Upepo Technology recieves Microsoft AI for Earth grant.
Upepo Technology Company Limited, a Kenyan technology firm has become the latest recipient of Microsoft’s AI for Earth grant. The award from Microsoft is to help the company extend its innovative developments. Upepo joins 21 other Microsoft AI for Earth grantees across Africa.
Upepo Technology Company Limited provides intelligent water management solutions that support water utilities and water community associations. It also provides support to large abstractors of surface and ground water including agricultural enterprises, industries and commercial property owners to accurately measure and manage water while predicting future trends in consumption.
Microsoft’s AI for Earth program aims at empowering people and organization to solve global environmental challenges. Microsoft provides them with artificial intelligence to solve issues related to water, agriculture, biodiversity and climate change. Through grants Microsoft provides access to cloud and AI tools. As well as opportunities for education and training on AI and investments in innovative and scalable solutions.
“This important grant from Microsoft is a turning point” says Kevin Kihara, Upepo’s CEO. He also says Microsoft services such as “Azure Cloud, IoT and AI resources will help develop products to mitigate water losses“. These loses Kevin Kihara says, “directly contribute to large and excessive surface and ground water withdrawals” which are “detrimental to the supply of water for communities living downstream“.
Conserving and improving access to Kenya’s water supply
Kenya Water Service Regulatory Board (WASREB) shares that water access rates in Kenya have stood at 55% the last three years. It believes by adopting technology and enhancing infrastructure a 30% reduction in non-revenue water can be achieved by 2030. Saving up to Kes 80 billion for infrastructure expansion, enhanced supply and quality of water across Kenya.
“Through Microsoft’s AI for Earth program, we are excited to partner with Upepo. As they develop innovative intelligent solutions that will both conserve and improve critical access to Kenya’s water supply.” – Ghada Khalifa
Ghada Khalifa, Philanthropies Regional Director for Microsoft Middle East and Africa says, “In the next two decades, demand for fresh water is predicted to dramatically outpace supply.” Technologies such as the intelligent cloud and AI, Ghada says will model and measure the Earth’s water supply. To help us manage and protect fresh water.
Microsoft is rolling out Windows 10’s next major update, Windows 10 May 2019 Update, tagged version 1903. The update doesn’t come bearing lots of new major features but you will like the new additions. It has more under the hood improvements. That bring you better customizations and makes Windows 10 perform better.
The update is general available now and Microsoft will be rolling it out in a phased and controlled rollout. To avoid the October 2018 Update fiasco. So if update issues are encountered it can be controlled and dealt with. I want to believe this will be a smoother experience. As Windows insiders got to test the release preview build and it has been improved. Here is a full list of What’s new.
Who can get Windows 10 May 2019 Update?
Anyone with a Windows 10 device can get the latest update. Microsoft says it will start automatically updating Windows 10 devices that are reaching end of service. This means if your Windows 10 operating system is an old one like the Windows 10 Anniversary Update or other, once you are connected to the internet, Microsoft will initiate the update for you.
For Windows 10 devices that are at, or within several months of reaching, end of service, Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update; keeping those devices supported and receiving the monthly updates that are critical to device security and ecosystem health.
What do you do?
I will say if you are a careful and skeptical person, relax and let the Windows 10 May 2019 Update hit your downloads automatically. Alternatively you can check windows update in settings and select check for update, to initialize it. If you a more advanced user, you can use the Windows 10 Update Assistant. Or create a Windows 10 media installation and run the media creation tool.
Is there anything else you will to know? Ask me in the comments or on twitter @silverscholar and i’ll make a post about it.
The fourth edition of MEST Africa Summit will be in collaboration with Microsoft. This year Microsoft partners with MEST in the event as platinum sponsors. The summit will explore the latest innovations in the African tech ecosystem. Mest Africa Summit 2019 will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from June 10th to the 12th.
The 3 day Pan-African Tech Summit will have keynotes, fireside chats, panel discussions and workshops. It will look to discuss key topics impacting entrepreneurs and investors in Africa’s technology space. Conversations will range from the impact of AI and machine learning on Africa’s workforce, the role of tech in cultivating a more energy-efficient Africa, ways data is being used to enable financial inclusion on the continent, how key sectors and innovations are contributing to the ecosystem, etc.
“At Microsoft we believe in empowering every organization and person to do more. The work that MEST does with innovators in Africa aligns perfectly with our mission to transform people’s lives through technology engagement.” – Chris Lwanga, Senior Director Software Partnerships, Microsoft
“As we gear up for this year’s Summit, we’re excited to welcome some of Africa’s most engaging entrepreneurs, partners, corporate leaders and ecosystem facilitators. We’re thrilled to partner with Microsoft, whose entrepreneur toolkit is helping developers across the continent more easily build impactful solutions. We look forward to diving deep into discussions around the innovations and solutions that are rapidly driving change on the continent.” – Aaron Fu, Managing Director, MEST
2019 MEST AFRICA CHALLENGE
MEST Africa Summit 2019 will also host the Mest Africa Challenge finals. Competing regional finalist will pitch to win the grand price of $50K in equity investment and the chance to join the MEST community. Finalist teams are from Ghana(OZE), Nigeria(Ampz_TV), South Africa(Snode Technologies), Kenya(Wayawaya Ltd) and Cote d’Ivoire(Seekewa).
We are listing open positions in Nigeria in the Microsoft Interns4Afrika initiative.
Microsoft 4Afrika‘s internship initiative provides real employment opportunities to talented young professionals in Sales, Marketing and IT Technical Support tracks. A response to demand from its software distribution and development partners across Africa and the Middle East.
Do you live in Nigeria? Get to be a Technical Support, Sales or Marketing intern. Microsoft’s Intern4Afrika initiative will offer the intern a unique experience with a dynamic and agile technology organization.
The intern will get the opportunity to work for 6 months with a Microsoft partner organization on real projects. Get to collaborate and learn from your colleagues. “You can also get to be hired by the firm depending on your performance and if you are interested in being hired after the internship program” a participant shared.
All the best to you as you apply. If you do get in, come back and share the experience with us? Also kindly report any broken links so we can fix them. Thank you.
Pakistan graduate? Microsoft’s skills program has an Internship opportunity.
The internship program empowers local communities by investing in fresh local graduates and local partners. By providing employment opportunities to young Middle East and Africa talent to build a better future for the continent.
Get to learn and apply skills in Sales, Marketing or IT Technical support tracks. The intern will get the opportunity to work for 6 months with a Microsoft partner organization on real projects. Get to collaborate and skill up on the job with the help of colleagues. From what we’ve been told by other participants in the program you can get to be hired by the firm. Well that’s depending on your performance and if you are interested in being hired after the internship program.
For more question and requirements about the Interns4Afrika program, check out the program FAQ’s . Kindly click on links below to apply on the Microsoft 4Afrika Interns4Afrika FUZU page. Sign up and go through the process. You have to be truthful as it can lead to disqualification.
All the best to you as you apply. If you do get in, do come back and share the experience with us? Also kindly report any broken links so we can fix them. Thank you.
