African Tech Roundup Podcast

Latest Episodes:

What Defines An African Startup? + The Week's Biggest News Aug 31, 2015

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Back in Episode 3 of the African Tech Round-up we asked the question: “What is a startup?” A lively discussion ensued— inspired by an eloquent piece written by David Adamo Jr, a Nigerian Computer Science PhD student at the University of North Texas. Since then, the highly-opinionated founder of Hotels.ng, Mark Essien, and Project Isizwe CEO, Alan Knott-Craig Jr, have both since penned articles (When Startups In Nigeria Suddenly Got Serious and Venture Capital In Africa Is Hard) which contribute to answering a more pointed question we’re asking in this week’s show: “What defines an African startup?” Can African tech startups be defined in the same terms as those currently being born and raised in Silicon Valley? Are there certain universal standards (i.e. minimum levels of traction in the form user on-boarding, cashflow, etc) that must be met in order for a business owner to claim the coveted title of “startup founder”? Tefo Mohapi and Andile Masuku's discussion this week adds to a debate that we hope everyone in Africa’s tech eco-system will continue to jump in on. Also, catch up on all the week’s biggest tech, digital and innovation news from across Africa: -- Safaricom poised to start charging banks for bank-to M-Pesa transfers, -- Google Transit launches in Kenya and attempts to aid users of public transport, -- Nest VC establishes a presence in South Africa through a partnership with Cape Town Garage, -- Android One’s Infinix Hot 2 smartphone selling like hotcakes in Nigeria, -- Google announces that they have reached a 10 million user milestone in Nigeria, -- South African mobile network, Cell C, discontinues free WhatsApp promotion, and -- South African airline FlySafair server crash following slash price ticket campaign. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Does Africa Need More Cheap Smartphones? + The Week's Biggest News Aug 23, 2015

Show notes

For many recently married couples, the diamond engagement ring is one of their biggest assets— albeit an emotional asset, symbolising love and lifelong commitment. In financial terms it isn’t an asset at all, considering the fact that it loses at least 50% of it’s retail value the moment you leave the jewellery store. Rough, isn’t it? And yet still we feel compelled to buy diamonds for our loved ones, and continue to fuel a global billion-dollar industry. One has to admire the ingenious marketing strategy drafted and executed by the N.W. Ayer ad agency in the early 1900s for their client, De Beers, which resulted in the world attaching value to a commodity that’s not nearly as rare (or as necessary) as we were led to believe. In this week’s African Tech Round-up, Tefo Mohapi and Andile Masuku discuss the the implications of low-cost smartphone penetration on the continent. The increase in internet use via mobile devices has undoubtedly delivered certain advantages. But when you consider how issues like the prevalence of preventable diseases, hunger and limited access to basic education continue to be a daily reality faced by many Africans, the importance of whether or not you have a smartphone might be in question. So, just how important and necessary is this so-called “mass exodus” from feature phones to smartphones, and could the Android-brigade (led by Google and its mobile device manufacturing homies) be stimulating the demand for the smartphone the way De Beers did for diamonds near the turn of the century? Also in this week's episode, all the week's biggest digital, tech and innovation news: -- Vodacom South Africa rolls out voice-over-WiFi calling, -- The Nigerian Communications Commission poised to deactivate 10.7 million mobile lines over various networks, -- Kenyan banks are finally getting in on the mobile money craze in a big way, -- Uber Kenya sees their user numbers triple following the introduction of Uber Cash, -- The embattled Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa is reeling following a train crash, -- Thousands of South Africans reportedly implicated in the Ashley Madison data dump, and -- Google rolls out its Android One programme is Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Scary Software Upgrades + The Week's Biggest News Aug 17, 2015

