As you go on your morning run, a smartwatch can monitor the rhythmic pounding of your feet and your heart’s steady beat. The watch can record the distance covered and the intensity of your workout, guiding you towards your fitness goals.

During lunch, you can use it to log calories for a BLT sandwich. As deadlines loom, they can offer gentle reminders to take a moment for yourself. And as you doze off, they might pick up instances of apnoea or other sleep disturbances.

But some users could also conflate health tips with medical advice. Device and app developers have consistently made it clear that their products cannot replace a professional medical doctor’s advice or treatment.

A smartwatch is not a medical device as defined by law. In the UK, medical devices are strictly regulated in a way that other devices such as smartwatches are not. These regulations provide users with better legal protections and clarity as well as providing for resolution in the event of a mishap.

What qualifies

The key legal framework in the UK is the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (UK MDR). Once a product has been identified as a medical device under UK MDR, further classification of it takes place, ranging from low risk (stethoscopes and wheelchairs) to high risk (pacemakers, heart valves, implanted cerebral simulators).

If a device is designed to go inside the body, or if it contains medicinal substances, it is more likely it is treated as high risk. Depending on the risk classification, the law then imposes stringent standards to protect users from harm. These include obligations on the manufacturers and developers to ensure their devices are safe, through conducting risk impact assessments, periodic audits and other actions.

All matters relating to medical devices in the UK fall under the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA conducts surveillance of medical devices available in the UK and has the authority to make decisions regarding their marketing and distribution. It is also the MHRA’s duty to ensure that manufacturers and developers are complying with the regulations.

Pursuit of wellness?

An important question is how one distinguishes a device, digital tool or app as one used for a medical purpose – which is how the UK MDR defines a medical device – versus one that is used for general health and wellness. The latter would include, for example, meditation apps or step counters.

Traditionally, smart watches have been treated as smart, wearable technology. On the face of it, they offer users insight into their general health and wellness, helping them make necessary lifestyle adjustments to improve their health or fitness goals.

In recent years, however, such technologies have become increasingly advanced. Tens of thousands of digital tools and applications have flooded app stores. These include monitoring apps for mental health, symptom checkers based on information entered by patient users, or medical calculators for drug dosing.

Smartwatches may have electrocardiogram (ECG) functions. An ECG is a test used to check a person’s heart’s rhythm and electrical activity. Medical professionals have traditionally used ECGs to look for signs of coronary heart disease or other cardiovascular conditions. The same functions on a watch may not have the right sensitivity to pick up on medical conditions.

The latest version of the Apple watch has embedded sensors that may be able to detect atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heart rhythm. In the US, Apple has obtained clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowing it to be used for this purpose, marking a bold move into the regulated medicine and healthcare space.

Biosensors, previously thought of as devices that were administered only in clinical settings have now evolved by design into slim patches for consumer use. Take the Nix Biosensor device. When paired with Apple Watches, it is designed to measure a user’s optimal hydration level in real time by identifying molecular markers in sweat and determining the loss of fluid and electrolytes (substances that maintain a balance of fluids inside and outside cells).

Finally, emerging trends also indicate that more and more women are relying on fertility and cycle trackers in smartwatches and sophisticated apps. However, there have been concerns that users might use the information in place of actual birth control.

Hence, as smartwatches and trackers evolve, it’s possible that they may approach the threshold for what authorities could consider a medical device.

Privacy protections

There’s something else to consider too. Users of devices and digital tools regularly hand over their personal data. Businesses must ensure compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

Personal health data is a “special category of data”. This would fall under the application of Articles 6 and 9 of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the DPA. This means that more stringent standards are imposed for the collection and use of such data (in its processing), including potentially an obligation to conduct an extensive data impact assessment.

Indeed, the UK’s privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a statement on February 8 2024 reminding all app developers to ensure they protect users’ privacy following the regulator’s review of period and fertility apps.

Other potential safeguards for users’ privacy could come from the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 (MMDA), from the appointment of the Patient Safety Commissioner and from the National Health Service (NHS), which can now evaluate digital tools using the digital technology assessment criteria (DTAC).

Clear guidelines in this area are not just necessary, they’re imperative. Without them, we potentially risk both stifling innovation and compromising user care.

Author: Pin Lean Lau, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Bio-Law, Brunel University London

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Image Credits: Pitchyfoto/Shutterstock

His company Neuralink aims to facilitate this convergence so that humans won’t be “left behind” as technology advances in the future. While people with disabilities would be near-term recipients of these innovations, some believe technologies like this could be used to enhance abilities in everyone.

These aims are inspired by an idea called transhumanism, the belief that we should use science and technology to radically enhance human capabilities and seek to direct our own evolutionary path. Disease, aging and death are all realities transhumanists wish to end, alongside dramatically increasing our cognitive, emotional and physical capacities.

Transhumanists often advocate for the three “supers” of superintelligence, superlongevity and superhappiness, the last referring to ways of achieving lasting happiness. There are many different views among the transhumanist community of what our ongoing evolution should look like.

For example, some advocate uploading the mind into digital form and settling the cosmos. Others think we should remain organic beings but rewire or upgrade our biology through genetic engineering and other methods. A future of designer babies, artificial wombs and anti-aging therapies appeal to these thinkers.

This may all sound futuristic and fantastical, but rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic biology have led some to argue we are on the cusp of creating such possibilities.

God-like role

Tech billionaires are among the biggest promoters of transhumanist thinking. It is not hard to understand why: they could be the central protagonists in the most important moment in history.

