Author: Brand Spot

Microsoft has opened a new research institute in Nairobi, its first in the continent, which will be housed at the newly opened African Development Centre (ADC) offices in Wetlands’ Dunhill Towers. “Digital technology is transforming work, and deep scientific innovation is required to enable productive and sustainable futures for everyone,” said Jaime Teevan, Chief Scientist for Microsoft. The Microsoft Africa Research Institute (MARI) will be at the forefront of inventing new technologies to advance scientific knowledge in the field of computer science. It will conduct cutting edge research in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Systems and…

Zalego Academy has announced that it is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver training and certification for cloud skills to learners in Kenya. Zalego Academy has joined the cloud provider’s Training Partner Program and will concentrate on social impact initiatives. This training will not only enable cloud fluency for unemployed youth and graduates to leverage the power of the cloud but will also create a new pathway of economic opportunity for young people to partake in cloud computing jobs. This Training Partner Program is designed for organizations like Zalego Academy, that meet or exceed rigorous criteria for delivering and…

Bolt has kicked off its second phase of the #Drive4WITech internship program that seeks to empower women in technology across Africa. The #Drive4WITech is a program by Bolt that aims to train, mentor and empower young women seeking to jumpstart their careers in the tech space regardless of their fields of study. The program is designed to offer women at the start of their careers access to Top Bolt executives with years of experience across Europe and Africa for mentorship and guidance.  Upon completion of the programme, successful candidates also get the chance to be employed by Bolt and work across its…

By Jack Ngare We have observed a significant march toward complete digitization of the world in recent years. The usage of and reliance on technology has expanded considerably since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic. Furthermore, technological advances have become increasingly vital to enterprises and a big section of the worldwide population’s daily lives. As a result, cloud services are being used by organizations such as governments, companies, and small businesses to modernize and innovate. Without a doubt, the pandemic has shown that digitally fortified businesses are more adaptable, resilient, and capable of transforming when faced with a crisis. Several…

Leading African digital payments company DPO Group has announced three partnerships with companies in the digital payments sector. The increased momentum for partnerships follows last year’s landmark acquisition by Network International, a globally renowned enabler of digital commerce. Following the acquisition, DPO Group has increased its operations in new markets both in Africa, partnering with businesses in key African territories, from local businesses to continental airlines. DPO began 2022 with more than 60,000 active registered merchants and is set to increase this number through tactical partnerships and new territory launches. These new partnerships will allow customers to access efficient eCommerce…

After three years of successful operation in Kenya, Microsoft’s premier engineering hub, the African Development Centre (ADC), is relocating to its own offices in Nairobi, demonstrating the company’s commitment to the continent. The ADC will now be based at Dunhill Towers along Waiyaki Way in its new ultra-modern state-of-the-art facility, the first of its kind serving the East African region. The facility will house the engineering, design, research, and innovation teams, as well as the Microsoft Garage, an incubation hub launched as part of the ongoing efforts to scale tech innovation in the continent. The facility was officially launched by…

Kenya has the opportunity to become a continental leader in FinTech and dramatically boost financial inclusion by enhancing the existing ecosystem, according to a new research from TheCityUK and the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC) developed by PwC. Doing so will take a renewed focus by the public and private sector to addressing barriers to entry and growth for start-ups, helping start-ups to access more capital and achieve scale, and adopting a cross-sector approach to FinTech regulation. The research, set out in a report ‘FinTech in Kenya: Toward an enhanced policy and regulatory framework’, found that Kenya is already well-established…

If there is one thing that Covid-19 taught humanity was the need to appreciate life. It taught us that life is unpredictable and things can change at any moment and that it is better to enjoy life to the fullest whenever one can. At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people were confined indoors. And during that isolation, many longed for something that could soothe them. Something that could hit them, and instead of feeling pain, feel some kind of vibration that will instill some hope in them. It was at that time that music came in handy.…

The 2022 season of Microsoft’s Africa Development Center (ADC)-sponsored Game of Learners (GOL) competition has officially begun. The GOL initiative, now in its third year, aims to improve digital and coding abilities among African university students. It’s organized as a 5-week hackathon around a theme, with teams led by Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors tackling a current issue. The objective this year is to propose a solution that reduces or reverses gas emissions and footprints, based on the important theme of Climate Change & Sustainability. Before the hackathon, the teams receive instruction on the technologies they will use to answer the challenge. The participants’ journeys,…

MediaTek has launched the Dimensity 700 and Dimensity 1200 chips across the African market with unrivalled AI, camera and multimedia features for powerful 5G experiences. This launch of chipsets will give device makers a full suite of options for 5G smartphone models – from premium to mainstream market devices – making 5G more accessible for consumers everywhere. “MediaTek continues to expand its 5G portfolio with highly integrated solutions for a range of devices from the high end to the mid-tier,” said Rami Osman, director for corporate sales and marketing, MediaTek Middle East. “MediaTek Dimensity 1200 and 700 5G chips integrate our latest technologies for…