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LATEST TECH NEWS: Nigeria’s InstaNovella launches as social platform for African writers. 2 other things and a trivia you need to know today, January 11, 2021

Published

3 years ago

January 11, 2021

Ripples Nigeria

These latest stories from the tech space will keep you updated with trends today.

1. Nigeria’s InstaNovella launches as social platform for African writers

Nigerian startup InstaNovella, founded less than one year ago, has launched a social community to help African writers connect with readers.

According to reports, the new platform connects African writers with opportunities to monetise their skills.

The Co-founders, Dandy Jackson Chukwudi and Awaji-Itimikpang Abadi, had earlier ran a Facebook community of writers that reportedly reached 2.1 million members.

Speaking on it, co-founder Chukwudi noted that the new platform was built to create social communities around stories from both amateur and established writers in Africa.

He said: “Africa is growing and we need to be entertained. Some people look for where to display their talents in writing, but have no notable place for that, and that is why InstaNovella is here.”

Tech Trivia:

Identify the odd company on the list.

A. Microsoft
B. Cisco
C. Tencent
D. Oracle

Answer: See end of post.

2. Algeria’s temtem One expands offering as super app

Establishing itself as the country’s ‘super app’, Algeria-based startup, temtem One, has newly launched a new offering on its platform.

The new and unique offering will allow local users to purchase various shopping items and have them delivered to their relative’s front door in Algeria.

Titled ‘temtem diaspora’, the new feature, according to press, provides a much-needed service during the Covid-19 pandemic as many locals are unable to travel due to strict regulations.

Speaking on the development, Yacine Oualid Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of the knowledge economy and startups noted that the service makes the startup the first one in Algeria to provide such service.

He said: “I congratulate the startup temtem One for this excellent initiative. It’s the first time that an Algerian company provides such services to our diaspora, increasing at the same time the foreign currency incomes. This only proves that starting today, Algeria can rely on the innovations of its startups to diversify the economy and act as a vector of the financial inclusion.”

3. Kenya’s Gro Intelligence secures $85m Series B funding round

Gro Intelligence, leading Kenyan data analytics company, has secured a US$85 million Series B funding round.

Praised as about the largest funding round ever raised by an African tech startup, the fund is expected to accelerate the growth and global adoption of the platform.

The seven year old startup, since its inception, has grown its base, and, in addition, now has offices in New York.

Being an AI-powered insights company, the startup provides decision-making tools, solutions and analytics to the food, agriculture, and climate economies and their participants.

By model, the Gro Intelligence platform aggregates, normalises and models complex data to illuminate the inter-relationships between food, climate, trade, agriculture, and macro-economic conditions.

Today, as a startup, it has integrated over 40,000 data sets and processed north of 650 trillion data points for customer segments that range from governments to financial institutions, agricultural input companies, retailers, food and beverage companies, and various other industry participants.

Tech Trivia Answer: Tencent

Tencent Holdings Ltd. is a global multinational conglomerate holding company founded in 1998, whose subsidiaries specialise in various Internet-related services and products, entertainment, artificial intelligence and technology. in globally.

Unlike other listed companies in the trivia post, Tencent is the only Chinese company, standing it odd in a list of American companies. Tencent’s twin-skyscrapers headquarters Tencent Seafront Towers (also known as Tencent Binhai Mansion) are based in Nanshan District, Shenzhen.

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