"A view of Africa and Africans with a focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, technology, practical remedies and other self sustaining activities.".....Emeka Okafor
PocketMoni is the brand name of eTranzact Mobile Money service and is being proclaimed to be the first truly operational mobile commerce application that is multi-network capable with the ability to interface seamlessly with third party payment schemes.
The service in line with international standards is secured utilizing 3DES encryption technology. In addition a PIN is required for every transaction. PocketMoni customers can securely, conveniently and cost-effectively send money to family and friends.
MAM, specializes in producing luxurious hand embroidered household linens for bed and table. Creator Marie-Amy Mbow, a trained archeologist working from Dakar, Senegal, takes inspiration from the rich African archeological and cultural heritage she shares with her collaborators...[more]
The Arduino is simple, but not too simple. It’s built around the idea that students will be using these to “do” something: get sensor data in, have a bit of code, do something with that. Maybe they didn’t even write the code, they cut and pasted it to get started. It’s hot glue, not precision welding. No one is going to cut a hand off or burn down the studio experimenting. One of the Arduino team members teaches designers and artists — everyday, the platform is being built and improved for step-by-learning, building on lessons and sharing code — these designers and artists are using Macs and tinkering in Processing (Arduino’s older sibling)...The barrier to entry isn’t a monetary one, it’s a philosophical one. This requires boldness and getting out of committee-think. A chip company needs to show off chips — they don’t care about Mac support, or writing tons of software, libraries, and IDEs. Chip companies are (historically) the ones who usually make the platforms. We’ll see some of the big players flood the market with subsidized hardware to beat the $30 price point of the Arduino, but that doesn’t matter if the Arduino support and quality stay high.
Arduino board
Why else is it here to stay? The community. How can you get 100,000+ people to jump ship? You can’t. To get close, you’ll need to develop something just like the Arduino, support its shields and accessories, and write a lot of code (something chip companies hate to do.) Great software for multiple systems, lots of libraries, drivers that work, simple, low cost, and open source. And you know what? I think that’s what the Arduino team really wants. They’re techno-hippies — they want to see other platforms with the same ideals — that’s the game they’re actually playing. And I think it’s what we all want, whether it’s called an Arduino or not...[continue reading]
Where visions of crafting often conjure up images of glue guns, popsicle sticks, fabric and looms, hacking evokes soldering irons, microprocessors, and software. Truth is, there’s a lot of similarities between hacking and crafting, and even more to be gained from a dialogue between both groups of makers. Both hackers and crafters feel the same need to create things and manipulate materials, and have very similar basic requirements: access to equipment, space to work, and a supportive community within which to grow and share projects and ideas.
Image courtesy of Make magazine
As an avid crafter, when I first visited a hackerspace, I immediately felt inspired to bring my projects there. There were some hints of crafting in the space the first time I set foot there, but it was hugely dominated by hardware and software hacking. Some may have felt alienated by that, but I felt like it was a wonderful opportunity to learn and engage with a medium that I’d never worked with before – and to also bring in the softer side of hacking — and yarn bomb some of those cold-looking surfaces!
In relation to this Openwear founders Zoe Romano + Bertram Niessen discuss DIY Craft and Fashion Microproductions with Massimo Menichinelli:
Image courtesy of Open Wear
Massimo Menichinelli: The phenomena of Open Hardware, DIY and Makers have reached a remarkable level of development, fame and reputation. Perhaps less famous but equally important is the phenomenon of DIY craft and craft / fashion micro enterprises that are often visible on platforms such as Etsy. What are the differences and similarities between these phenomena and how do they relate to each other? Zoe Romano and Bertram Niessen: All these new scenes have in common a desire to empower understanding what they have in their hands, how it was made and improved. This desire blurs the distinction between producers and consumers, not in the sense that everyone will make everything they need, but that everyone more and more often will able to produce or design something and make it available in a flux of exchange out of which everyone could benefit.
Both phenomena are related with crucial changes that are undergoing in our social and economical environment. The Peak Oil calls to 0 Km chains of production. The rise of 2.0 social networks, mixed with the spreading of p2p communities, encourages new forms of global/local communities of producers and consumers. New technologies in communication and material production foster distributed manufacturing.
The difference is that DIY crafters sometimes have the tendency to perceive themselves more far away from technology because of their handmade pledge. It’s more a problem of cultural background. But as long as they envision the possibilities of new on-demand machines, they realize how craftsmanship could be revolutionized without loosing its soul.
