PayInc Group Limited, trading as PayAngel is announcing its selection into the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub program. A Microsoft program that seeks to remove traditional barriers that startups face when building a company. PayAngel believes the program will help them innovate faster and accelerate their growth. The company offers remittance and payment solutions to the African Diaspora.
Microsoft Africa Transformation Office in March this year launched the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub in new initiatives to accelerate the growth of 10,000 African startups and fast-track investment in Africa’s start-up ecosystem. It is a new digital and all-inclusive platform that gives startups free access to Microsoft technology, tools, coaching, and support to build and scale their business. It also includes opportunities for the startups to sell to Microsoft’s corporate and enterprise customers.
Jones Amegbor, CEO of PayAngel, notes that the exclusive technology packages in the Hub will allow the company to innovate faster and accelerate its growth.
“What this means to our existing and new customers is a more robust, secured and enhanced system, expansion to other territories and straight-through service delivery”.
Beyond access to technology, the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub program empowers young entrepreneurs to innovate and grow by connecting through their mentoring program. Which provides them with industry, business, and technical support to guide them through their next business milestones.
Founders also get access to Microsoft Learn and a variety of programs to help them build connections with customers and accelerate their growth.
The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub centres around these three key areas:
Unlocking innovations for all: The platform eliminates traditional barriers founders face when starting, such as venture capital requirements or third-party validation to help any founder, regardless of background, location, or access, to be successful.
Technology benefits that grow: Keeping pace with a startup’s lifecycle, the platform helps founders speed development with free access to GitHub and the Microsoft Cloud with the ability to unlock additional benefits over time
Access to mentorship and guidance: Through the platform, startups can connect with industry veterans, access tailored startup-centric training and innovate quickly with expert technical guidance.
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Solar-based internet service provider, Tizeti, has partnered with Microsoft to roll out affordable high-speed broadband internet infrastructure in Nigeria starting with Oyo State. The service comes with an introductory N2,222 or $5 offer for monthly fixed broadband and installation costs.
Through the Microsoft Airband Initiative, Tizeti and Microsoft will leverage low-cost wireless technologies. Making it easier and cheaper for people in underserved communities to access the internet and get connected to the digital economy. The internet in Oyo State will empower more Nigerians, stimulate economic activities, and widen the broadband envelope in Africa.
“Communities need reliable, affordable internet access in our increasingly digital world,” said Microsoft Airband General Manager, Vickie Robinson. “That’s why Microsoft is working with providers like Tizeti to connect the unconnected, expand opportunity, and close the global digital divide.”
Microsoft’s Airband Initiative is focused on advancing digital equity—access to affordable internet, affordable devices, and digital skills—as a platform for empowerment and digital transformation across the world.
Speaking on the partnership, Tizeti’s Chief Executive Officer of Tizeti, Kendall Ananyi, said that Microsoft Airband collaboration will complement Tizeti’s existing initiative in Oyo State and lay a foundation for a robust and thriving digital ecosystem for the large population of vibrant, young people in Oyo State. “We are happy to work with Microsoft on the Airband Initiative as it extends our mission of bringing affordable and reliable internet to more Nigerians outside the digital envelope,” Ananyi said.
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In November last year, we hinted that Microsoft was bringing The Garage program to Africa. Months on the company is officially launching the innovation hub and creative space to engage with the broader academic, start-up and local tech ecosystem to develop and bring new impactful ideas to life. Microsoft The Garage Africa is co-located with the ultra-modern Africa Development Center software engineering offices in Lagos and Nairobi.
The program is primarily an extracurricular resource for Microsoft employees to connect, experiment and be creative outside of their day job. However, Microsoft will open the creative space for hacking and making to the local tech ecosystem and Microsoft customers to use technology to solve a wide range of societal and business challenges. Through hackathons, engineering internships, and an experimental outlet for students and tech communities, says Linda Thackery, Sr. Director The Garage EMEA. Who was also at the ADC office sites launch events to concurrently launch the program. The launch of the Africa sites means there are now 14 Garage sites across the globe.
Welcome Garage Africa to the Garage family! Can’t wait to see the amazingly awesome innovation to come.
Linda Thackery
The creative space has three dedicated lab sections and fosters collaboration, innovation and a growth mindset. The lab section consists of a collaboration hub for hackathons and workshops, a Makerspace and an Advanced Makerspace. The advanced Makerspace has an electronic workbench, 3D Printers, laser cutter, PCB milling machine for creating prototypes. A Reality Room dedicated to working in the space of Augmented Reality (AR) Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality applications and dedicated space and equipment for doing work on Deep Learning.
We need a place for people to feel confident to take creative liberties, and that place is The Garage.
