Tech

Vodacom teams up with Microsoft South Africa to enhance digital skills

Published

8 months ago

March 8, 2024

Global telecommunications service provider, Vodacom has entered into a partnership with Microsoft South Africa to enhance digital skills for youths while preparing them for jobs in the digital space.

Mathys Venter, Managing Executive for Prepaid and Loyalty at Vodacom South Africa, who announced the collaboration on Friday, said the partnership is designed to reduce the 44% youth unemployment rate in the country by providing free access to digital training courses on the Mzansi Digital Learning platform.

“Recognizing the digital skills gap in a country with one of the world’s highest youth population, this partnership aims to address the urgent need for relevant skills in the modern job market,” Venter said.

He added that the deal underscores both companies’ “commitment to drive digital inclusion, ensuring that no one is left behind in the quest for digital literacy, providing access to opportunities in the digital economy, and proficiency in key technological advancements such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

“We are extremely grateful to embark on this transformative partnership with our longstanding partner Microsoft South Africa. Collaborating with a like-minded brand who share our values and ambition is testament to our collective commitment to address unemployment and empower individuals through innovative digital training.

“Affording youth with much needed digital literacy is just one way we strive to fight the scourge of unemployment, one skill at a time. We believe that this partnership reinforces our purpose of creating an inclusive digital society, leaving no one behind,” added Venter.

Also speaking on the partnership, Asif Valley, National Technology Officer at Microsoft South Africa, said:

“We are fully committed to supporting and enabling our youth as we collectively work towards closing the skills gap and empowering every person to achieve more in this era of digital transformation.

“It is increasingly about ensuring young people are equipped with the skills they need for the jobs that exist today and, in the future.

“This is the first time we are working with Vodacom to bring an initiative of this scale to the local market and drive a common social goal. We know that when we empower people to harness digital technologies effectively, we help to create sustainable businesses,” says Valley.

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Tech

Bolt invests $107m in Nigeria to boost safety standards

Published

21 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ride-hailing platform, Bolt, has announced an investment of $107 million in its bid to boost safety and service quality in Nigeria’s ride-hailing sector, with a special technology enhancing safety standards for both drivers and passengers.

Lola Masha, Bolt’s Regional Manager for North and West Africa, who made the announcement in a statement, said the “investment will fund new safety technologies, accident prevention measures, customer support upgrades, and public safety awareness campaigns, underscoring Bolt’s commitment to providing a secure and reliable platform.”

She revealed that as part of its quality check, the company had removed more than 5,000 drivers from its platform in 2023 so as to cleanup its database cleanup effort and will continue to implementing a driver score system to maintain quality standards.

“The driver score evaluates performance by monitoring how frequently drivers accept ride requests, successfully complete trips, and respond to passenger feedback. Essentially, it rates drivers based on their performance over their last 100 trips,” she noted.

Masha emphasized that the move came as a result of complains by the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUTON) which raised concerns about the potential downsides experienced by users and the psychological stress on drivers, which could negatively affect their performance.

According to her, among the upcoming features are a four-digit trip pickup code and a trip counter, both aimed at making rides more secure and dependable for all users.

Tech

Egyptian VC Flat6Labs partners ITIDA to launch programme for tech startups

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Egyptian Venture Capital firm, Flat6Labs, has partnered with Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to launch an InvestIT programme which will offer tech startups in the country, particularly at the seed or pre-Series A stages, access to consultancy, tools, and investor connections to help them scale operations and enhance global competitiveness.

The programme, according to Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr Amr Talaat, will be run by the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC), a subsidiary of ITIDA, and will support startups across various governorates, encouraging innovation and growth in Egypt’s digital economy.

“Through two phases, it will prepare startups for investment with tailored training sessions and workshops, followed by connecting them with local and international investors,” Talaat said in a statement.

“The Egyptian government remains steadfast in its dedication to cultivating a thriving tech startup ecosystem. We are rolling out diverse initiatives to equip entrepreneurs with essential skills, attract global incubators, and facilitate connections between startups and investors.

“By establishing Digital Egypt innovation hubs nationwide, we empower innovators to transform their ideas into successful ventures.

“Alongside this, we are streamlining processes and investing in advanced digital infrastructure, positioning Egypt among the top three countries in the Middle East and Africa for tech startup investments,” the Minister said.

Flat6Labs founder and chairman Hany El Sonbaty, who also spoke on the initiative, said the launch of the InvestIT programme has further expanded his company’s support for Egyptian entrepreneurs.

“This programme is not just about preparing startups for investment; it’s about equipping them with the tools and connections to scale their impact.

“Through our collaboration with ITIDA and TIEC, we’re committed to building a strong, vibrant ecosystem where startups can make a real impact on the tech landscape in Egypt,” he said.

The programme, he said, will support 12 startups over six-to-eight months with each startup receiving tailored consultancy services to enhance their investment readiness and assist with setting up data rooms and preparing for investor engagements.