Show notes

Microsoft certainly got millions of people excited a while ago when they announced that their latest version of Windows would be free. However, Windows users in most of Africa have begun to balk at the "not-so-free" implications of this recent innovation-- which by the way, is essentially a compulsory upgrade. Internet access is still relatively limited in most parts of the continent, and there's plenty of data showing that most people primarily connect to the web via mobile networks which deliver data at a premium. In this week's discussion, Tefo Mohapi and Andile Masuku talk about how it appears tech companies like Microsoft seem unmoved by how forced software upgrades will negatively impact African consumers who must pay dearly for the privilege of staying up to date. Also in this episode of the African Tech Round-up-- all the week's biggest digital, tech and innovation news: -- Find out why two of Vodafone's biggest subsidiaries in Africa are in hot water for two very different reasons, -- Discover how the Hacking Team security breach has inspired advocacy group Paradigm Initiative Nigeria to write a strong letter to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, -- Learn how South African JSE-listed giant Naspers is plotting to pre-empt Netflix's imminent entry into the South African market with a video on demand service of its own, -- Get the low-low on which South African travel crowdfunding startup is calling it a day, and -- Hear all about how the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Africa project is desperately seeking data scientists. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Importance Of Accurate Data For Africa + The Week's Biggest News Aug 10, 2015

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There is no doubt that "wherever there is chaos, there is opportunity". A popular conspiracy theory suggests that the lack of quality data on the African continent suits devious corporate and government interests who are looking to maintain the status quo which enables them to continue making hay in the proverbial darkness. In this week's African Tech Round-up, we share the exciting news of the launch of a platform called Accur8Africa-- which aims to improve the accuracy of data on the continent, and provide global policy-makers with reliable data leading up to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in New York at the 70th United Nation General Assembly next month. Tefo Mohapi and Andile Masuku discuss the irksome consequences of Africa's current dearth of credible data, and why competent data analysis must accompany data cleaning efforts in order for Africa to reap any meaningful benefit from data accuracy initiatives such at Accur8Africa. Also in this week's show-- all the biggest digital, tech and innovation news from across the African continent: -- Discover which African country is now officially the world's fastest growing telecoms market, -- Hear how hip-hop musician turned philanthropist, Akon and his business partners intend to harness the traction they are making through their Akon Lighting Up Africa initiative to promote education on the continent, -- Get the latest on Safaricom's readiness to allow "selected partners and developers" to use M-Pesa's API, -- Find out what impressive innovation at Facebook has been described by our content producer, Peter Peele, as Internet.org on steroids, -- Learn more about the seven-day ultimatum the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has served that country's network providers to deactivate all pre-registered SIM cards, and -- Get to grips with why the embarrassing .Africa dispute is likely far from over. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music by Brian Lupiya. Used with Permission.

Hackathon Hype Or Help? + The Week's Biggest News Aug 03, 2015

Show notes

You know it’s a slow news week when the week’s biggest news involves the CEO and the CFO of South African telecoms firm, Neotel, going on leave. Granted, it is “special leave”. Be that as it may, broadly speaking we are totally digging the prevailing positive sentiment we are sensing in Africa’s tech scene. Following the “let’s launch an incubator” trend that we have observed on the continent in recent months, the “let’s host a hackathon” craze is increasing momentum— fueled by a number of companies and organisations looking to harness the growing public interest in all things nerdy, particularly coding. In this week’s discussion Tefo Mohapi and Andile Masuku ask whether coding competitions, such as one hosted by Hotels.ng this past week, actually contribute to improving the standard of professional coding skills in our eco-system. Or are they simply PR gimmicks that do not add value? Also in the news this week is the fact that Kenya is reportedly set to be the first African territory where Uber will test an innovation that will allow drivers who are either deaf or hard of hearing to make a living as taxi drivers.