Creating so-called artificial general intelligence (AGI) – that is, an AI system that can do all the cognitive tasks a human can do and more – is a current focus within Silicon Valley. AGI is seen as vital to enabling us to take on the God-like role of designing our own evolutionary futures.

That is why companies like OpenAI, DeepMind and Anthropic are racing towards the development of AGI, despite some experts warning that it could lead to human extinction.

In the short term, the promises and the perils are probably overstated. After all, these companies have a lot to gain by making us think they are on the verge of engineering a divine power that can create utopia or destroy the world. Meanwhile, AI has played a role in fuelling our polarised political landscape, with disinformation and more complex forms of manipulation made more effective by generative AI.

Indeed, AI systems are already causing many other forms of social and environmental harm. AI companies rarely wish to address these harms though. If they can make governments focus on long-term potential “safety” issues relating to possible existential risks instead of actual social and environmental injustices, they stand to benefit from the resulting regulatory framework.

But if we lack the capacity and determination to address these real world harms, it’s hard to believe that we will be able to mitigate larger-scale risks that AI may hypothetically enable. If there really is a threat that AGI could pose an existential risk, for example, everyone would shoulder that cost, but the profits would be very much private.

A familiar story

This issue within AI development can be seen as a microcosm of why the wider
transhumanist imagination may appeal to billionaire elites in an age of multiple crises. It speaks to the refusal to engage in grounded ethics, injustices and challenges and offers a grandiose narrative of a resplendent future to distract from the current moment.

Our misuse of the planet’s resources has set in train a sixth mass extinction of species and a climate crisis. In addition, ongoing wars with increasingly potent weapons remain a part of our technological evolution.

There’s also the pressing question of whose future will be transhuman. We currently live in a very unequal world. Transhumanism, if developed in
anything like our existing context, is likely to greatly increase inequality, and
may have catastrophic consequences for the majority of humans.

Perhaps transhumanism itself is a symptom of the kind of thinking that has created our parlous social reality. It is a narrative that encourages us to hit the gas, expropriate nature even more, keep growing and not look back at the devastation in the rear-view mirror.

If we’re really on the verge of creating an enhanced version of humanity, we should start to ask some big questions about what being human should mean, and therefore what an enhancement of humanity should entail.

If the human is an aspiring God, then it lays claim to dominion over nature and the body, making all amenable to its desires. But if the human is an animal embedded in complex relations with other species and nature at large, then “enhancement” is contingent on the health and sustainability of its relations.

If the human is conceived of as an environmental threat, then enhancement is surely that which redirects its exploitative lifeways. Perhaps becoming more-than-human should constitute a much more responsible humanity.

One that shows compassion to and awareness of other forms of life in this rich and wondrous planet. That would be preferable to colonising and extending ourselves, with great hubris, at the expense of everything, and everyone, else.

Authors: Alexander Thomas, Programme Leader, Media, Fashion & Communications, University of East London

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Image Credit: Kotin / Shutterstock

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Protect Yourself From Iphone Thieves | Google’s AI Chatbot Bard To Gemini | Meta AI-Powered Image Generator | Under-The-Skin Implant To Treat Type 1 Diabetes | Apple Joins AI Fray

How to protect yourself from iPhone thieves locking you out of your own device – CNN

A complex but concerning method of gaining control over a user’s iPhone and permanently locking them out the device appears to be on the rise.

Some iPhone thieves are exploiting a security setting, called the recovery key, that makes it nearly impossible for owners to access their photos, messages, data and more, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report. Some victims also told the publication their bank accounts were drained after the thieves gained access to their financial apps.

It’s important to note, however, this type of takeover is hard to pull off. It requires a criminal essentially watching an iPhone user enter the device’s passcode – for example, by looking over their shoulder at a bar or sporting event – or manipulating the device’s owner so they’ll share their passcode. And that’s all before they physically steal the device.

From there, a thief could use the passcode to change the device’s Apple ID, turn off “Find my iPhone” so their location can’t be tracked, and then reset the recovery key, a complex 28-digit code intended to protect its owners from online hackers. Read more: 

Google’s AI chatbot Bard gets a big upgrade with Gemini, Google’s next-gen AI model – TechCrunch

Google Bard, the company’s generative AI chatbot and ChatGPT rival, is getting an update today that the company claims will significantly enhance its capabilities. The company says Bard will now be powered by Gemini, Google’s newest and most advanced AI model, giving the chatbot more advanced reasoning, planning, understanding and other capabilities.

Gemini comes in three sizes, Ultra, Pro and Nano, allowing it to run on anything ranging from mobile devices to data centers.

The rollout of Gemini to Bard will take place over two phases. Initially, Bard will be upgraded with a specifically tuned version of Gemini Pro. Next year, Google will introduce Bard Advanced, which will give users access to the best AI model, starting with Gemini Ultra.

The version of Bard with Gemini Pro will first become available in English in more than 170 countries and territories worldwide, with more languages and countries, including the EU and U.K., soon. Read more: 

Meta launches a standalone AI-powered image generator – TechCrunch

Not to be outdone by Google’s Gemini launch, Meta’s rolling out a new, standalone generative AI experience on the web, Imagine with Meta, that allows users to create images by describing them in natural language.

Similar to OpenAI’s DALL-E, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, Imagine with Meta, which is powered by Meta’s existing Emu image generation model, creates high-resolution images from text prompts. It’s free to use (at least for now) for users in the U.S. and generates four images per prompt.

