Africa Business, Author at AfricaBusiness.com

5Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Startups

From Start-Up Origins to AI Innovation: Suppple unveils seeek.ai, Africa’s first conversational AI for multilingual information search & access

Born from a start-up vision to solve pressing digital challenges, Suppple has grown into an established player in the African tech landscape. With its recent provisional listing on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, Suppple underscores its commitment to delivering innovative digital solutions tailored to Africa’s unique needs. At today’s Government Transformation Summit in London, Suppple brings its pioneering spirit and expertise to the forefront, addressing the critical topic of collaboration between dynamic tech companies and government to drive public sector innovation. Leveraging its experience rooted in start-up origins, Suppple introduces seeek.ai - a multilingual conversational AI crafted to democratise information access across the continent. “Our journey from start-up origins has s...

5Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Africa Travel

Following record figures in H1 2023, Club Med has achieved another record-breaking semester

Following record figures in 2023, Club Med has achieved a new record performance for the first half of 2024. In an increasingly challenging French and global context, Club Med has again demonstrated the success and relevance of its strategy to move glocal and upmarket, and its profound business model transformation. Henri Giscard d’Estaing, President of Club Med, stated: "This semester marks a decisive turning point: Club Med's move upmarket is now achieved, with 100% of its Resorts now upscale or very upscale. I am very proud of the collective transformation accomplished by our teams over the past two decades. Being the employer of choice in the hospitality industry is one of our main priorities, which is contributing decisively to our success. During the first half of 2024, Club Med...

31Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Startups

EMERGING Valley Returns in 2024 to Connect Investors and Startups Between Europe and Africa

Aix-Marseille-Provence, elected European Capital of Innovation, will host the 8th edition of the EMERGING Valley summit on December 3, 2024. Under the High Patronage of President Emmanuel Macron, this event will take place in Marseille and at thecamp, a futuristic venue designed to foster collaboration and innovation. Historically supported by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, the Euroméditerranée Public Development Agency, the Departmental Council of Bouches-du-Rhône, and the City of Marseille—founding partners since its inception—EMERGING Valley acts as a catalyst for digital innovations and strategic investments. Its goal is to position the Aix-Marseille-Provence region as the hub for impactful innovation and tech startups between Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa. The su...

30Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Tech

Protecting your data from face-stealing scams

As facial recognition technology becomes more widespread, many people are embracing it as a secure and convenient means of authentication. With tech giants like Apple popularising Face ID, which not only encrypts facial data and only stores it on device in Secure Enclave, but also uses sophisticated 3D scanning that can’t be easily fooled or compromised, financial institutions however have also integrated facial recognition into their security protocols. However, Adrian Stanford, Group CTO at ESET Southern Africa, says the latest ESET Threat Report H1 2024 reveals that cybercriminals are adapting quickly to the use of less sophisticated biometric technology. Using advanced techniques, attackers are now exploiting AI-driven face-swapping services to bypass security measures and gain unau...

30Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

AfricaCom 2024: French Companies Ready to Transform the African Digital Landscape

From November 12 to 14, 2024, Business France will showcase French expertise at the AfricaCom 2024 exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa. This essential event for telecommunications and digital transformation in Africa will gather over 15,000 visitors and 400 exhibitors from around the world. South Africa: A Strategic Market for Innovation With 4G coverage reaching 98% and rapid 5G deployment, South Africa is establishing itself as the digital hub of the continent. The country attracts significant investments in telecoms, with nearly €1.8 billion invested in 2023, and positions itself as a key player thanks to its 69 data centers and 9 submarine cables. An unprecedented growth in African telecommunications. The France Pavilion: A Gathering of Leading Companies in Digital Innovation Thi...

30Oct

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African News, Ethiopia News, Events

AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective. Empowering Youth Across Africa and Europe

On 14th October 2024, the AU-EU Youth Lab programme officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, marking a pivotal milestone in empowering African youth and fostering their active participation in decision-making processes. The Kick-off ceremony gathered key partners from the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab and AU-EU Youth Action Lab, alongside members of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), the EU-Ethiopia Youth Sounding Board, and youth representatives from across Africa. High-level dialogues with decision-makers, including H.E. Jutta Urpilainen, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, and H.E. Javier Niño Pérez, EU Ambassador to the African Union, showcased the Lab’s transformative potential for youth engagement on the continent. The complete video of the ceremony is accessible online, off...

30Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Zimbabwe News

The Real Need for an African Glocal Music Academy—Meeting the Financial Needs of Local Musicians Across the Continent

By Walter Wanyanya, a Board member of African Cultural Connections (ACA) and Founder & Artistic Director of the Jacaranda Music Festival, Jabulani Jazz Festival, & the Flame Lily Rock Music Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe. Music in Africa has long been more than just an art form—it is a powerful tool for communication and storytelling, reflecting the continent’s rich and diverse history. Despite Africa’s global recognition in the music industry, many local musicians face financial struggles, preventing them from fully reaping the benefits of their talent. Fragmented national music industries, lack of infrastructure, and limited financial support have left artists with little resources to sustain their careers. Establishing an African "Glocal" Music Academy, bridging global and loc...

25Oct

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African News, Business

Absa Closes Significant Trade Finance Facility with BII

Absa has successfully secured a $150 million facility from British International Investment (BII) PLC as part of its mission to help close the trade finance gap in Africa. BII (formerly known as CDC) is a UK-based Development Finance Institution (DFI) focused on investing patient capital to foster productive, sustainable, and inclusive economies. Absa, as the borrower in this transaction, will utilise the funds to support this objective, with a specific focus on the African continent. Names from left to right are: Nick O’Donohoe, CEO, BII Anneliese Dodds, UK Minister for Development Charles Russon, Interim Group CEO, Absa Group “Our unyielding commitment to the success of the continent continues to drive us to find solutions to serve our customers in a meaningful and ...

24Oct

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South Africa News, Tech

Futuretech: Telkom, NRF launch tech research funding initiative

The programme will benefit historically disadvantaged academic institutions Telkom and the National Research Foundation (NRF) have announced the launch of the Future Technologies (FutureTech) programme, a new initiative to co-fund technology research grants and the studies of postgraduate students and postdoctoral Fellows, to help drive innovation. The FutureTech programme will support local universities in the research and development of future innovations, solutions and technologies. This will improve competitiveness in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector and other related fields. Commenting on the partnership, CEO of Openserve, Althon Beukes, said the company was pleased to contribute. ‘’Through the Futuretech programme we are investing in the future of South Afric...

17Oct

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Fintech, South Africa News

Is cash dead? If your answer is yes you’re missing the point… and millions of customers

By Cat Denoon-Stevens, Head of Product Incubation at Mukuru Is cash truly dead? With the rapid rise of fintech innovations and digital payment solutions, one might think so. Yet, despite the digital revolution sweeping across African societies, cash remains very much alive—and for millions, it is still the preferred way to transact. With the massive influx of fintech companies constantly innovating to bring accessible products and services to the underserved and unbanked in African societies, one might be tempted to declare that cash is dead, or that if it isn’t dead yet, it is on its very last legs. However, fintechs that are well-embedded in Africa and other emerging markets will be well aware that cash is, in fact, alive and well. In many instances, it is the primary form of tender....