TechCabal Daily, 594

Ant Financial is expanding to Africa. [View this email in your browser]( PRESENTED BY LUNO 14 - 8 - 2018 Sponsor Message If you are new to cryptocurrencies, global cryptocurrency firm (with Nigerian operations), [Luno]( is making it safe and easy to buy, store and learn about cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. And if you're already a crypto guru, Luno Exchange, their professional crypto trading platform is definitely the one for you. Don't delay, try out the platform [right away](. Waracake has [launched]( its food delivery service, Warachow. The startup which initially began in 2015 as an online cake retail store also launched a gifting platform, WaraGifts, last year. It now delivers to 23 states across Nigeria. Over 120 women have [graduated]( from MasterCard-funded Junior Achievement Youth Enterprise Development Programme 2017 in South Africa. The 20-week programme which targets out-of-school, unemployed and self-employed women between ages 18 - 35, provided them business and digital skills training. AUC Venture Lab (an accelerator at The American University in Cairo) [has reached]( an agreement with Geneva-based Temenos which will allow the latter provide a sandbox service to fintech startups in Egypt. Start-ups will be able to test their new products and services in a non-production version of Temenos' T24 core banking system which is already running in 11 major financial institutions in Egypt. South Africa's SITA (State Information Technology Agency) [was hit]( by network outages more than once in the past three days. The agency which provides centralized IT services to the public sector was down due to power outages at its site in Pretoria. The agency has since apologized for the outages, has promised to investigate it and is also reported to be working on its incident recovery procedures. Safaricom is [considering]( using biometrics to check SIM card fraud in Kenya. Following a recent arrest of about 22 suspects in a SIM card fraud case, users may now be required to use fingerprint biometrics to access services such as SIM card swap. The telco already introduced a voice biometric system (Jitambulishe) last year which made it easier for customers to access services like resetting their M-Pesa PIN & PUK requests. An amended version of South Africa's Electronic Communications Amendment Bill [is expected]( to be presented to cabinet by the end of next month. The bill could bring authorities closer to issuing new radio frequency spectrum to telcos. However, the bill is already generating controversy due to government's plan to take away spectrum already assigned to operators and its intention to reserve the majority of high-demand spectrum to wireless open-access network providers. The Kenyan Government [is looking]( to set up an incubation hub to acquire solutions in order to support its different agencies or entities in the delivery of their services. Entrepreneurs will be able to propose their solutions, get them tested and possibly absorbed by the concerned government agency or entity. Team LightBulb from Johannesburg has been [announced]( the winner of the 2018 GirlsCodeHack competition. The team developed a soil quality assessment tool for farmers and gardeners in a competition involving 140 girls held in three locations across South Africa. The winning team will attend the Women in Tech conference in Amsterdam holding on November 28 & 29. Alibaba's payments and financial services arm, Ant Financial, is [expanding]( to Africa in partnership with the IFC and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The firm says it wants to promote digital financial inclusion (through investments and technical assistance) and will target small businesses and largely unserved consumers including displaced people and refugees with no official documents or identity papers. Ant Financial is [considered]( the world's largest fintech company and its online payment platform completed more than $8 trillion of transactions last year—the equivalent of more than twice Germany’s GDP. Egyptian startup, Mowarrid, which connects supermarkets to suppliers, has [raised]( $2.3 million from local and international investors. The startup is looking to invest the fund in expanding its development and sales team and also acquiring more retailers to join its platform. MTN is [launching]( a new fibre-to-home brand called Supersonic in South Africa by end of August according to MyBroadBand. Supersonic's product offerings will include on-site technical support and a dedicated relationship manager. Features will also be customizable via a mobile app. The fourth annual Healthcare Innovation Summit Africa is holding on October 17 & 18 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. The event is themed "Transforming Healthcare with Technology", interested persons can register to attend [here](. Merck is holding a Startup Challenge on September 21 in partnership with Seedspace Lagos. The program is open to early stage West African start-ups in the following fields, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Performance Materials, other search fields such as Bio-sensing & Interfaces, and Precision Farming. Start-ups have until Aug 17 to join the challenge and win a $3,000 prize money and more, apply [here](. Passion Incubator has announced the launch of Startup SouthWest. The program which is supported by the Nigerian government's Growth & Employment project (GEMs) will include a pre-incubation program which will provide training and support in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Development Ethics, Entrepreneurship and Ideation. There's also a 6-month startup incubation program. Start-ups in Nigeria can apply to join any of the programs [here](. Applications close August 30. From Techcabal + [Wallet.Ng: The Fintech Startup Building Mobile Payment Solutions For Nigerian Millennials]( + [The Challenges Nigerian Fintech Startups Want Out Of Their Way]( That's all. We'll be back tomorrow. - Olanrewaju Share this digest, what's the worst that could happen? [Share]( [Tweet]( [Forward to Friend]( Copyright © 2018 Big Cabal Media, All rights reserved. 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