Tag: Engineering

Flutterwave announces engineering mobility program with Capgemini

Flutterwave, Africa’s foremost payments technology company, has revealed its plans to launch an inaugural Engineering Mobility Programme in India in collaboration with Capgemini, a global leader in business and technology transformation services.

Under this innovative initiative, Flutterwave’s engineering teams based in Nigeria and the United Kingdom will join forces with Capgemini’s extensive technology talent pool in Bangalore, India. The collaboration aims to facilitate the exchange of industry best practices and foster the growth of the next-generation workforce in the field of technology and engineering.

Read also: Flutterwave launches Swap, Nigerian forex platform

Enhancing Product Delivery and Strategy

This partnership will not only promote knowledge sharing but will also see Capgemini leverage its deep domain expertise to enhance Flutterwave’s product delivery capabilities, particularly through the integration of a new cloud service provider. Furthermore, Capgemini will play a pivotal role in shaping Flutterwave’s technology strategy by defining a clear target state and an elaborate roadmap for seamless implementation.

Empowering Engineers for Innovation

Flutterwave’s Chief Technology Officer, Gurbhej Dhillon, expressed his excitement about the Engineering Mobility Programme, emphasizing its significance beyond collaboration with a global tech leader like Capgemini. He highlighted the program’s focus on diversity, inclusivity, and the free flow of ideas, which are essential drivers of continuous innovation.

Dhillon stated, “We cannot wait to see the incredible solutions this programme will birth. I’m looking forward to seeing how our engineers will take their learnings back home and share their experiences with their teams as they continue building payment solutions for the emerging economies of Africa and beyond.”

Mansi Babyloni, Chief People Officer at Flutterwave, underscored the company’s commitment to empowering its employees and nurturing talent. She stated that the Engineering Mobility Programme reflects their dedication to responding to talent needs, driving improvements, and investing in their people. Babyloni also emphasized the value of such programs in shaping careers and expressed her excitement about the positive impact it will have on Flutterwave’s engineers.

Capgemini’s Perspective

Sujit Kini, Global Account Executive, Financial Services at Capgemini, highlighted their long history of leveraging technology to deliver business value and innovation worldwide. He expressed Capgemini’s enthusiasm for collaborating with Flutterwave on this talent development program, especially in the rapidly evolving payments landscape.

Flutterwave’s Continued Growth and Innovation

Bode Abifarin, Chief Operating Officer at Flutterwave, reflected on the company’s remarkable journey of growth and innovation since its inception in 2016. He cited the significant increase in the usage of their remittance product, Send App by Flutterwave, and the offline solution, Flutterwave POS, over the past year as indicators of their success. Abifarin stressed that their engineering team and infrastructure have played a pivotal role in their achievements, and with the Engineering Mobility Programme, they aim to scale their team further to meet the demands of expanding operations and partnerships.

Flutterwave’s Engineering Mobility Programme stands as a testament to the company’s commitment to nurturing talent, fostering innovation, and driving growth in the ever-evolving landscape of payment technology.

Read also: Nigerian Flutterwave enters the Indian market

More on Capgemini

Capgemini‘s technology expertise, coupled with their deep business acumen, extends far beyond mere business transformation and management. Their capabilities are instrumental in shaping a brighter future and fostering a more sustainable and inclusive world.

The company’s approach has always been that of a collaborative partner rather than a conventional service provider since their inception over 50 years ago. Comprising a diverse collective of nearly 350,000 strategic and technological experts spanning across more than 50 countries, they share a common passion—to unleash human potential through technology.

Capgemini harnesses the power of cloud computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, connectivity, software solutions, digital engineering, and cutting-edge platforms to address a comprehensive spectrum of business requirements.

More on Flutterwave

Flutterwave operates in eight African nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and South Africa, with its headquarters based in San Francisco, California. In 2021, the company secured an impressive $170 million in a Series C investment round.

What sets Flutterwave apart is its innovative technology, which empowers businesses to tap into scalable opportunities, breaking free from geographical and currency constraints. The platform supports a diverse range of payment methods, from debit and credit cards to bank transfers, Mobile Money wallets, M-Pesa, Visa QR, American Express, and USSD.

Moreover, Flutterwave facilitates transactions in over 150 different currencies, including Naira, Dollars, Euro, Yuan, and Pounds. This capability enables businesses to overcome longstanding sales barriers, unlocking pathways to global expansion and prosperity.

September 27, 2023
Young South Africans, take centre stage in Samsung’s competition

Young South African innovators are taking centre stage in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition, where grade 10 and 11 learners from underserved communities are working on prototypes to address societal challenges.

The competition, which officially launched in January 2023, aims to empower youth and develop their skills in the information communication technology sector, aligning with the country’s Fourth Industrial Revolution agenda.

Before entering the prototype phase, participating learners underwent Design Thinking workshops in May 2023 to equip them with essential skills. These workshops taught them how to approach problem-solving creatively, think critically, and act like designers. Learners also learned about building effective teams and conducting research to transform their ideas into workable solutions for their communities.

Read also: Samsung Galaxy A52 5G receives September 2023 software update

Finalists Gear Up for Prototypes

The finalist schools, located in the provinces of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo, are now in the prototype development phase, which runs until the end of September 2023. They are working on diverse solutions for their communities, including sustainable road construction, addressing basic needs during power outages, alternative water and electricity solutions, and clean water access.

Learners are enthusiastic about their projects and the competition. Igoline Coelho, a grade 11 learner from Mbilwi Secondary School in Limpopo, expressed determination: “Ours is a very simple solution but with the potential for a high impact. We hope it can catch on and be used by many other communities. We are a very competitive team and are determined to win the competition.”

