Tech

Kenyan techpreneur wins Microsoft’s 2022 MVP award

Published

2 years ago

January 30, 2023

A Kenyan techpreneur, Shadrack Kiprotich, has been awarded the coveted 2022 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for “actively sharing high-quality expertise with other technology professionals.”

Kiprotich made the list of over 3,000 awardees worldwide for the Microsoft MVPs, which is an “elite group of experts who share a passion for technology, a willingness to help others, and a commitment to community, making them exceptional leaders who contribute to the industry’s success through knowledge-sharing to solve problems,” according to Microsoft’s website.

After the announcement on Monday, Kiprotich, who was also nominated in the Business Applications category, said he will continue to “deliver amazing work in his local community and will hope to open up more opportunities for others to do the same.”

“The MVP award program will play a huge role in my journey since this is something I love; advocating for tech for all and making contributions to the community,” he told journalists in Nairobi.

“As the only Kenyan MVP at the moment, I am looking forward to more people joining the program and we will be able to grow the MVP community in Kenya and get to empower more people,” Kiprotich said.

Ruth Ferland, the Microsoft Africa Development Center Senior Program Manager for Ecosystem Engagements, noted that Shadrack’s journey to the award indicated the importance of introducing technical skills early, and maintaining a strong talent development pipeline for the technology industry.

“As we congratulate Shadrack Kiprotich for his unwavering efforts to becoming one of the elite global technology professionals, we must consider the value of providing technical skills early on in people’s lives,” said Ferland.

Kiprotich who holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, picked up his programming skills by learning from a friend and honed them in the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program, before going on to be a team lead in Season 2 of the Microsoft Game of Learners hackathon in 2021.

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Tech

20 African tech-preneurs embark on Korean innovation tour

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The African Development Bank Group’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab has selected 20 promising tech entrepreneurs from various African technology ventures and enterprise support organisations to embark on a two-week study tour of the Republic of Korea, with the aim of seeking investment and insights from the country’s innovative tech ecosystem.

The selected entrepreneurs are from 133 ventures that participated in last month’s Africa Tech Startup Forum.

The forum which will hold under the auspices of the lab’s “Leveraging the Entrepreneurial and Innovation Success of Korea to Strengthen African Enterprise Support” project, had selected entrepreneurs who pitched the best business models during the week-long virtual market access and acceleration programme preparing, training, and connecting technology ventures with opportunities.

The 20 young tech-preneurs were selected from eight African countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda, with the delegates spanning various sectors in the technology space.

While in Korea, the African delegates will pay visits to prestigious institutions such as Global Startup Centre, LG Science Park, the Korea Software Technology Association, and the Global Digital Innovation Network.

Speaking on behalf of the delegates, founder of Kenya-based health technology venture Zuri Health, Uche Ezadinachi said:

“I am excited to go to Korea because the country has made serious technological developments. The country is a technology-driven society, and this tour is an opportunity for me to see how we can bring such technology to Africa.

“We will share experiences with our Korean counterparts; they will learn from us as much as we learn from them,” he added.

Tech

Kenya’s ticketing startup BuuPass partners Flexpay for flexible travel payments

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenyan digital ticketing startup, BuuPass, has entered into a partnership with goal-based savings platform, Flexpay, to offer customers flexible payment plans ahead of holiday travels as well as simplify travel planning and ease the financial burden of holiday travel for Kenyans.

Co-founder and CEO at Buupass, Sonia Kabra, who unveiled the package at a press conference, said the collaboration between the two platforms will allow travellers to save for their journeys in manageable, interest-free installments over four to 12 weeks.

“Travelers can select their travel dates, book tickets, and pay a small deposit upfront, with the remaining balance spread across weekly or monthly payments,” she said.

“This approach offers a stress-free way for families and large groups to secure their tickets early, helping them avoid last-minute price hikes as fares are locked in.

“By partnering with Flexpay, we’re giving travelers the flexibility to budget for their trips in advance. This initiative aligns with our mission to make travel accessible to everyone, providing a solution that meets customers where they are financially,” said Kabra.

Also speaking at the event, Richard Machomba, CEO and founder of Flexpay, said:

“Flexpay’s mission is to empower individuals by providing accessible financial solutions that make it easier for them to achieve their financial goals.

“By partnering with BuuPass, we’re making travel more accessible and stress-free for Kenyans, especially during the holiday season when expenses can be overwhelming,” Machomba added.

Founded in 2016 by Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass is a B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD, while its SaaS platform helps bus operators manage their operations, inventory, and sales.

FlexPay, on the other hand, is an online and offline payment gateway that allows merchants to offer interest-free targeted savings to their customers in Africa.