USIU student team qualifies for Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship

USIU student team qualifies for Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship

Kenya’s student team TAWI has qualified for the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship set to take place in May. The team emerged winners in the education category of the 2023 Imagine Cup world finals qualifying round. Beating 15 other teams to become the top-scoring team and 2023 Europe Middle East and Africa(EMEA) champions. They won USD5,000 in prizes.

Team TAWI also qualified from 48 competing global teams to be selected among the top 3 that will compete in the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship. Where they will compete for the Imagine Cup trophy, the grand prize of USD100,000 to develop their project, and a mentoring session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella.

Microsoft Imagine Cup World finalist from Kenya Team TAWI

Team TAWI consists of Muna Said Nomy, John Onsongo Mabeya, Syntiche Musawu, Applied Computer Technology, and Zakariya Hussein, Data Science and Analytics undergraduate students of the United States International University (USIU) – Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. Their innovative solution TAWI looks to make a difference in the lives of those who struggle with auditory processing.

The USIU student team will become the second from the institution to make it to the finals of the Microsoft student technology competition in three successive years. The former became the first student team from Africa to win the competition in its history.

The home-based software leverages real-time speech recognition technology to help children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) communicate more effectively. Instead of traditional hearing aids, TAWI uses earphones to amplify speech and cancel out background noise, making it easier for children with APD to engage in conversations and interact with others. It includes noise cancellation, sound amplification, speech-to-text conversion, and auditory training exercises.

The team will present TAWI at Microsoft Build 2023 where the Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship takes place. They will compete against the winning teams from the Americas and Asia regions. Eupnea from the United States and CS-M Tool from Thailand, both from the Health category.

Student teams, Smart Farmer and iBoost from Kenya also emerged as EMEA winners in the Earth and Lifestyle categories respectively.

Hongera to these incredible young developers and all the best to Team TAWI in the championship!🎉

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UPDATE: 05/04/2023
– corrected the MEA winning prize value from USD50,000 to read USD5,000.
– corrected study program

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3 ways blockchain technology lets small businesses in Africa overcome barriers and unlock new opportunities

3 ways blockchain technology lets small businesses in Africa overcome barriers and unlock new opportunities

Blockchain technology is a platform for designing financial services that can bridge many gaps in today’s virtual market system. It allows for data to be synchronized across multiple, independent stakeholders, enabling greater transparency, efficiency, and security. Blockchain technology can have a significant impact on small businesses in Africa, especially in the areas of payment solutions, access to finance, and operational improvement.

Payment solutions

Blockchain technology can facilitate low-cost, real-time, and cross-border payments for small businesses in Africa. This can help them overcome the challenges of high fees, slow transactions, and currency fluctuations that often hamper their trade with local and international partners. For example, Stellar is a blockchain network that connects payment systems, banks, and people around the world, allowing for fast and cheap money transfers. Stellar has partnered with several African fintech companies, such as Flutterwave, Cowrie, and ClickPesa, to provide blockchain-based payment solutions for small businesses in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania.

A small businesses owner in Africa using a laptop to work

Access to finance

Blockchain technology can also help small businesses in Africa access more funding opportunities and build a credit history. Many small businesses in Africa face difficulties in obtaining loans from traditional financial institutions due to a lack of collateral, documentation, and credit scores. Blockchain technology can enable alternative lending platforms that use smart contracts, digital assets, and peer-to-peer networks to provide loans to small businesses based on their transaction history, reputation, and social capital. For example, Bitbond is a blockchain-based lending platform that connects borrowers and lenders globally, offering loans to small businesses in Africa without intermediaries or credit checks.

Operational improvement

Blockchain technology can also enhance the operational efficiency and productivity of small businesses in Africa by automating processes, reducing fraud, and improving supply chain management. It can enable smart contracts that execute automatically based on predefined conditions, eliminating the need for manual intervention and verification. Blockchain technology can also provide a secure and immutable record of transactions and data, reducing the risk of tampering, corruption, and theft. Blockchain technology can also improve the traceability and transparency of supply chains, allowing small businesses to verify the origin, quality, and delivery of their products. For example, Bext360 is a blockchain-based platform that tracks the journey of coffee beans from farmers to consumers, ensuring fair trade and quality control.

In conclusion, blockchain technology can have a positive impact on small businesses in Africa by providing them with more efficient, affordable, and accessible financial services and business solutions. Blockchain technology can help small businesses overcome some of the barriers they face in today’s market system and unlock new opportunities for growth and development.