“We’ve enjoyed hearing from people about how they’re using imagine, Meta AI’s text-to-image generation feature, to make fun and creative content in chats. Today, we’re expanding access to imagine outside of chats,” Meta writes in a blog post published this morning. “While our messaging experience is designed for more playful, back-and-forth interactions, you can now create free images on the web, too.” Read more: 

Researchers develop under-the-skin implant to treat Type 1 diabetes – Engadget

Scientists have developed a new implantable device that has the potential to change the way Type 1 diabetics receive insulin. The thread-like implant, or SHEATH (Subcutaneous Host-Enabled Alginate THread), is installed in a two-step process that ultimately leads to the deployment of “islet devices,” which are derived from the cells that produce insulin in our bodies naturally.

First, the scientists figured out a way to insert nylon catheters under the skin, where they remain for up to six weeks. After insertion, blood vessels form around the catheters which structurally support the islet devices that are placed in the space when the catheter gets removed. The newly implanted 10-centimeter-long islet devices secrete insulin via islet cells that form around it, while also receiving nutrients and oxygen from blood vessels to stay alive. Read more: 

Apple joins AI fray with release of model framework – The Verge

Apple, which many had considered very conservative in its approach to AI, quietly released frameworks and model libraries designed to run on its chips and maybe bring generative AI apps to MacBooks.

The company’s machine learning research team released MLX, a machine learning framework where developers can build models that run efficiently on Apple Silicon and deep learning model library MLX Data. Both are accessible through open-source repositories like GitHub and PyPI. Read More: 

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Image Credit: Image by jcomp on Freepik

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Artificial womb technology could eventually make it possible to grow a foetus from conception to “birth” wholly outside the human body.

Our reproductive lives are considerably different from those of our ancestors, thanks in part to health innovations that have taken place over the past few decades. Practices such as IVF, donor eggs and sperm, womb transplants, surrogacy and egg freezing, mean that for many, there’s now more choice than ever before over whether, when and how to reproduce.

Yet, despite these advances, one aspect of reproduction has remained constant: the need to gestate (grow) foetuses in the womb. But what would happen to our notions of parenthood if technology made it possible to grow a foetus outside the human body?

Until recently, the idea of ectogenesis – growing a foetus outside the body – has been science fiction. But teams in the US, Australia and Japan have begun developing artificial wombs. It’s hoped that this technology will someday save the lives of very premature infants.

Should I have children? The pieces in this series will help you answer this tough question – exploring fertility, climate change, the cost of living and social pressure.

Trials have already been performed on animals – with researchers reporting success in gestating lamb foetuses.

Meanwhile, a team in the Netherlands is developing a similar system using simulation technology. This approach mimics the birth of extremely premature infants using a manikin equipped with advanced monitoring and computer modelling. This allows the researchers to understand how an infant may develop in an environment that simulates the womb’s conditions.

Although this may be many decades away, and is not the intended endpoint of current research, artificial womb technologies could eventually lead to “full ectogenesis” – growing a foetus from conception to “birth” wholly outside the human body.

One barrier to research into full ectogenesis is current legislation worldwide, which either bans embryo research altogether or forbids growing human embryos for research beyond 14 days.

Legislation would therefore need to change for this kind of research to happen. There’s an increasing appetite for this among the international scientific community, but whether such a change would have public support is not known.

Full ectogenesis also raises important ethical, legal and social questions, which would need to be answered before it can be used.

In the UK, the person who gives birth is the child’s legal mother – regardless of genetics or intention. Growing a foetus in an artificial womb could however sever this link between gestation and motherhood.

Surrogacy has, to some extent, already challenged our legal and social conceptions of motherhood. The surrogate is the child’s legal mother at birth, but parenthood can then be transferred to the intended parents via a parental order or adoption.

But artificial wombs could disrupt long-established norms in more profound ways, as there would no longer be a “birth mother” at all. The law would need to define who the legal mother is in such circumstances, and whether that definition applies to all mothers or only when artificial womb technologies are used.

The impact of artificial wombs on legal definitions of fatherhood may be less significant.

In the UK, the person who provides the sperm is normally the legal father of the child – unless the child is born using sperm donated in a licensed clinic. In that case, the donor is not the legal father of any resulting child.

But fatherhood (or parenthood for same-sex couples) can also legally be attributed to someone via the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008. This allows someone not genetically related to the child to be recognised as their legal father or other parent. The provisions in this Act would apply to full ectogenesis because this will require IVF to create the embryo.

Full ectogenesis may result in more radical changes to the way we view legal parenthood. It may cause us not only to rethink our ideas of “mother” and “father”, but also the language used. Would it be more appropriate, for example, to always use the word “parent”, instead?

Personal decisions

Artificial womb technology would also influence the personal decisions that people make about reproduction. It could drastically change the way the decision to become a parent fits into many people’s lives.

Like egg freezing and IVF, artificial wombs would make it possible for women in particular to have children later in life. It could also allow people to gestate multiple foetuses at once – making it possible for them to complete their families within a far shorter time period than has previously been possible.

Artificial womb technology technology would make it easier for more people to have their own biological children – including single men, same sex couples and women unable to become pregnant for health reasons. It would also mean that women would no longer have to undergo the significant risks and burdens associated with pregnancy and childbirth in order to have children.

In science fiction, artificial wombs are often a symbol of dystopia – of technological incursion into natural processes and a means of government control (as in The Matrix or Brave New World). But artificial womb technology might instead add to the reproductive choices currently available – making it possible for more people to become parents if they want to.