Keabetswe Malaza from Maphuthaditshaba Secondary School in Mpumalanga emphasised the broader impact: “Our solution will help households and small enterprises, so it will also have an impact on the local economy.”

Amahle Skhosana from Adams College in KwaZulu-Natal highlighted the learning opportunities: “Using science, technology, engineering, and maths to solve our community’s problem has excited the entire team.”

Sbongile Zulu from Buhlebemfundo Secondary School in Gauteng mentioned motivation: “We are determined to do well in this competition because if we win, the prize is double – we get to solve a problem in our community and also get an awesome prize for our school.”

Empowering Youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition aims to increase interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) among South African learners. “As the learners enter this critical stage of the competition, we are getting excited and looking forward to seeing all the solutions they come up with,” said Hlubi Shivanda, Director for Business Operations of Innovation and Corporate Affairs at Samsung.

The winning school will receive R100,000 worth of STEM equipment, with second and third places awarded R50,000 and R30,000 worth of STEM equipment for their schools, respectively. Additionally, each learner in the top three teams will receive a Samsung device. The final presentations will take place on October 3, 2023, with the winner announcement on October 4, 2023, at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre.

Samsung’s profits drop by 95% as smartphone demand falls

About the Solve for Tomorrow Competition

Samsung‘s Solve for Tomorrow competition launched in South Africa in 2023 and focuses on empowering youth, particularly those from underserved communities, to engage with STEM fields and contribute innovative solutions to local challenges. The competition consists of multiple phases, including workshops, prototype development, and final presentations, with valuable prizes for schools and learners involved.

September 24, 2023
Yunga, FlexiGyn win 2023 Africa prize for Engineering

Edmund Wessels, a biomedical engineer from South Africa, and Anatoli Kirigwajjo, an electrical engineer from Uganda, have won the 2023 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation jointly. This award was presented by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Wessels and Kirigwajjo have both been given the first prize at the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. As a result, each of them will get £25,000 (587,670 ZAR)/(117,240,700 UGX) to go towards the future development of their respective inventions.

Read also: BoICT honours Valentine Chime with ICT Personality of the Year Award

About Yunga and FlexiGyn Yunga

With YUNGA, a local digital security network, Kirigwajjo comes out on top. This network connects neighbours to each other and to the police within a 20-kilometer radius using a physical device, smartphone app, or SMS service, and it does so at a minimal cost while also providing protection.

Already, over 130 home invasions and other property crimes have been averted thanks to the YUNGA network, which is currently used in close to a thousand houses spread across thirty towns in the central region of Uganda. Within the following two years, the team’s goal is to bring internet access to 32 thousand homes across the entirety of Uganda.

“I developed YUNGA after losing USD 1,300 worth of assets in a break-in, with little chance of the thieves being caught. We hope that with our household networks, communities will become harder targets for criminals. This will ensure safety, which in turn will create the space for economic activities to thrive,” says Kirigwajjo.

“YUNGA revolutionises communication in low-resource areas, providing a digital network for swift and efficient responses to crimes, enhancing safety for entire communities. YUNGA aims to reach more than 30,000 households and 150,000 individuals by 2025.”

FlexiGyn

The FlexiGyn from Wessels is a handheld device that runs on a battery and can be moved around easily. It gives gynaecologists the ability to detect and treat uterine issues in women without the need for anaesthesia or expensive equipment. Its primary focus is on expanding access to healthcare for women’s reproductive needs, particularly in more rural areas.

The majority of hysteroscopy devices are inflexible, which not only causes the patient a high amount of discomfort but also requires cumbersome supplementary equipment for viewing. Patients and medical professionals alike can enjoy a more pleasant and productive experience thanks to the new FlexiGyn device, which has a bendable scope that comes equipped with its own light and camera.

“My co-founder, Chris Meunier and I aim to bring healthcare to a woman’s doorstep, precisely when and where they need it. FlexiGyn is portable, intuitive and user-friendly, allowing gynaecologists to offer quality screenings and timely interventions regardless of the patient’s location or lack of medical infrastructure. At the same time, it is designed to minimise discomfort,” says Wessels.

“We are excited beyond belief to win the Africa Prize and know that this will help to get our name out and find the right partners to complete FlexiGyn’s journey.”

2023 Africa Prize

This year’s 15 finalists, Africa Prize entrepreneurs from 10 sub-Saharan African nations received eight months of training and specialised mentorship on company planning, recruitment, IP protection, funding, and commercialization.

The Africa Prize encourages and connects nominated entrepreneurs to global networks of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and suppliers who may help them grow and develop technology.

The two other £10,000 finalists are:

Chukwuemeka Eze, Nigeria, Revive Kit An e-mobility business that converts gas-powered three-wheel motorbikes to run on batteries, saving up to 60%.

Gibson WAGAPAWA Pack Tanzania, Kawago Recycled laptop batteries power electric bikes, power banks, solar lighting, companies, and residences.

11 innovators from the 2023 shortlist competed for the One to Watch Prize and the Africa Prize.

Tolulope Olukokun won the £5,000 Africa Prize One-to-Watch Award. This Award recognises Olukokun’s electric cargo bike with a battery-powered fridge, which could assist Nigeria’s smallholder farmers in selling fresh food.

Possible EVs aims to introduce electric vehicles, for a greener Nigeria

Call for Nominations to the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation in 2024

The call for entries for the 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is currently open. The competition is open to participation from individuals and small teams living and working in sub-Saharan Africa who have developed a scalable engineering invention to address a local need.

The submission period will close on July 25 at 4 p.m. British Summer Time (2023). Visit the ‘How to Apply’ page on the website for the Africa Prize, then submit your applications through the online grants system.

July 13, 2023