LATEST TECH NEWS: Six Nigerian agri-tech startups emerge finalists in EPIC Pitch. One other thing and a trivia you need to know today, August 27, 2020

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

1. Six Nigerian agri-tech startups emerge finalists in EPIC Pitch

Six Nigerian agri-tech startups have been shortlisted to compete for funding and support in an ongoing pitch contest organised by one of the country’s commercial banks, First City Monument Bank (FCMB). According to FCMB, finalists of the Agritech EPIC Pitch 2020 would be provided with cash funding and other types of support. The contest has seen Nigeria’s FCMB partner Passion Incubator to launch the third edition of the competition.

Speaking on the reward, the organisers noted that the top two winners will benefit from the set aside prize money, a N1.5 million cash reward. However, other benefits for winners will include mentor support, workspace, and access to market and networks, while entrepreneurs will also have access to Passion Incubator’s resources, partner organisation support, and business development services. The six startups have been praised for making it to the final phase, after competing and displacing close to 2,000 agri-tech startups from over 16 countries around the world.

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Tech Trivia:

Which of these tech companies was founded in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California?

A. Microsoft
B. Hewlett Packard
C. Samsung
D. Apple

Answer: See end of post.

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2. Egyptian e-health startup Aldoctor considers expansion plans across country

Egyptian e-health startup Aldoctor has launched plans to expand across the country. The startup, which provides users with on-demand access to medical practitioners in a bid to make accessing healthcare more affordable and efficient, was founded in January 2019 by Wael Galal. According to industry reviews, Aldoctor has developed an application that provides on-demand medical services to patients via a network of medical service providers.

Read also: LATEST TECH NEWS: Facebook to pay €106m in tax to France. 2 other things and a trivia you need to know today, August 25, 2020

With resources from physicians, nurses, mobile radiologists, pharmacies, laboratories and physiotherapists, patients are able to identify and book healthcare services when needed. According to Galal in a recent interview, his startup developed the app in a bid to make healthcare more accessible to Egyptians. Galal said: “We found there was a gap between patients needing quality medical services and physicians who want a fair chance to practice and earn sufficient income.”

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Tech Trivia Answer: Hewlett Packard

The company was founded in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California by Bill Hewlett and David Packard, and initially produced a line of electronic test and measurement equipment. The HP Garage at 367 Addison Avenue is now designated an official California Historical Landmark and is marked with a plaque calling it the “Birthplace of ‘Silicon Valley’”.

The company got its first big contract in 1938, providing its test and measurement instruments for production of Walt Disney Pictures’ hugely successful animated film Fantasia. This success led Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard to formally establish their Hewlett-Packard Company on 1 January 1939. The company grew into a multinational corporation widely respected for its products, and its management style and culture known as the HP Way which was adopted by other businesses worldwide. HP was the world’s leading PC manufacturer from 2007 to Q2 2013.

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