Full ectogenesis is still a long way off, but it’s important to discuss it now so that we can have a more informed view of the issues it raises. As with many aspects of human reproduction, artificial womb technology may be divisive.

Some will see it as a way to increase reproductive autonomy and equity, others as dangerous – or even a threat to traditional family structures and values. More still will probably see its potential for both. Whatever your position, this technology could be on the horizon and its implications for society and our concept of parenthood merit careful consideration.

Authors: Stephen Wilkinson, Professor of Bioethics, Lancaster University; Nicola J. Williams, Wellcome Lecturer in The Ethics of Human Reproduction, Lancaster University, and Sara Fovargue, Professor of Law, University of Sheffield

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Image Credit: Marko Aliaksandr/ Shutterstock

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Sobertech Addiction Recovery | Insurtech Startup Inclusivity Solutions | Biotech Startup Cancer Genome Project | Healthcare Startup Funding | Hurupay Tackles Currency Fluctuations

SoberTech Leverages Tech to Transform Addiction Recovery Across Africa – TechinAfrica

SoberTech, founded by engineer Dinah Lugard, is expanding its innovative addiction recovery outreach program from Nigeria and Ghana to South Africa. Through technology, it aims to make recovery accessible, engaging, and stigma-free. “SoberTech’s vision is digital rehabilitation across the globe. We want to create a lasting impact and a world where people struggling with addiction have judgement-free support and captivating resources for sobriety,” said Lugard.

Beyond raising awareness, SoberTech offers tailored support and essential resources to those in need. At its core is increasing awareness, particularly among youth, about substance abuse dangers while providing tangible assistance. It equips rehab centers with cutting-edge devices, making recovery more effective and engaging, and awards scholarships to students in rehab. Lugard pioneered the SoberTech app, offering non-judgemental support to reduce the stigma often associated with addiction recovery. Read more here: 

South African Insurtech Startup Inclusivity Solutions Raises USD 1.5 Million in New Funding Round – Africanheroes

Impact investor Goodwell Investments has successfully concluded an extension round with Inclusivity Solutions, an award-winning insurtech company specializing in embedded insurance solutions. Goodwell, renowned for funding African enterprises providing essential services to low-income populations, initially led Inclusivity Solutions’ Series A funding round in 2019. This latest extension round, which raised a total of USD 1.5 million, underscores Goodwell’s confidence in Inclusivity Solutions’ ability to revolutionize insurance access in emerging markets.

The investment will bolster Inclusivity Solutions’ expansion efforts, which include plans to operate in a minimum of 12 African markets by the end of 2024. Additionally, the company will continue to invest in its highly acclaimed no-code, open-API platform, facilitating the rapid deployment of a wide range of insurance products for distribution partners and insurers within hours. Read more here: 

Nigerian Biotech Startup, Syndicate Bio Collaborates With NICRAT to Launch Cancer Genome Project – Techtrends

The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) and Nigerian biotech startup Syndicate Bio have announced a strategic partnership to launch the Cancer Genome Nigeria project. The study’s goal is to close the gap in cancer disparities by examining the most common cancers among more than 300 ethnolinguistic groups and Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Along with Drs. Jumi Popoola and Estelle Dogbo, Syndicate Bio was founded in September by Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, the former founder and CEO of the now-defunct Nigerian genomics startup 54gene. Through partnerships with governments, pharmaceutical companies, academia, and other important industry stakeholders, Syndicate Bio is deepening the impact of precision medicine locally while producing priceless datasets that improve global health outcomes and speed up drug discovery and development.

The strategic cooperation between the firm and NICRAT would involve a concerted effort to address cancer detection and treatment for Nigerian patients. Through this project, patients in Nigeria would have greater access to targeted therapies by increasing the availability and accessibility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) based cancer testing in the nation. Read more here: 

Healthcare startup raises $3.6 million to expand to other countries including Nigeria – Nairametrics

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Techpoint Africa, Egyptian Healthcare startup, Almouneer, has raised $3.6 million to expand to other countries including Nigeria.  Global Ventures led the seed round with participation from Wrightwood Investments, Proparco and Digital Africa through the Bridge funds and other international funds.

Almouneer aims to transform healthcare for people living with chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.  Chronic diseases impact on Subsaharan Africa and Nigeria. The Lancet reports that there is a rising burden of non-communicable diseases in Subsaharan Africa.

Currently, non-communicable diseases also known as NCDs are the leading cause of death in the world killing 41 million annually (70% of deaths).  In Nigeria, nearly 30% of all deaths are due to NCDs. The risk of premature death from NCDs among Nigeria’s 30-69-year-olds is 22%. Among these NCDs, the top four killers are cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes.  Read more here: 

Ghana’s Hurupay tackles currency fluctuations with stablecoin-based payments platform – Disrupt Africa

Ghanaian startup Hurupay is helping businesses and individuals across Africa overcome the negative impacts of fluctuating local currencies by allowing them to make and receive stablecoin-based payments.

Formed earlier this year, Hurupay is a crypto wallet that enables users to access stablecoins, which are non-volatile cryptocurrencies pegged to the value of the US dollar at a ratio of 1:1. The platform is designed to help SMEs and individuals mitigate the negative impacts of depreciating local currencies against the dollar on their income and growth, by providing a more stable and reliable payment method.

