakech (Morocco).

Details of the Event

This conference will be the fifth series by AfriComp and will hold again in Cape Town and the University of Cape Town will be in charge of the conference as a joint event in conjunction with the 12th South African Conference on Computational and Applied Mechanics (SACAM2020) under the auspices of the South African Association for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (SAAM), the European Community on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences (ECCOMAS), and also the International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM).

No doubt, Cape Town itself is South Africa’s oldest city and closest to the southern tip of the African continent which makes it a good spot for the event.

Date: Nov 29 – Dec 1 2021

Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm daily

Venue: UCT Graduate School of Business, Cape Town, South Africa

Estimated Turnout: Based on past delegates, expectations are between 100 – 500 participants.

To register for the African Conference on Computational Mechanics, use this link.

Cybertech Africa 2022

Abidemi Ogunyemi-Aderibigbe
-
0
Cybertech Africa 2022

Are you an innovative startup in the cyber industry? Did you miss out on the just-concluded conference? Great news! The Cybertech Africa 2022 is here again.

The conference aims to achieve a B2B networking platform that offers a chance to connect with leading experts from the cyber industry, exposure to a vast range of new developments and technological solutions.

From Tel Aviv and Rome to Tokyo, Singapore, Panama, and many more there have been lots of conferences and exhibitions which serve as the go-to place for all recent updates on innovations, threats, and solutions facing the global cyber arena.

Cybertech Africa 2021, took place on November 22-23 at the Kigali Convention Center in Rwanda, which happens to be the first conference of its kind in the region.
Ranging from lectures to plenary sessions and VIP speakers, Cybertech Africa 2021 featured an extensive exhibition for multinational companies and SMBs alike, also there was a Startup Pavilion, where young and innovative startups displayed their cutting-edge technological innovations.

As a leading platform for the exchange of ideas and knowledge, networking, and B2B opportunities for people in cyber, Cybertech Africa is looking ahead at the future cyber trends as well as developments expected to be seen in sectors such as Agriculture, Healthcare, Finance, Security, and much more.

At Cybertech, the focus is majorly on connecting people with one another with the help of thought-provoking conferences and exhibitions which sets the stage for influential speakers and panelists that are experts and knowledgeable in the most innovative and advanced in new technological cyber projects.

Details of the Cybertech Africa 2022

Date: September 01-02, 2022.

Venue: The Kigali Convention Center in Rwanda

To Register and save the date on:

Click this link for more information.

Surge in Kucoin Users Reached 200 Percent in the First Ten Months of 2021

Abdulquadri Ayilara
-
0
Surge in Kucoin Users Reached 200 Percent in the First Ten Months of 2021

Cryptocurrencies have become a true store of alternative value in African countries afflicted by currency issues or hyperinflation. The same digital currencies are becoming more popular as a means of sending money or making cross-border payments.

Africa appears to have seized the lead when it comes to cryptocurrency or blockchain, despite the fact that it trails far behind the rest of the globe in many other areas.

To put it another way, cryptocurrencies have real-world applications in Africa that go beyond business. Many African bitcoin users or holders are becoming more interested in the commercial aspect of cryptocurrency, according to Johny Lyu, CEO of Kucoin, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

According to him, African consumers have purchased more BTC, ETH, SOL, KDA, and LUNA. The majority of African users are interested in these projects. With the emergence of NFT, Gamefi, and Metaverse, native tokens of these industry-related projects, such as BLOK, DREAMS, and others, have been added to the portfolios of African users. Furthermore, coins like DOGE, SHIB, and ELON have attracted the attention of African investors due to market mood.
He goes on to say in his interview that “Aside from the increase in traffic, the number of new African Kucoin users has exploded, indicating a fresh wave of traditional cash flooding into the crypto sector. The level of adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrencies in Africa is rising, indicating that the crypto business is rapidly developing.
Blockchain could be the next big thing after the internet, and all countries are on the same starting line, thus we feel blockchain may be a way for poor countries to catch up with their industrialized counterparts.”
As part of its preparations for the launch, Infinite Launch stated that it has successfully raised $2.2 million in early private fundraising from prominent investors such as IBA, Everse Capital, Lotus Capital, and Phoenix Newtribe. The Infinite Launch platform is a cutting-edge launchpad for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Non-Fungible Token (NFT) initiatives, allowing investors to participate as early adopters in cutting-edge projects.
Infinite Launch will also be available on KuCoin, one of the largest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Johny Lyu wrapped up by saying “Since the beginning of 2021, both the number of African users and the trading volume on the Kucoin platform have increased each month. In October 2021, the calculated trade volume climbed by 74% over the previous month, while the number of newly registered users increased by nearly 200%. So far, the exchange rate of growth has been constant.”

