THIS WEEK IN TECH

By Nosa Alekhuogie

nosa.alekhuogie@thisdaylive.com

08097710948

Tech Top 5 News

Techstars, ARM Lab Conclude Accelerator Programme for African Tech Startups

Techstars, in collaboration with Nigerian technology innovation hub ARM Lab, recently concluded its second edition of the ARM Lab Lagos Techstars Accelerator, a 13-week programme coaching 12 founders, culminating in a successful Demonstration Day and fundraiser.

This accelerator program served as a platform for founders to refine their ideas through world-class mentorship, fostering a community of innovators dedicated to solving global challenges.

The partnership between Techstars and ARM Lab aims to foster innovation in Africa by supporting founders in building sustainable businesses, facilitating access to venture capital, and promoting a culture of social transformation through technology.

The 2023 accelerator marks the second edition of the pan-African tech accelerator program curated by ARM Lab Lagos Techstars Accelerator, nurturing startups spanning fintech, health tech, renewable energy, transportation, and MSME empowerment.

Oyin Solebo, Managing Director of the ARM Lab Lagos Techstars Accelerator, emphasised the program’s focus on ensuring business sustainability, providing founders mentorship and investor access, and delivering impactful solutions to societies.

Speaking on the importance of fundraising, Solebo highlighted the program’s role in helping startups build sustainable businesses and connect with investors, leading to significant revenue growth and increased investor interest.

Deputy Group CEO of ARM Holding Company, Sadiq Mohammed, underscored the strategic partnership with Techstars to support African-based solutions while bridging the funding gap for founders. He emphasized ARM’s commitment to helping clients build diversified portfolios by leveraging investment opportunities in the tech space.

Investors at the event expressed optimism about the pitched products, stressing the importance of continuous adaptation to socio-economic trends to remain relevant in the market.

Founding Partner, Beta. Ventures, Ovo Emorhokpor, emphasised the significance of product usability and business success in attracting investor interest, urging founders to focus on building companies that customers genuinely want.

Overall, the ARM Lab Lagos Techstars Accelerator signifies a collaborative effort to drive innovation, empower startups, and address pressing challenges across Africa’s tech ecosystem.

Hitch Africa’s Road Safety Training for Cab Drivers Launches

Hitch Africa, a forthcoming super app set to revolutionise the market with its borderless offerings, is gearing up to launch a series of one-day training sessions to enhance road safety and promote healthy lifestyles among cab drivers in Lagos and Abuja.

The training sessions, scheduled to commence operations soon, will focus on defensive driving techniques, vehicle inspection procedures, and health outreach initiatives tailored specifically for cab drivers. These efforts underscore Hitch Africa’s commitment to ensuring its drivers possess the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver premium service by global standards.

CEO of Hitch Africa, Paul Obalonye, emphasised the significance of the initiative, stating, “Hitch Africa is dedicated to prioritising partner readiness, equipping drivers with the essential tools and competencies to provide high-quality service and meet the expectations of our clients.”

The training kicked off in Lagos on February 21 at the Funplex Arena, CMD, Ketu. The Abuja session is scheduled for February 29 at the National Commission for College of Education, Central Business District, Abuja.

In addition to enhancing driving skills, the program includes health checks to ensure drivers maintain optimal health, contributing to safer roads for all users. Hitch Africa recognises that quality service delivery is fundamental to business sustainability and aims to foster a supportive environment that empowers all stakeholders within the value chain.

The event is organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Council of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON) and Auto Power Technologies, Abuja, reflecting Hitch Africa’s commitment to fostering partnerships that deliver world-class service and prioritise the welfare and safety of its partners and stakeholders.

With its mission to redefine convenience and accessibility, Hitch Africa aims to empower users to access essential services on their terms, positioning itself as a transformative force in the On-Demand Service sector.

Google Empowers African Businesses with AI-Driven Search Ads Tool

Businesses across Africa are now equipped with a powerful tool to enhance their online presence: Google’s Gemini AI for Search Ads. This innovative advertising solution, powered by artificial intelligence, streamlines the process of ad creation, offering businesses of all sizes a platform to amplify their visibility in the digital landscape.

In regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where internet usage is steadily increasing, the accessibility of Google Gemini is particularly impactful. This innovative tool provides a conversational AI experience, simplifying the complexities of digital marketing. By tailoring strategies to bolster customer engagement online, it presents accessible solutions for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital sphere.

The Search Ads & Ads on Google Experiences GM, Shashi Thakur, highlights the significance of this advancement, stating, “Creating effective ads can be time-consuming, especially for small businesses. Our new conversational experience helps businesses of all sizes tap into the power of Google AI to create successful Search campaigns with remarkable ease.”

The introduction of the conversational experience within Google Ads has already demonstrated tangible benefits. Businesses utilising this feature are 42 per cent more likely to publish Search campaigns with ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ Ad Strength, directly impacting conversion rates and overall ad quality.