Businesses can accept stablecoin payments from customers simply by scanning QR codes, and pay suppliers with zero fees. Individuals can save money in dollars and stablecoins, send and receive money across borders with very low fees, and pay at shops. The idea for the platform came to co-founder and CEO Philip Mburu, a Kenyan, when he relocated to Ghana in September 2021. Read more here: 

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Image Credit: Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Revio fintech to reduce failed payments | ProLocums Healthcare Staffing Solution | Google Hustle Academy Fund for Small Businesses | LexiGenius AI-Powered Writing App

South African fintech, Revio raises $5.2 million to reduce failed payments for businesses – Techpoint

Less than 10% of payments in Africa occur through digital channels, signifying an immense opportunity for financial institutions on the continent. McKinsey estimates that revenue in the electronic payments sector will grow by 20% each year, reaching $40 billion in 2025. Despite this opportunity and a growing number of players in the space, payments remain a pain for many businesses. However, payment orchestration startups like Revio help to simplify the process by providing businesses with an API for seamless payment collection.

The three-year-old startup has raised a $5.2 million seed round led by QED Investors, and is the firm’s third investment in an African startup following its Moniepoint and Remedial Health investments. Speedinvest, Ralicap, Everywhere VC, and Partech joined the round. QED’s previous investments in Moniepoint and Remedial Health have been growth-stage investments, but after breaking from tradition, Ruaan Botha, Revio’s CEO, hopes it spurs other investors to join the early-stage investing train. Read more here: 

ProLocums Unveils its Revolutionary Healthcare Staffing Solution in Nigeria – Techeconomy

ProLocums, a healthcare staffing platform, has officially launched its revolutionary healthcare staffing solution in Nigeria. With a strong focus on a pressing challenge in the healthcare sector, ProLocums aims to transform how healthcare professionals connect with locum opportunities that match their expertise and availability.

Its mission is to bridge the gap in the healthcare industry by offering a wide range of opportunities for medical doctors, medical officers, dentists, pharmacists, midwives, optometrists, nurses, medical lab scientists, physiotherapists, veterinary doctors, auxiliary nurses, pharmacy technicians, and dental assistants.

The Nigerian healthcare sector has grappled with numerous difficulties, including a shortage of skilled professionals, inadequate coordination, and issues related to salaries and welfare. These challenges have resulted in a significant portion of healthcare practitioners seeking employment opportunities abroad, leaving gaps in the local healthcare workforce.

According to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), approximately 3,000 to 3,500 doctors graduate from medical colleges annually. Read more here:

Google Launches ₦75 Million Hustle Academy Fund to Boost Nigerian Small Businesses – Tech In Africa

Today, Google has declared the commencement of application processes for the Hustle Academy SMB Fund. This is a specific ₦75 Million fund provided without the necessity for equity return. This move underscores Google’s unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurial dreams and bolstering the growth of Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) within Nigeria.

In Nigeria, small and medium-sized enterprises are fundamental to the economy, yet they consistently encounter significant obstacles, especially in obtaining crucial funding. As stated by the World Bank, African SMBs are facing a notable financing gap, approximated at $330 billion. Additionally, the opportunity to secure bank loans is scarce, with a mere 25% of African SMBs having access, compared to 50% in more developed economic regions.

Launched in 2022, Google’s Hustle Academy is dedicated to offering SMEs education in business and management, mentoring, and networking opportunities. It focuses primarily on equipping them to present their businesses effectively to garner the essential funding for elevating their operations. Since the beginning, over 4,000 SMBs in Nigeria have successfully graduated from the program. Impressively, 74% of the first-year graduates have reported significant business expansion. Read more here: 

Nigerian Develops LexiGenius, an AI-Powered Writing App – Techeconomy

Amidst this digital landscape and the perceived lack of opportunities for local AI advancement in Africa, Olatunbosun Amao, a Nigerian content producer and scriptwriter, has launched LexiGenius, an AI-powered writing app. The writing tool with AI power offers a number of features that have been carefully laid out to aid savvy writers, students, researchers, and professionals. The software, in Amao’s opinion, has the potential to significantly support Nigeria’s digital sector by enhancing content creation, boosting productivity, enhancing education, and fostering innovation.

Amidst this digital landscape and the perceived lack of opportunities for local AI advancement in Africa, Olatunbosun Amao, a Nigerian content producer and scriptwriter, has launched LexiGenius, an AI-powered writing app. The writing tool with AI power offers a number of features that have been carefully laid out to aid savvy writers, students, researchers, and professionals. The software, in Amao’s opinion, has the potential to significantly support Nigeria’s digital sector by enhancing content creation, boosting productivity, enhancing education, and fostering innovation.

According to him, it can position the nation as a competitive player in the global tech arena, attracting investments and fostering economic growth while nurturing a skilled workforce. Amao asserts that LexiGenius combines a variety of essential elements in its AI technology to give subscribers a user-friendly experience. Several user templates, machine learning strategies, adaptive suggestions, a user-friendly interface, and customization choices are some of the essential elements. Read more here: 

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Image Credit: Tech In Africa

Edventures Ed-Tech | Climate-Tech Startup Lab | Cchub Entrepreneurship Programme | Technigeria’s Fastamoni Edupali Fee Payment | Remedial Health, Raises $12 Million

Egypt’s EdVentures, Saudi’s VMS join forces to revolutionise MENA ed-tech industry – Disrupt Africa.

Egypt-based ed-tech corporate VC firm EdVentures has announced a strategic partnership with VMS, a leading venture studio empowering entrepreneurs and startups in the Middle East, to enhance ed-tech in the region. Since its establishment in 2017, EdVentures, the investment arm of Egypt’s Nahdet Misr Group, has been at the forefront of investing in innovative ed-tech startups.