There's a great story in Design Magazine describing how Kenneth van Rensburg came to create a 3D printing business (Protoform) in South Africa. After seeing the technology by accident during a Jaguar factory tour in the UK, van Rensburg created Protoform in 2008 to "bridge the gap between design and manufacture", initially focusing on boat design. Later, Protoform would reach out to other markets and now produces 3D models for a variety of industries, including medical models and artistic works.
The itelite enclosure with integrated 18dBi dual-polarization patch took some modifications to mount the RouterStation, but was very robust and had a solid rubber gasket and grooved interface around the edges to keep water out. The built-in ethernet extension plug was also a nice touch. 19" pigtails for the external antennas exit through an optional port on the itelite enclosure and screw directly into the 2.4Ghz antennas.
SPIN-Farming, now established in Matindi Town, Sierra Leone, will extend its roots to Samuel Town, Temini Town, Pueh Town and Torbgeh Town. These are five communities that will experience changes from now on. The people will be educated in small plotcommercialfarming. They will experience the benefit of their labors. They will learn how to produce fresh and healthy food for their families and communities. The project will help to identify technologies that might be used to sustain the living conditions of people in the rural areas. It will improve their farming skills, information sharing and cooperation at local, national and international levels...[continue reading]
JARDS Products has been established in Malawi with the aim to produce unique bamboofurniture and handicrafts of high quality for the national and international market. Using only eco-friendly material and offering employment to underprivileged youths are some of the cornerstones of the business concept...JARDS thereby provides young people an opportunity to gain employment and learn weaving skills, while offering affordable bamboo products to Malawi’s citizens.
The concept behind the William Okpo line is inspired by the parents of the Okpo sisters. Daughters of Nigerian immigrants, Darlene and Lizzy were motivated by the interplay of their parent’s personal style with the American culture.
With William Okpo, the Okpo sisters wish to illustrate the unique aesthetic that results from the juxtaposition of the immigrant’s sense of style against American cultural sensibilities, offering the modern feminine designs with touches of masculine elements. William Okpo is for women who celebrate their cultivated sense of style.
Nourishing the Planet discusses farming seaweed, an environmentally friendly crop that holds promise of mitigating greenhouse gases while supplementing incomes, providing dietary protein, and offering a sustainable source of biofuel.
“Birritu Express was created by Ethiopians to meet the specific needs of the global Ethiopian community “It is designed to be the most inexpensive, convenient and secure way to transfer funds to Ethiopia from abroad.”
The Ethiopian Diaspora’s annual income is estimated to be tens of billions of dollars , about equal to Ethiopia’s gross domestic product, according to Precise Consult International, organizers of The World Bank and USAID backed annual Ethiopian Diaspora business conference. Crude calculations using remittance figures ($1.1 billion in the first 9 months of 2006 & 2007 alone) show that the gross income of Ethiopians in the Diaspora is in the range of 10-20 billion dollars per year, roughly equal to the home country’s GDP of $13 billion in 2006.
Mediated Matterresearch integrates computational form-finding strategies with biologically inspired fabrication in order to enhance the relation between natural and man-made environments. The group seeks to establish new forms of design, and novel processes of material practice at the intersection of computer science, material engineering, design and ecology.
Ginger is a very special herb or spice with significant healing powers and soothing magic. This amazing herb enhances the teas that we have selected for you with a bright, clean taste of a mild yet spicy ginger note. The flavor is an upper note of an earthy spice in our Ginger Nectar Rooibos Herb Tea. The Rooibos introduces an even honey note. If you enjoy the kick of ginger then also travel to the world of our green teas. We are pleased to offer our Sencha Ginger Green Tea. The lemon verbena and lavender flower makes this green tea a true star. The rich taste of the sencha blended with dry ginger adds a very lovely taste and aroma when sipping our Ginger Green sencha tea. The black tea for this month has a bold tea character. The selection is our Ginger Lemon Black Tea from our flavored black tea collection. An energy lifting morning boost is how our founder’s grandmother referred to this tea.
Zinger Systems began as a business idea in the minds of a few Cameroonian entrepreneurs. After they spent one year developing their academic software and business model at Activspaces, a technology hub in southwest of the country, they eventually launched their business and now employ eight people.