Data Protection in Nigeria To Be Institutionalized By NITDA

Boluwatife Aponmade
-
0
Data Protection in Nigeria To Be Institutionalized By NITDA

Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is preparing to institutionalize data protection in Nigeria. NITDA has begun the process of licensing and partnering with qualified institutions to set standards, issue certificates on data protection skills in Nigeria, and prepare exams. These processes make part of the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) which is a subsidiary of data legislation in Nigeria.

Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency has strongly advised during a hybrid symposium organized by Lagos State DPOs, on the need for Data Protection Officers (DPOs). He had said, “Data protection officers should constantly keep themselves abreast of trending innovations in keeping their data credible”.

He said it was important to incorporate artificial intelligence into data protection to allow its accuracy and consistency. He went ahead to disclose that there is a need to sieve and compartmentalize data elements that will determine the cloud adoption strategy to be used. He also added that there is a need to create professionals in the data protection world to meet global standards.

“One of the ideas we are mulling over is to have an industry association for DPOs and the proposed DPO forum that would be a peer review mechanism and a point of contact with regulators to shape policies and propose standards for the industry”, the DG said.

According to Kashifu, since the NDPR was issued in 2019, NITDA has empowered DPOs by drafting. Engaging the public, and publishing the NDPR Implementation Framework, is to shed light on the provisions of NDPR for easy applications and interpretation.

He added that the Agency’s partnership with the DPOs has created more than 7,600 new employment roles in the data protection sector. “We envisage that Nigeria would lead Africa by certifying 350,000 people with local and global competence in data protection by 2024”, Inuwa affirmed.

Her Excellency, Ms. Patricia Adusie-Poku, executive commissioner GDPC has lauded NITDA for the great initiative in organizing the symposium to add knowledge value to Data Protection Officers. She said DPOs are like risk managers in their organizations and that it is their responsibility to ensure that all requirements are in place to checkmate data breaches and to promote data protection.

Some of the attendees of the symposium are as follows; Mr. Yaya Itai of First Bank Plc, Mre Moyosore Jide-Taiwo from Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Ridwan Oloyede from TechHive Advisory, Mr. Bharat Soni from GTCO, DR Alexander Anago, and some other data protection officers from different organizations.

African Digital Week 2022

Abidemi Ogunyemi-Aderibigbe
-
0
African Digital Week 2022

African Digital Week is a virtual event devoted to the digital transformation of modern society. It entails about 15 forums, allowing viewers access to useful information about the essential trends related to digital technology. Experts and business leaders from Africa and across the globe will be present to share personal and professional ideas, knowledge, best-case practices, and showcase project experiences.

Goals of the African Digital Week

  • To speed up digital transformation for businesses.
  • Inspire young professionals in taking lead for the digital revolution 
  • To grow overall interest in digital technologies.
  • Create a platform for experts across the globe to share their knowledge and experience.
  • Build a community of professionals with a new mindset towards the digitalization of our world and economy.
  • Present breakthrough innovations in digital technologies.

Details of Event

Date: February  21- 25 2022

Venue: Virtual

The participation in African Digital Week 2022

You can choose to participate in the event as 

To Register for African Digital Week

Free: This ticket is valid for the Expo zone only

Early bird: $40 ($48 incl. VAT) From 01/05/2021 – To 31/10/2021

Regular: $80 ($96 incl. VAT) From 01/11/2021 – To 10/02/2022

Late fee: $160 ($192 incl. VAT) From 11/02/2022 – To 20/02/2022

Ovex Exchange, South Africa, Has Launched the First Rand Stablecoin, Zarp

Abdulquadri Ayilara
-
0
Ovex Exchange, South Africa, Has Launched the First Rand Stablecoin, Zarp

The ZARP Stablecoin, which is tethered to the South African Rand, is now available on the OVEX Exchange, which is based in South Africa. The Kempen Group audits ZARP on a regular basis, attesting to the stable’s token supply and cash maintained in its treasury account.

Simon Dingle, one of ZARP’s founders has noted that the smart contract of ZARP has been audited by Solidity Finance, which has guaranteed the quality of the stable.

Aside from OVEX Exchange, ZARP is also listed on Curve, an Ethereum-based exchange liquidity pool designed for low-risk Stablecoin trading and supplemental fee income for liquidity providers with no opportunity cost. This indicates that yield incentives will be available in native ZAR value on Curve shortly.

Keep3r.network, an innovative decentralized platform meant to improve collaboration between projects that require outside development activities and those that can provide such services, has also been merged with ZARP, according to the company.

South Africans are believed to be able to use DeFi while avoiding RAND (ZAR) exposure thanks to ZARP. As a result, it attempts to deliver the benefits of stablecoins, which, according to Dingle, are critical in representing fiat currencies in the new DeFi environment.