This initiative aligns with Google’s broader mission to empower small businesses in Africa and globally by facilitating the creation of impactful Search ads. Leveraging AI to generate headlines and descriptions based on website content automatically, businesses can dynamically respond to relevant searches, enhancing their visibility in search results.

Furthermore, the conversational AI experience for Google Search Ads is now accessible worldwide for English-speaking advertisers, with plans underway to extend support to additional languages soon. This expansion underscores Google’s commitment to democratising access to effective advertising tools, fostering online business growth on a global scale.

Amidst Widespread Panic, Google Says Gmail ‘Here to Stay’

Dispelling the recent frenzy sparked by rumours circulating on social media platform X, Google has confirmed that Gmail is not facing any shutdown and is “here to stay.”

A viral post on X had caused widespread concern by alleging that Gmail was on the brink of closure. This post included a screenshot of an email from Google, titled ‘Google is sunsetting Gmail,’ which swiftly made rounds across the internet, triggering panic among users who feared the potential demise of the popular email service.

The alarming message in the screenshot declared, “After years of connecting millions worldwide, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service,” with a specified date of August 1, 2024, as the cessation of Gmail’s support for sending, receiving, or storing emails.

This post garnered significant attention, amassing over four million views of the screenshot and sparking controversy among Gmail users. However, scepticism arose regarding the message’s authenticity, with some questioning its legitimacy as a forgery or hoax.

Google swiftly intervened to address the situation, clarifying that the only recent modification to Gmail was the transition of its default view from ‘basic HTML’ to a new, more vibrant interface in January 2024. This adjustment aimed to enhance user experience without compromising the service’s functionality or availability.

With this confirmation from Google, users can rest assured that Gmail remains a stable and enduring platform for their email communication needs.

Kaspersky Report Reveals Rising Cyber Threats Across Africa

Kaspersky’s latest report shines a spotlight on the cyber threat landscape in Africa, with particular concern raised over Nigeria’s eight per cent spike in banking malware attacks in 2023.

Despite an overall 10 per cent decrease in cyber threats nationwide, the uptick in assaults aimed at online banking credentials and sensitive data presents a significant cause for concern.

According to the statement released by Kaspersky, “Nigeria witnessed an overall decrease in all threats by 10 per cent while banking malware attacks designed to harvest online banking credentials and other sensitive information from infected devices increased by eight per cent.”

The trend observed in Nigeria reflects broader patterns across the African region. While South Africa saw a notable 29 per cent decline in overall cyber threats, phishing attacks leveraging social engineering tactics surged by 29 per cent.

Similarly, Kenya recorded an eight per cent drop in overall threats but faced a surge in ransomware attacks by 68 per cent, backdoors by 47 per cent, exploits by 22 per cent, and phishing by 19 per cent.

Kaspersky’s analysis also reveals the varying impact of online threats across different countries. Countries with the highest rates of user impact include Turkiye at 41.8 per cent, Kenya at 39.2 per cent, Qatar at 38.8 per cent, and South Africa at 35 per cent. Conversely, Oman (23.4 per cent) and Egypt (27.4 per cent) experienced fewer instances of user impact, followed by Saudi Arabia (29.9 per cent) and Kuwait (30.8 per cent).

Amin Hasbini, Director of the META Research Centre Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) at Kaspersky, attributes the evolving cyber landscape to the proliferation of advanced technologies like AI, alongside escalating geopolitical and economic turbulence within the META region. These factors contribute to the increasing sophistication and diversity of cyber threats, posing significant challenges for cybersecurity efforts.

Hasbini stated, “As the cybersecurity landscape evolves, cyber threats continue to become diverse and sophisticated. This trend is particularly evident due to the emergence of advanced technologies like AI and the escalating geopolitical and economic turbulence within the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa (META) region. These factors collectively contribute to the surge in cybercrime and the heightened complexity of cyberattacks.”

Tech Personality of The Week

Okwuada: Using Technology to Revolutionise Health Care Delivery in Africa

This week’s tech personality is Samuel Okwuada.

A pharmacist and self-taught software developer, Okwuada embarked on a remarkable journey that led him from building his first product at 17 to becoming the chief executive officer of Remedial Health. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, Remedial Health is a Y Combinator-backed startup at the forefront of digitising the pharmaceutical supply chain in Africa.

Samuel’s entrepreneurial spirit first emerged at a young age when he created Macbundler. After a market shift, he sold the product to a private US company. He later launched Oyoyo, a fashion B2C company, while exploring the development of a web scraper tool.

At Remedial Health, Samuel’s role as CEO involves providing software solutions to pharmacies and hospitals, optimising inventory management, and enhancing sales processes. The company facilitates the seamless sourcing of pharmaceutical products from major manufacturers like GSK, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca, thereby improving accessibility and affordability.

Established in 2021 and officially launched in 2022, Remedial Health has experienced remarkable growth. In February 2022, it secured $1 million in pre-seed funding, followed by an additional $4.4 million in seed funding in September of the same year. By December 2022, the company boasted over 3,000 users and achieved profitability, a testament to Samuel’s strategic vision and the team’s dedication to revolutionising healthcare in Africa.