“We’ve realized that many enterprising techies work in isolation in Cameroon," said the space's community manager, Al Banda. "They’re struggling to solve problems that have been tackled before. But they’re trying to do this by themselves in these tiny silos. We think that by bringing people together, we’re building a community centered around technology and pushing ideas together with a strong group spirit.”...[continue reading]
Mifuko Oy is a Finnish design company, which co-operates with several small artisan workshops in Kenya...While the designs are done by Finnish artists they are inspired by the colours, textures and vibrancy of Africa. Every product is designed in such a way as to utilize traditional craftsmanship and available materials.
An Design Indaba report on the recently concluded Africa Adorned exhibition:
Design Afrika in collaboration with Cowhide Concepts, Mantis Prints, Sue Clark, Seringa Living, Guidemore Chigama and Gather present a platform for showcasing South African and African creative products of the highest quality.
What is your solution to this need? Describe your business strategy.
The program "From To Market" means that we takeover the processing ( with modern Palm Oil processing mills from Bank of Industry), Packaging of the product to avoid adulteration) and Marketing both locally and internationally, with 100% profit, 50% to the ruralwomen, 20% to stakeholders, Coordinators and facilitators, while the organization takes 30%. Profit margin in the export market will be over 200%, both the organization and its members also have additional 100% profit each from storage of this product. The organization is planning to build a Palm Oil Refinery with a storage facility of 30 million liters, with this we will be making $30 million annually, and positively impacting on the lives of ten (10) million rural women and youths throughout Nigeria.
...made from 100% cotton, 100% linen and top quality Bazin riche. Orhuee Designs are a mix of Africa and Arabia infused with detailed embroidery in all style. All clothes are embroidered, NOT printed.
The design is driven by artistic, modern and luxurious style. The modernism is expressed in the dresses that flow freely, the elegance in the detailed embroidery and the richness in the African material used. The woman wearing Orhuee is embracing her culture and curve in a unique way only she can.
The ADM encourages sustainable economic growth and employment by supporting U.S.-based African Diaspora entrepreneurs with innovative and high-impact ideas for start-up and established businesses in Africa.
The new Marketplace will incorporate key learning from the first African Diaspora Marketplace, by focusing grants toward priority, high-impact sectors in Africa, including agribusiness, renewable energy, and information and communication technology (ICT). To expand upon their previous success, Western Union and USAID will invite small businessinvestmentfunds and technical assistance mentors to participate in the effort to engage Diasporaentrepreneurs.
AMAD Metal Manufacturing (Ethiopia) is establishing a Metal fabrication plant to manufacture a variety of metal products and components from raw materials. The components include trailers, mobile cranes, enclosures, furniture, and bins. Ethiopia provides an exceptional market opportunity due to its expanding economy, and the market opportunities for quality products are exponential.
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EarthWise Ferries (Uganda) will reestablish, manage, and operate a fast-ferry transportation system on Lake Victoria, with destinations in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Presently many people travel between these destinations each day via poorly-maintained roads, on trips often taking between 1 to 3 days. EWF ferries will travel the 300 km from Port Bell, Uganda to Mwanza, Tanzania in about 7 hours.Watch related video after the jump
Traditionally, scientific research was the preserve of the wealthy and today the situation is not much different—while researchers need not be rich, almost all of them work in institutional laboratories using equipment that can be very expensive.
Recently, however, a do-it-yourself biology movement has emerged, and a symposium held at the 41st annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, DC, earlier this month described several innovative projects aimed at minimizing the cost of brain research and making it accessible to everyone.
“If astronomy were like neuroscience, you’d need a Ph.D. to look through a telescope,” says Tim Marzullo, who chaired the symposium. “It’s ridiculous—the technology for recording nervous impulses is 90 years old and there’s no reason why it can’t be brought into schools.”
Marzullo and his colleague Greg Gage are doing just that. Three years ago, they founded Backyard Brains, a small company that manufactures neuroscience kits out of cheap off-the-shelf electronics purchased from outlets such as Radio Shack and distributes them to high schools and colleges, with the help of grant funding from the National Institutes of Health.
“I come from a family of teachers,” says Marzullo. “Backyard Brains came out of my love of neuroscience, education and building things. We see ourselves as part of a broader movement of DIYhackers who are trying to build just-good-enough versions of gear to reduce the barrier to entry.”...[continue reading]