Jeff Ramos, general manager of The Garage
Microsoft The Garage East Africa
In Kenya it will help Microsoft employees, customers and developers tap into their creative prowess, notes Lydia Karanja, Lead of The Garage East Africa. She says The Garage is structured as a freeform workspace where Microsoft employees, interns, schools, and community groups can find the tools and training they need to launch products and learn skills.
“The Garage is meant to spread the values of openness and collaboration throughout the Microsoft ADC. Where people come to The Garage to work with interdisciplinary teams on passion projects that sometimes make their way into Microsoft products. This should ultimately allow Microsoft ADC to become a more prominent shaper of Africa’s tech culture.”
Lydia Karanja, Microsoft Garage Lead- East Africa
The program initiative comes from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s drive to encourage employees to be creative, entrepreneurial and open-minded. It also takes inspiration from many global technology companies that started in the garage. The likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Google and Hewlett-Packard to name a few. Through the Garage, employee projects have gone on to become full Microsoft branded products or features. Notable ones are Kaizala, Microsoft launcher, Seeing AI, FarmBeats, Mouse without Borders and the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
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Futurize is launching its first annual Fuel Africa Innovation Program from March 17 to 25, 2022. In partnership with AstraZeneca, through the A.Catalyst Network, and Microsoft and co-funded by Bristol Myers Squibb and Famfa Oil. To equip young entrepreneurs with the resources to build high-potential venture ideas and contribute to sustainable development globally.
Fuel Africa 2022 will bring together students and alumni of 12 universities across 7 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to address some of the continent’s most pressing challenges in healthcare. Through a virtual entrepreneurship bootcamp and innovation hackathon competition.
Coding or healthcare experiences are not a requirement to participate in the program. Participants will receive mentorship and hands-on training to build solutions for early-stage business ventures. It is currently focusing on solutions that provide access to healthcare as well as the screening, early diagnosis and optimal management of Non-Communicable Diseases. Winners will get investment money and opportunities to advance their careers.
Participating universities include Amref International University (AMIU), African Leadership University (ALU), Covenant University, JFN Institute of Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, University of Ghana, University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, University of Capetown, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and the University of Nairobi.
“Microsoft, through the Africa Transformation Office, is committed to supporting education transformation across Africa with access to learning tools, resources and technology. We look forward to seeing what innovative solutions to pressing concerns these bright minds will develop during the program.”
Yacine Barro Bourgault, Enablement Lead, Africa Transformation Office at Microsoft.
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Tecnotree announces the launch of a digital multi-experience platform, Tecnotree Moments, in collaboration with MTN Nigeria. Tecnotree Moments is a gateway of digital services and lifestyle bundling products. It will launch with e-sports content such as PUBG Mobile Daily, FIFA Daily, Rocket League Daily, Fortnite Monthly, and Fantasy Football. Moments will also contain the complete Nigerian JSSCE, SSSCE, and IGCSE syllabus in the form of interactive and immersive content and live classes.
The multi-experience partner ecosystem offering aims to create lifestyle bundles of content, applications, and connectivity. Through a pre-integrated digital partner ecosystem for global, local and glocal high-demand and hyper-growth sectors. The platform will attract leading partners across different sectors such as education, entertainment, gaming, sports, health, and wellness to enter Nigeria and use direct customer billing to convert ecosystem partners into instant revenue generators.
It will offer Africa’s top-played games, with fresh games being updated regularly. With dynamic ecosystem partners, the platform is uniquely positioned to cater for the convergence in education and gaming content around the globe that fosters social and emotional learning, imperative for personalized and adaptive experiences.
The MTN-Moments partnership will look at providing Massive Online Open Curriculum (MOOC) for career development and progression. Facilitating the acquisition of soft and technical skills. The platform will be launched first in Nigeria, with plans to launch these services to other MTN OpCos in Africa.
‘MTN is constantly seeking partnerships to build platforms that provide a superior service to our customers. We have always been deliberate about giving our customers the very best in digital content. This partnership with Tecnotree is a reinforcement of that commitment. The platform will provide enormous quality content that cuts across education and entertainment for our customers.’ said Aisha Mumuni, MTN’s Acting Chief Digital Officer.
Padma Ravichander, CEO of Tecnotree Corporation said, ‘Our Vision is to empower digitally connected communities, narrow the digital divide and create digital inclusion for various diasporas of the Nigerian population. We are very excited to partner with MTN Nigeria to launch our Tecnotree Moments platform that will support the Nigerian community with true digital services and products through our global partners. MTN’s commitment to making Africa a truly digital economy is a powerful purpose and Tecnotree is proud to be its digital partner in the cause.’
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