insert_link Africa Fintech and energy illuminate DR Congo’s nascent startup ecosystem By Conrad Onyango, via bird story agency The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one of the world’s most resource-rich countries, is carving out a new prosperity niche as it emerges on the global tech scene. Known for its green metals, cobalt and copper, and the world's second-largest rainforest, the newest member of the East African Community is having a moment in the startup ecosystem. In 2023 the country raised […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 20
insert_link Business / Economics Major Belgian factory investment marks development of new harvester set to enhance arable farm efficiency World-leading combine harvester to be produced at New Holland’s Center of Harvesting Excellence in Zedelgem, Belgium Machine to be produced on completely renewed assembly line part-funded by government support alongside investment from parent firm CNH Industrial New CR11 combine extends further the productivity, efficiency and sustainability credentials of the existing world-record-holding CR10.90 In a major development in high-capacity harvesting set to help large farms gather their crops more efficiently […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 13
insert_link Africa Rwanda pushes Africa towards universal smartphone access By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency Progressive policy reforms and the influx of budget-friendly smartphones are steering Africa towards complete digital connectivity in just over a decade. Rwanda's recently-announced, three-year target is the most ambitious on the continent, although statistics show that other nations are also rapidly closing in on similar milestones. As part of Kigali's innovative funding scheme, citizens can obtain handsets at the subsidised price of […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 21
insert_link Business / Economics Business Leadership in an AI World in 2024 Europe faces a challenging year ahead. The confluence of several disruptive factors – geopolitical conflict, rising inflation, economic uncertainty, increased regulatory pressure, and last, but by no means least, the impact of new technologies – will undoubtedly test leaders to the limit in the year to come. Speaking with business leaders across the region, several common themes have emerged. From the urgent need to build greater resilience and reduce […] todayJanuary 19, 2024 13
insert_link Science & Technology Japan’s little Moon toy: the camera probe ready to roll By Natsuko Fukue On board Japan's "Moon Sniper" spacecraft is a little robot with a big mission: to pop open like a Transformer toy, wiggle across the lunar surface and beam images back to Earth. The shape-shifting SORA-Q probe -- co-developed by a major toy company -- has been compared to a friendly "Star Wars" droid and a sea turtle because of the way its metal form can navigate the […] todayJanuary 19, 2024 16
insert_link Africa Rising megacities: A superhighway for Africa’s shared mobility market By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency As Africa's urban centres continue to grow and with an increasing number of cities now expected to surpass 10 million residents, the shared mobility sector is expanding fast too, raising prospects of more income for cab-hailing companies and drivers. Global management firm, Oliver Wyman, has revealed in a new report that ride-hailing, scooter or e-bike rentals, and car-sharing, which together make up […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 10
insert_link Science & Technology South African researchers are tracing the vibrational language of elephants – using fossils By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Researchers in South Africa have unearthed groundbreaking evidence that sheds light on the ancient communication methods of elephants. A research team led by Charles Helm of the African Centre for Coastal Palaescience at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa published the report on ScienceDirect, a scientific research journal, in September 2023. The team discovered 35 fossilized elephant track sites, some of which are the […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 33
insert_link Science & Technology AI Governance Alliance Calls for Inclusive Access to Advanced Artificial Intelligence The AI Governance Alliance (AIGA) released today a series of three new reports on advanced artificial intelligence (AI). The papers focus on generative AI governance, unlocking its value and a framework for responsible AI development and deployment. The alliance brings together governments, businesses and experts to shape responsible AI development applications and governance, and to ensure equitable distribution and enhanced access to this path-departing technology worldwide. “The AI Governance Alliance is uniquely […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 8
insert_link Health / Medical Artificial wombs could someday be a reality – here’s how they may change our notions of parenthood Artificial womb technology could eventually make it possible to grow a foetus from conception to “birth” wholly outside the human body. Marko Aliaksandr/ Shutterstock Stephen Wilkinson, Lancaster University; Nicola J. Williams, Lancaster University, and Sara Fovargue, University of Sheffield Our reproductive lives are considerably different from those of our ancestors, thanks in part to health innovations that have taken place over the past few decades. Practices such as IVF, donor […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 9