Meanwhile, VMS supports talented startups entering the Saudi Arabian market, helping them overcome challenges and achieve their business goals. By driving innovation and embracing risk, VMS contributes to the growth and success of the Saudi entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The partnership between the two is a significant milestone in the development of the ed-tech industry in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, fostering innovation in a key sector. It will allow both companies to support a greater number of ed-tech startups. EdVentures will provide startups with its specialised incubation, acceleration, and investment programmes while VMS will leverage its network to offer essential guidance, mentorship, and advisory services to enhance the startups’ chances of success. Read more here:

CMA unveils climate-tech startup lab – Punch News

Climate Action Africa has launched CMA Labs, a hub dedicated to supporting the development of the climate-tech startup ecosystem in Africa. According to a co-founder of the initiative, Grace Oluchi, climate change poses significant threats to Africa’s environment and economy, needing urgent and sustainable solutions.

She said that in the face of harsh realities caused by climate change, including severe droughts, flooding, and escalating agricultural challenges, Climate Action Africa had taken steps to address those issues.

She said, “Based on what we have been doing in the last two years, we have been able to discover innovators that are doing things that are practical that can be used. One of the challenges we have is that these innovations are not mainstreamed. They are not commercialised. Read more here: 

Applications open for CcHub-led student entrepreneurship programme – Disrupt Africa

Disrupt Africa reported CcHub had launched a new co-funded initiative to support innovation within African universities, in partnership with the Make-IT in Africa project implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The UNI:NNOVATORS Startups-in-Residence Programme will see CcHub support 30 student-led innovations in Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya in an effort to strengthen and accelerate the participation of academic institutions in the emerging innovation ecosystem across Africa.

In Nigeria, it is working with the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos. In Namibia, it has partnered the University of Namibia and Namibia University of Science and Technology, and in Kenya the partners are Riara University and the University of Nairobi.

Eighteen of these student-led teams who scale through after a pitch demonstration will participate in a knowledge exchange with leading researchers in their fields and get the opportunity to travel to Germany for physical sessions to help to strengthen their prototypes. They will then receive funding and advisory services towards building and deploying their MVPs in the marketplace and in partnership with industry where applicable. Read more here: 

TECHNigeria’s FastaMoni launches school fee payment platform, EduPali. – Ripples News

Nigerian startup FastaMoni Technologies has unveiled its pioneering online platform, EduPali, to address the pressing challenges of soaring education costs and limited accessibility to quality education in Africa. EduPali, according to the team, serves as a digital payment platform designed to streamline school fee payments while offering other benefits to both educational institutions and students across the continent.

Speaking on the development, Adetola Adele, the co-founder, and CEO of FastaMoni, emphasized that the company is dedicated to optimizing the payment process as well as ensuring affordability and flexibility for parents.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that EduPali offers a range of payment options including split payments tailored to low-income families and one-off payments for those with moderate income levels. Adele said: “Our focus is on optimising the payment process, ensuring affordability and flexibility for parents. Read more here:

Nigerian startup, Remedial Health, raises $12 million in Series A funding – Nairametrics

Health-tech startup, Remedial Health, has raised $12 million in Series A funding comprising $8 million equity and $4 million debt. The company said the fund would be deployed to scale operations in Nigeria and support the delivery of targeted financial services to drive business growth across the country’s pharmaceutical sector.

The startup, which is digitizing pharmacies and bringing efficiency to the pharmaceutical value chain, said it would also prioritize increasing its penetration in the 34 states it currently operates in Nigeria by getting more pharmacies and hospitals signed up, especially in rural areas, where demand is growing. The $8 million Series A equity funding round was led by US-based venture capital firm, QED Investors and co-led by Ventures Platform, who have now invested in Remedial Health at every funding round since the pre-seed stage. Read more here: 

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Blueroomcare – Healthtech Startup Therapy | Tabulio Connect African Tech Talents | Bank Of Ghana Approves New Payment Service Provider | Villgro Africa Funds Africa Healthcare Startups | Multichoice Streaming App

Nigerian mental healthtech startup, Blueroomcare, wants to provide therapy to everyone with a mental illness – Techpoint

Globally, nearly one billion people have some form of mental disorder, but accessing appropriate care and treatment can be difficult. This is especially true in Africa, where mental healthcare and therapists are scarce. Although there is more awareness of mental health issues across the continent, it is still challenging to help those in need because of stigma, lack of funding, and inadequate resources.

For instance, Moses Aiyenuro, CEO of Blueroomcare — a mental healthtech startup — struggled with anxiety and depression in 2019. However, it wasn’t easy getting the mental health care he needed. Mental health issues frequently result in lost productivity, disability, and even premature death, with far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and society.

…However, the Mental Health Act is changing the narrative, as it defines and protects the rights of Nigerians with mental illnesses. It provides equal access to treatment and care, discourages stigma and discrimination, and sets standards for psychiatric practice in Nigeria, among other provisions…… Read more here

Nigeria’s Tabulio launches to connect African tech talents – Ripples News

Tabulio, a Nigerian startup, has launched a social networking platform aimed at connecting African tech talent with global opportunities. The startup was founded by Tosh Ajibade and Chris Steve in 2019 and was released as an MVP in 2021.

Through the platform, the team enables users to showcase their work, connect with potential employers and network with other tech talents.Unlike other social networking platforms, Tabulio focuses more on technical expertise and proficiency, providing developers with a centralized platform to display their portfolio of codes and repositories.