OVEX is the first centralized exchange to list ZARP, demonstrating that the popular cryptocurrency platform is at the cutting edge of the South African business once again.

You may buy ZARP quickly and easily using OVEX’s Buy and Sell Service, which generates quotes for you to accept right away.

OVEX also has an Over-the-Counter desk that offers additional services to businesses and high-net-worth individuals, such as post-trade settlement, margin services, and a 24-hour phone line.

YoungEd Africa Job Opening: Software Developer

Hassan Barakat
-
0
YoungEd Africa Job Opening: Software Developer

YoungEd Africa Initiative (RC150500) is a non-profit organization on a mission to prepare Africa for the future by empowering young Africans to build successful careers in education. Interested in joining the team? Explore the current opening below to apply and a member of the team will review your application and reach out to you if successful.

Software Developer Role

  • Requisition ID: YEDAFR1006
  • Location: Remote (WAT Timezone)
  • Job Type: Contract
  • Length of Contract: 6 Months (Renewable)

​About the Role

YoungEd Africa is looking for an experienced software developer who’ll be responsible for developing web and mobile products to support how we deliver on our mission of preparing Africa for the future by investing in Young African Educators.

​Our goal is to ensure educators enjoy excellent online experiences via YoungEd Africa’s online platforms and you will be working with internal and external stakeholders towards achieving this goal.

​Role Description

On this role you will be:

  • Responsible for building and maintaining modern web and mobile applications.
  • Writing and maintaining clean and reusable code.
  • Developing internal tools and dashboards to support program execution and decision-making.
  • Working with product managers/designers and providing recommendations to improve overall product design and user experience.

Requirements

  • Minimum of 2 years experience building modern web and mobile applications.
  • Fullstack development experience, with proficiency in frontend and backend technologies/languages – HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React/React Native, MyQSL, PHP, Python NodeJs, etc
  • Experience using cross-platform development frameworks.
  • Experience with Rest API development and integration.
  • Proficient in developing and optimizing web scrapping and automation tools.
  • Knowledge of modern web development tools like WordPress, WiX, Webflow, etc
  • Strong technical and product documentation skills.
  • Experience in using code version tools like Git
  • Experience with AWS or other cloud services is a plus
  • Familiarity with collaboration and project management tools like Trello, Slack, Notion, etc.
  • Able to work effectively with remote teams in different time zones.
  • Able to deliver on tight project timelines with excellent and timely communications on progress and risks.

Additional Details and Benefits

  • Competitive Salary
  • Free internet per month
  • Flexible working hours

Click this link to apply for the YoungEd Africa software developer role.

Tunisian Fintech Startup Kaoun Adds New Features to Its Mobile Banking App

Sopuruchukwu Elizabeth Mba
-
0
Tunisian Fintech Startup Kaoun Adds New Features to Its Mobile Banking App

Tunisian fintech startup Kaoun has added new features to its mobile baking app. This is following their participation in a regulatory Sandbox put together by the Central Bank of Tunisia.

The Tunisian fintech startup Kaoun was co-founded in January 2018 by Rostom Bouazizi, Nebras Jemel, and Aris Kallel after obtaining certificates from universities in the United States.

Having observed the digital baking system, the affordability, and the quality of services provided by this banking style, the team decided to pitch their financial inclusion plan in Tunisia by employing the same banking method.

The co-founders established Kaoun and launched the Flouci mobile banking app with the mission of banking the millions of unbanked adults in Tunisia, and to offer reliable alternative banking services to the already banked.

The Flouci mobile banking app brings financial solutions directly to customers by removing the stumbling blocks of cost and distance. The app offers peer-to-peer merchandizing, bill payments, and e-commerce.

The Sandbox is a new development by the central bank of Tunisia to work hand in hand with innovative startups while utilizing information on real data to transform the regulatory framework.

Kaoun is one of its first cohorts and has implemented the use of the electronic Know Your Customer process to open free banking accounts for the underbanked and unbanked.

This involves making use of a proprietary identification process that enables Strong Customer Authentication as opposed to the identification process of video interviews with banking agents. The goal is to cut down to minutes the time it takes to process and open accounts and wallets for customers.

“The national decashing strategy first starts with providing better payment tools, suited for the needs of the target populations currently excluded from these services and forced to work in the informal sector and to only use cash;”

“We realized that facilitating access to financial services with a 100 percent free banking offer opened remotely and in under an hour can help contribute to that, on top of the transfer and payment functionalities integrated with Flouci. We would like, through this collaboration with the Central Bank of Tunisia, to allow every financial institution to use this technology, and reduce the cost and time of access to essential financial services. The technology allows it, and the regulations will make it possible at scale,” Anis Kallel explained.

1...444546...60Page 45 of 60