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.
Team SmartARM emerge winners in the 2018 Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition.
The 2018 edition of the Microsoft student developer championship has a winner, Team SmartARM. Team SmartARM, is made up of students from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Canada. The team won the 2018 championship with their smartARM idea. A robotic hand prosthetic idea, it works using using Microsoft’ Azure Computer Vision, Machine Learning and Cloud Storage technologies. The robotic hand uses a camera embedded in its palm to recognize objects and calculate the most appropriate grip for an object. Using Machine Learning, the more the model is used the more accurate it becomes.
The Microsoft Imagine Cup is a global competition that empowers the next generation of computer science students. Students team up and use their creativity, passion and knowledge of technology to create innovative solutions with the potential to solve real world problems.
The teams prize package include a mentoring session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, $85,000 in cash and a $50,000 Azure grant.
This years competition saw Team Fe Amaan from the Middle East Africa region qualify to the semi-finals stage. Unfortunately they didn’t make it to the last three for a chance to present in the finals.
We bring you highlights and pictures from the various days of the Microsoft imagine Cup 2018 championship.
Students Arrive in Seattle, Washington
Imagine Cup 2018 Competition Day 1 | Tech Showcase round
Imagine Cup 2018 Competition Day 2 | Wild Card | Semi-Finals
Student developer, why don’t you get your imagination up and running on what you can solve around you to showcase in 2019. We will let you know when you can start applying to participate.
Microsoft Policy Innovation Center opens in Africa. Microsoft partnered with Strathmore University, Kenya, to digitally transform their law school and also create a platform to transform and advance policy in the sub region.
The partnership includes a Microsoft auditorium and Microsoft Policy Innovation center. The Microsoft auditorium will be available to university students including LLM students and houses about 180 people. The policy innovation center though housed by the Law school of Strathmore, will cater for the continent.
The policy innovation center will be used for multiple purposes. Setup with digital and technological systems it can be used as a moot court. Where students can work in an environment that gives them an e-justice modern day court. With audiovisual capabilities, they can conduct moot courts with judges, magistrates and different jurisdictions through available software. It will also be used to bring students, entrepreneurs, public and private sectors to discuss some of the bigger policy concerns in the sub region. Thus by hosting various topics about the justice systems and how to transform them into e-justice systems. That’ll address the sustainable development goals. With an e-justice system you’ll have faster access to justice, quicker delivery of justice, consistency in sentencing and bring down cost of justice. Other key policy areas will include healthcare, agriculture, education, etc.
The Microsoft Policy Innovation Center will seek to bring the experts and policy makers together in all relevant industries to share best practices.
“With the Fourth Industrial Revolution upon us new advancements in technology are changing the way we live our lives and how we interact. The benefits are endless. Having the potential to transform businesses, countries, make way for innovations for consumers and create economic opportunities. Challenges and issues that emerge can be effectively addressed by providing a space through the Policy Innovation Centre, that enables collaboration and discussion.
The Policy Innovation Centre will provide a forum to foster dialogue, discussion around policy issues that affect the biggest development challenges we face in the world today, as posed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Digital Transformation of industries and countries” – Christopher Akiwumi, Director for Government and Regulatory Affairs MEA
Microsoft in this partnership worked on the design for the auditorium facility, aimed at providing an immersive experience to students, participants and visitors. Microsoft will also provide software solutions and training for the implementation of the project. The Microsoft Policy and Innovation Centre will be equipped with Microsoft Office 365 to provide users with productivity tools that’ll enhance their experience.
With conversations on data protection regulations etc growing how does this initiative bear with you? Share with us.