After a successful beta, Tabulio officially launched in May 2021, and has already accumulated over 5,000 users, with more than 1,500 projects posted on the platform. Read more here

Bank of Ghana Approves New Payment Service Provider – IT News Africa

Cross Switch Ghana LTD, and Cross Switch International S.A.R.L. are pleased to announce that Cross Switch Ghana LTD has obtained approval from the Bank of Ghana to operate as an Enhanced Payment Service Provider.

Cross Switch Ghana LTD was recently granted approval by the Bank of Ghana to operate as an Enhanced Payment Service Provider (EPSP). As an EPSP, Cross Switch Ghana is set to leverage its payments and technology infrastructure to digitise merchant payments, collections and disbursements for ecommerce, remittances as well as for financial inclusion.

Cross Switch Ghana is set to leverage its payments and technology infrastructure to digitise merchant payments, collections and disbursements for ecommerce, remittances as well as for financial inclusion. Read more here

Villgro Africa gives more than $2 million to healthcare startups in Africa – Tech In Africa

Villgro Africa has put more than $1.36 million into 36 Kenyan healthcare startups in the last seven years. As part of its plans to grow in the region, the company plans to open a Biotech Innovation Hub. The incubator and impact investor announced these plans at the annual 2023 Sankalp Summit, where it also released its 2015–2022 Impact Report.

Wilfred Njagi, CEO and Co-Founder of Villgro Africa, said, “Since the beginning, Villgro Africa has given people at the bottom of the pyramid access to health care.”In the past seven years, Villgro has steadily put seed money into social enterprises with homegrown solutions to Africa’s health and lifestyle problems.

So far, these businesses have made over $5.2 million, created more than 540 jobs, and helped more than 2 million people. The Impact Report shows that out of the $2,146,401 Villgro Africa has invested since it began seven years ago, $1,317,087 has gone to Kenyan startups. This is the lion’s share. Read more here

Multichoice partners firm to re-launch streaming app – Punch News

MultiChoice Group and Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky have announced a new partnership to expand and relaunch Showmax.

According to the firm, the relaunched Showmax would be powered by NBCUniversal’s Peacock technology platform, while offering audiences new local and global content, as well as live matches of the English premier league. The firm stated that the new Showmax group would be 70 per cent owned by MultiChoice and 30 per cent by NBCUniversal.

In a statement, the Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice, Calvo Mawela, said, “We launched Showmax as the first African streaming service in 2015 and are extremely proud of its success to date. “This agreement represents a great opportunity for our Showmax team to scale even greater heights by working with a leading global player in Comcast and its subsidiaries. Read more here

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Envisionit Deep AI Raises $1.65m Funding | Rise In Registered Loan Apps In Nigeria | Egyptian Fintech Funding | Google Funds Startups In Africa | Nigerian Entrepreneurs Dominate Tech Award

SA e-health startup Envisionit Deep AI raises $1.65m funding – Disrupt Africa

South African e-health startup Envisionit Deep AI has raised US$1.65 million in funding to unlock its next phase of growth, as it aims to address critical shortages in the African and emerging market healthcare sector and democratise access to diagnostic imaging using artificial intelligence (AI).

Founded in 2019 by Dr Jaishree Naidoo, Andrei Migatchev and Terence Naidu, Envisionit Deep AI builds innovative medical solutions that harness the power of AI to transform how healthcare professionals diagnose and treat patients.

Through solutions such as its RADIFY AI technology, the company is improving the speed, accuracy, quality and affordability of medical imaging diagnosis, which is crucial in the early detection and treatment of various diseases including tuberculosis, coronavirus pneumonia and breast cancer, among others. The US$1.65 million funding comes from New GX Ventures SA, with an additional undisclosed raise from the GIIG Africa Fund, after Envisionit Deep AI was named a Southern Africa regional winner at the African Startup Awards. Read more here 

Registered loan apps in Nigeria rise to 131 ahead of March 27 registration deadline – Nairametrics

Ahead of the march 27, 2023 deadline for the registration of digital money lenders popularly known as loan apps, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said a total of 131 companies have been registered and given the approval to operate in the country.

This figure was recorded as of February 28, according to the commission’s database. However, only 92 of the 131 companies have secured full approval, while the remaining 39 secured conditional approval. Read more here 

Egyptian fintech startup Hollydesk raises $1m debt funding to expand offering – Disrupt Africa

Egyptian fintech startup Hollydesk has raised US$1 million in venture debt financing from unnamed investors to expand its offering and client base.

Founded in 2020 by Mahmoud Moussa, Hollydesk is an expense management platform that allows companies to automate approval workflows and generate reports to analyse spending patterns.

The startup has already helped hundreds of companies save time, reduce fraud, and manage their expenses more effectively. In 2022 alone, companies using Hollydesk spent EGP130 million (US$4.2 million) through the platform.

It has now raised US$1 million in venture debt financing to help more small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the country manage and track their daily expenses. The funding will be used to expand Hollydesk’s offerings and reach more companies needing efficient expense management solutions. Read more here

Google commits $4M to startups in Africa in 2023 – Vanguard News

Search Engine giant, Google said it has so far, committed $4 million to support eligible black-founded start-ups this year alone.

This is even as it opened applications for the third cohort of Black Founders Fund for Startup in Africa and Europe.

Black founders fund is Google’s initiative to promoting job creation and wealth generation in the continent. The programme provides start-ups not only the funding, but also hands-on support, connections and resources to help founders build solutions that are relevant for the African economy.