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Here are tips on how to become a successful content creator in 2023

Here are tips on how to become a successful content creator in 2023

If you love creating and sharing content online, you might be wondering how to become a successful content creator in 2023. Content creation is a booming industry that offers many opportunities for people who have something valuable, entertaining, or educational to say. But what exactly is a content creator, and what do you need to succeed in this field? Here are some answers and tips to help you get started.

A content creator is someone who produces and distributes content through any medium or channel. Content can be anything from videos, blogs, podcasts, social media posts, newsletters, ebooks, and more. Content creators use their skills and creativity to communicate a message, tell a story, or teach something to their audience.

an image showing a successful content creator sitting at a desk
Image by DCStudio on Freepik

Successful content creator tips

To be a successful content creator in 2023, you need more than just good content. You also need to have a clear vision of your niche, your audience, and your goals. Here are some tools, tips, and tricks that can help you become a great content creator:

Find your niche and know your audience.

A niche is a specific topic or area of interest that you focus on. Knowing your niche will help you create content that is relevant, engaging, and unique. Knowing your audience will help you understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. You can use tools like Google Trends, BuzzSumo, or AnswerThePublic to research popular topics and keywords in your niche. You can also use social media analytics, surveys, or feedback forms to learn more about your audience.

Create a content strategy and plan.

A content strategy is a roadmap that guides your content creation process. It helps you define your goals, your value proposition, your tone of voice, your content types, your distribution channels, and your metrics. A content plan is a schedule that outlines what content you will create, when you will create it, and how you will promote it. You can use tools like Trello, Asana, or CoSchedule to organize your content strategy and plan.

image of asuccessful african content creator
mage by DCStudio on Freepik

Produce high-quality and consistent content.

Quality and consistency are key to building trust and loyalty with your audience. Quality means that your content is well-researched, well-written, well-edited, well-designed, and well-presented. Consistency means that your content follows a certain style, format, frequency, and tone. You can use tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, Canva, or Adobe Spark to improve the quality of your content. You can also use tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Later to schedule and automate your content distribution.

Optimize your content for SEO and social media.

SEO (search engine optimization) and social media are two of the most important ways to increase the visibility and reach of your content. SEO helps your content rank higher on search engines like Google or Bing. Social media helps your content get shared and discovered by more people on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. You can use tools like Yoast, Moz, or SEMrush to optimize your content for SEO. You can also use tools like Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay to find royalty-free images for your content.

Engage with your audience and grow your community to be a successful content creator.

Engagement and community are essential for building relationships and loyalty with your audience. Engagement means that you interact with your audience by responding to their comments, questions, feedback, or reviews. Community means that you create a sense of belonging and connection among your audience by encouraging them to share their stories, opinions, or experiences. You can use tools like Podia, Patreon, or Substack to create membership sites, newsletters, or online courses for your audience. You can also use tools like Discord, Slack, or Facebook Groups to create online communities for your audience.

Content creation is a rewarding and exciting career that allows you to express yourself creatively and share your knowledge with others. By following these tips and using these tools, you can become a successful content creator in 2023.

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Students from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa qualify for the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals

Students from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa qualify for the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals

University student teams from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa are among the shortlisted finalist of the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals. They are among 16 teams who will represent the Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region at the Microsoft Imagine Cup student technology competition.

The African teams consist of seven teams from Kenya, one from Nigeria, and one from South Africa. The remaining finalist teams from the region come from the UK, Pakistan, UAE, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The EMEA teams will be competing with 32 other finalist teams from the Americas and Asia regions. For a chance to win USD50,000 in prizes and a spot to present at the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship.

Only three teams will make it to the next stage of the technology competition. The teams will need to get the top-scoring points in the region or category to progress to the next stage. The winning teams will get support from Microsoft mentors to prepare for the World Championship in May during Microsoft Build. Where they will win the grand prize of USD100,000 and a mentoring session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella.

African student teams have been performing exceptionally well in the technology competition that seeks to empower the next generation of creators and problem-solvers. In 2021 and for the first time in its 19-year history, an African student team from Kenya won the technology competition.

Here is a highlight of the African teams and their projects.

2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup logo backdrop and throphy

2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup Africa finalists

Team CAi from Kenya. Project category: Health

CAi is an AI-powered wearable device that detects seizures both prior to occurrence and in real-time and alerts caretakers. It uses the patient’s vital signs and body movements to detect seizure-like symptoms.