What Are You Going To Do When They Come For You? + The Week's Biggest News Jul 26, 2015

Show notes

Think back to high school. Remember how the new dude always got all the girls whispering, or how the new girl got all the boys trying to walk her home? Now, if the newbie rolled into town with discernible signs of affluence (i.e. dope clothes, or an expensive scent), the singles market would get particularly frenzied. And when the newbie possessed a hint of exoticism (i.e. a foreign accent, or an unusual taste in music), even the kids involved in some of the most stable couplings might start feeling the pressure to reevaluate their options. In this week's African Tech Roundup, Tefo Mohapi and I discuss the pressure African tech startups are feeling in the face of local markets being invaded by experienced and well-resourced foreign-based interests. Local incumbents in many sectors of tech now find themselves fielding competition from abroad. In everything from venture capital investment to mobile money solutions, media streaming platforms and e-commerce solutions, the race to dominate is well and truly on. In the light of all this, we pose a simple question, "What are you going to do when they come for you?" This week's episode will feature some insights from Nubi Kayode that may help us all find confident answers to that question. Nubi is a Nigerian Business Analyst at Accenture Ireland, and Managing Partner at DevShackAlpha.co. He co-founded EasyAppetite.com-- Nigeria's first online takeaway site in 2012, and managed to survive railroading attempts by foreign-backed competition, and set himself up to make a successful exit in 2014 when his company was acquired by CityChops. Be sure to catch all the week's most important digital, tech and innovation news from across the African continent: -- Find out about a Zimbabwean high school dropout who's built an electric powered vehicle and a hybrid helicopter, -- Discover which two foreign money transfer firms have teamed up and become the latest to launch into Africa, -- Learn more about Kenya's admirable obsession with building their own laptops, -- Hear what you can do to extend the runway for struggling Cameroonian startup, KwiiziBox, and -- Get the low-low on a South African-based video-on-demand platform that is calling it a day. Music Credits: All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Are Kenya And Ethiopia Violating Citizens' Privacy? + The Week's Biggest News Jul 19, 2015

Show notes

Many people are conflicted about the need for “cyber mercenaries” like Hacking Team to exist. Blind idealism might contend that it is simply not right for corporatised hacking syndicates with dodgy ethical standards to secretly assist government intelligence agencies (and well-heeled private clients) to snoop on targets. However, living in a world where the modern wonders of the internet and mobile devices are harnessed to conduct criminal activities in increasingly devious ways may demand that we hold a far more pragmatic attitude towards the need for “hackers for hire” firms to stay in business. This week, iAfrikan Startups Editor and Content Producer for the African Tech Round-up, Peter Peele joins me to discuss how Kenya and Ethiopia have been implicated in Hacking Team’s recent embarrassing hacking incident, and explain how the alleged incompetence of those countries’ intelligence officials-- as evidenced in leaked documents archived on WikiLeaks, could mean that companies like Hacking Team will not be short of clients any time soon. As always, be sure to catch up on all the weeks biggest digital, tech and innovation news from across the African continent: -- Get an update on the headcount at PRASA in the wake of the company's multi-million dollar locomotive procurement scandal, -- Find out which three big international players have announced major plays for Africa's growing money remittance and online payments market, -- Discover which recent infrastructural development at SEACOM has led to their claim of being Africa's leading "telecom enabler and network provider", and what has given rise to Liquid Telecoms promising its clients "near 100 percent server uptime at much faster speeds than any other ISP in Africa", -- Learn more about the Nigerian government's new SIM card registration rules-- aimed at curbing fraud, and -- Get the low-low on which African countries Vodafone services never ask them to intercept communications either for for law enforcement or national security purposes? Music Credits: All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nest.vc Launches In Africa + The Week's Biggest News Jul 12, 2015