According to Google, “Start-ups operating and headquartered in Africa or having a legal presence on the continent are eligible to apply for the Black Founders Fund.

“Other eligibility criteria for start-ups that wish to apply are that the business should be benefiting the black community or that early-stage start-ups have black founders or diverse founding teams.”The start-ups should be building for Africa and the global market, have the growth potential to raise more funding, create jobs and generally be making measurable impact. Read more here

Nigerian entrepreneurs dominate tech award shortlist – Punch

Not less than seven Nigerian women startup founders have been shortlisted for the Aurora Tech Award 2023.

According to a statement, the women are among 22 finalists drawn from different countries in the world.

The organisers of the award, inDrive, stated that this year’s nominations echo as a moment of pride for Nigeria as seven women from the country have dominated the list.

The Aurora Tech Awards is an annual event that recognises outstanding women’s achievements in technology and innovation.

This year’s competition has attracted entries from all over the world, with 22 competitors making it to the shortlist.

The seven Nigerian women who are nominated for the award include Folake Owodunni and her startup Emergency Response Africa; Princess Oti, who owns the startup Kaoshi Network, as well as Cynthia Asije and her startup Craftmerce Inc. Read more here

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Firms Partner To Reduce Cyberattacks | Edtech Accelerator Program | Opportunities In 5G Technology | Agfunder Inviting Agritech Startups | Healthtech Startup Raises $1.65M Investment

Firms partner to reduce cyberattacks – Punch News

Mastercard has partnered with NowNow, a Nigerian digital payment startup to help small and medium-size enterprises to reduce the risk of cyberattacks. According to the firm, there has been a leap in cybercrimes recently.

It stated that SMEs were the main target for cybercriminals since they do not have the resources to help themselves defend against breaches. It said as part of its Start Path Global Programme, it would provide NowNow with operational support, commercial engagement, and the opportunity for strategic investment.

The Executive Vice President, Product Optimisation and Customer Advancement, Cyber and Intelligence at Mastercard, Paul Trueman, said, “As Mastercard brings the next billion people into the digital economy, it is vital that business owners feel as secure and safe from cybercrime as possible. “Our partnership with NowNow is key to achieving this. Whether large or small, businesses deserve the peace of mind to operate knowing that they are being kept safe.” Read more here

CcHUB launches a $15M edtech accelerator program to support startups – TechinAfrica

LAfrica’s biggest innovation hub, Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), has started “The Edtech Fellowship Program,” a $15 million accelerator program. A statement from the company says that it will back and help 72 startups in Nigeria and Kenya for the next three years.

The program’s goal is to increase the impact of edtech startups and help founders who use technology to improve learning in an education sector with many problems.

This report says that about 98 million children and young people don’t attend school in the sub-Saharan region. This is where most children don’t go to school. Even for people in school, the quality of education is terrible. This makes teaching a good place for edtech startups to grow in the region.

The fellowship program will focus on startups in Nigeria and Kenya, two of the continent’s biggest edtech markets. It will pay for solutions beyond tutorial apps and platforms focusing on rote learning. The program will also give startups access to $100,000 in startup capital to use during the program.

The company wants to help edtech startups by giving them access to shared resources like a product development team, government relations team, pedagogy and learning science team, portfolio management team, communication team, instructional design team, and community building team. Read more here

Exploring opportunities in 5G technology –  TheGuardian

With higher multi-Gbps maximum data speeds of up to 10 Gbps, ultra-low latency, increased reliability, massive network capacity, and increased availability, 5G will drive innovation across every sector, industry and transform everything, as we know it. What does this mean for Nigerians and how will it impact our lives, from the software developer based in Lagos to the grandma in the depths of Makurdi.

According to the World Bank, Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world.  5G is able to accelerate the democratisation of inclusive and affordable access to quality education, thus leveling the playing field between children in remote villages and children in cities. 5G can help transform education in Nigeria, as students will be able to download learning materials faster and collaborate in real-time. Medical students are not excluded from this educational experience. They can use augmented reality (AR) to dissect cadavers and diagnose illnesses, among other things. Indeed, 5G technology will advance the educational sector in Nigeria by bringing abstracts to life and introducing a new way of seeing the world. Read more here

GROW Impact Accelerator invites applications from African agritech startups – Tech Gist Africa

The GROW Impact Accelerator is currently accepting applications from agri-tech startups based in Africa. New foodtech and agtech firms that are attempting to solve some of the world’s most pressing sustainability issues are being given a huge boost by the GROW Impact Accelerator, which is funded by AgFunder. The accelerator program intends to hasten the development of several solutions for the manner in which we produce, process, package, transport, eat, and discard our food.

GROW believes that founders should receive comprehensive support; businesses succeed when their founders have the commercial, technical, and professional assistance they require to prosper. Founders can tailor their experience within the program’s cohort-based framework by choosing from a variety of thematic “streams.”

The GROW framework questions your value proposition and business model to make sure they are robust, customer-focused, and scalable. Read more here

Healthtech startup, Envisionit Deep AI, raises $1.65M investment – Ripples News

Female-led healthtech startup, Envisionit Deep AI, has raised a $1.65 million investment from New GX Ventures. The female founder, Dr. Jaishree Naidoo, who was in charge of pediatric radiology at a South African hospital, confirmed the funding in a statement on Friday.

The funding follows closely after the startup emerged as the Southern Africa regional winner at the African Startup Awards. New GX Ventures SA is a joint venture between New GX Capital, RMB Ventures, and GIIG Africa. Read more here

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