Team Paramount from South Africa. Project category: Earth

This system addresses the lack of participation in recycling through a gamification approach. Users earn points and badges for recycling and can also use the app to identify the correct bin to use.

Team iBoost from Kenya. Project category: Lifestyle

iBoost is a smart signal amplifier that leverages Azure Machine Learning, Bing Maps platform, and a host of other Microsoft technologies to bring an end to the internet connectivity and cellular network challenges brought about by poor network coverage.

Team IBTRS from Nigeria. Project category: Lifestyle

Institution based transport system (IBTRS) is based on a shuttle management system, IBTRS uses a telegram bot and RFID system to book shuttles at an affordable price for institutions, students, and workers and maximize efficiency.

Team RIM from Kenya. Project category: Earth

RIM Energy is a Smart LPG regulator that improves safety, monitors consumption, detects gas leaks, alerts on refill, and measures carbon footprint to reduce GHG emissions in African households.

Team Score More from Kenya. Project category: Education

Udhamini web app is a platform that gives students access to a centralized repository of scholarships to make opportunities easier to find and ensure that students don’t miss deadlines.

Team Smart Farmer from Kenya. Project category: Earth

Smart Farmer aims to increase agricultural production in order to help reduce food waste using technology.

Team TAWI from Kenya. Project category: Education

Tawi is a home-based software app that helps children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) improve their auditory skills. It includes noise cancellation, sound amplification, speech-to-text conversion, and auditory training exercises.

Team Wastestars from Kenya. Project category: Earth

Wastestars aims to design a smart waste collection system that allows citizens to choose and post the various types of solid waste they want to dispose of on the website and for garbage collectors.

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TECNO MegaBook S1 2023, device specifications and price

TECNO MegaBook S1 2023, device specifications and price

TECNO is a well-known brand for its affordable and feature-rich smartphones, but did you know that it also makes laptops? Last year, TECNO launched its first laptop models, the MegaBook T1 and S1. Which offered a sleek design, a high-resolution display, and a long-lasting battery. Now, TECNO is announcing the MegaBook S1 2023, an upgraded version of its S1 laptop with improved performance and features.

What’s new in the TECNO MegaBook S1 2023?

The MegaBook S1 2023 is mostly similar to its predecessor in terms of design and display. It has a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 3200 x 2000 pixels, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen also supports a 100% sRGB color gamut and has a peak brightness of 450 nits. The laptop has a thin and light body with an aluminum alloy chassis and weighs 1.35 kg.

The main difference between the MegaBook S1 2023 and the previous model is the processor. The new laptop comes with the 13th Generation Intel Core i7-13700H processor, which offers faster performance than the previous generation. The processor has fourteen cores, twenty threads, a base frequency of 2.3 GHz, and a boost frequency of up to 4.6 GHz. It also supports Intel Iris Xe graphics, which can handle casual gaming and video editing tasks. It will come running Microsoft’s latest operating system Windows 11.

The TECNO stand stand at MWC 2023 where the new TECNO MegaBook S1 2023 is on display

The MegaBook S1 2023 also comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD storage. It has dual speakers with DTS audio technology for immersive sound quality. It also has a full-size backlit keyboard with three levels of brightness adjustment, a fingerprint sensor, and a large touchpad with multi-touch support.

The laptop has a variety of ports for connectivity, including two USB-C ports (one supporting Thunderbolt 4), two USB-A ports (one supporting USB Power Delivery), an HDMI port, an audio jack, and a microSD card slot. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity.

One of the highlights of the MegaBook S1 series is the battery life. The MegaBook S1 2023 has a large-capacity battery that can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. It also supports fast charging technology that can charge up to 70% in just one hour.

How much does it cost and when will it be available?

TECNO has not revealed the exact price or availability date of the MegaBook S1 2023 yet. However, based on the previous model’s price range ($699-$899), we can expect that it will be affordable compared to other laptops with similar specifications. But others report it could cost $1500 for the 512GB model and $1600 for the 1TB model.

According to some reports, TECNO plans to launch its new laptop in Africa, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & North Africa (MENA) regions in March or April.

Why should you consider buying it?

If you are looking for a powerful yet portable laptop that can handle your professional or personal needs without breaking your bank account, the TECNO MegaBook S1 2023 might be worth considering.

It offers:

  • A high-resolution display with a fast refresh rate
  • A powerful processor with integrated graphics
  • A long-lasting battery with fast charging
  • A sleek design with premium materials
  • A variety of ports for connectivity

The TECNO MegaBook S1 2023 is expected to be one of the best laptops in its category when it launches later this year.

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