Show notes

Everyone loves a good love story. Especially when things go according to plan: start-up founder meets venture capitalist with deep pockets, tons of real-world experience, great contacts and, of course, a tried and tested system for navigating to success. For most African tech startups who have been financed by one of Africa's leading venture capital funds, this idyllic scenario couldn't be further from reality. Exclusive to the African Tech Round-up, Hong Kong’s only private, full service startup accelerator, Nest, has told us the news of their plans to ride into Africa's startup funding scene like a knight in shining armour to "make an impact" by sweeping pretty damsels (aka promising startups) off their feet. Their first stop will be setting up offices in Nairobi, Kenya. Listen in to hear Nest's Africa Managing Partner, Aaron Fu, tell us what he and his team plan to offer investable prospects on the continent by way of finance, expertise and other key elements of startup support. Also in this week's show-- all the week's digital, tech and innovation news from across Africa: --A quick update on the official launch of Facebook Africa's office in Johannesburg, -- Details on the far-reaching consequences of the embarrassing security breach at controversial spyware company Hacking Team, -- Worrying news on internet security laws being proposed by the Kenyan government, -- The low-low on a multi-million dollar locomotive scandal in South Africa, and -- The latest on bitcoin platform BitX's foray into the Nigerian market. Music Credits: All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Net Neutrality Conundrum + The Week's Biggest News Jul 05, 2015

Show notes

As concerns continue to be raised over the potetial threat to internet neutrality posed by Facebook's aggressive roll-out of its Internet.org platform, South African telecoms operator, Telkom is proving that the public's growing distrust of big tech firms is not unfounded. Large tech firms seem only too happy to test limits of what is ethically acceptable in terms of violating personal privacy, while capitalising on the lack of consensus around what constitutes internet neutrality. Little fuss has so far been made over Telkom's recent employment of tactics that would generally be associated with illicit hacking syndicates, following the telecoms giant being caught adding JavaScript to web pages of its ISP clients via a "man-in-the-middle attack". In this week's discussion, Tefo Mohapi and I discuss this unsettling development. Given how we cannot seem to trust big tech interests to behave ethically by defending our right to privacy and security, is internet regulation the answer? Could Telkom's recent behaviour be used to validate the need for the adoption of a regulatory framework like that proposed by South Africa's Film and Publication Board some months back-- the potential unconstitutionality of which was debated in Episode 8: Is This The Worst Censorship Law Ever? Catch the biggest digital, tech and innovation news from across Africa: --Find out which Ugandan serial entrepreneur has being appointed to replace Dell's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Elizabeth Gore as the Chair of the UN Foundation's Global Entrepreneurs Council, --Discover when Facebook will launch its shiny new Africa office and which big South African ad agency executive has been head-hunted to lead its come September 2015, and --Learn how South African mobile subscribers will soon be able to buy airtime and data using Bitcoin. Music Credits: All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Video Streaming Stuttering In Africa? + The Week's Biggest News Jun 28, 2015

Show notes

The race is still on to discover the formula for successfully distributing digital content in Africa. In a recent blogpost, Jason Njoku, the outspoken founder of iRokoTV, announced that his company would soon retire the desktop version of their platform (for African users) to concentrate on building a mobile application that he says will better service the African consumer. The article is basically an eloquent admission that iRokoTV's efforts to "win Lagos" and then conquer the rest of Africa have so far failed. In this week's African Tech Round-up, iAfrikan Executive Editor, Tefo Mohapi and I discuss the challenges that home-grown content streaming platforms like iRokoTV, Wabona, Tuluntulu and others may be facing in their attempts to profitably deliver digital entertainment content to African consumers. While YouTube's growing success in Africa is proof that consumers have an appetite for content streaming, it seems that African platforms are yet to crack the code for how to best to get in on the action. As usual, be sure to catch up on all the week's biggest tech, digital and innovation news from across Africa: --Find out more about a cutting-edge medical innovation that has led to the city of St Louis, Missouri awarding their highest honour to a Nigerian-born scientist, --Get details on how Facebook plans to roll out its Internet.org platform in South Africa in partnership with mobile network operator, Cell C, --Learn why Nigerian e-commerce platform, Konga's acquisition of mobile banking and payment provider, Zinternet is such a smart move, and --Discover what we found odd about Twitter's recent talent call for young Africans. Music Credits: All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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