Okra Solar secures $12M investment. 2 other stories and a trivia

This line-up of stories will help you discover the latest happenings around the tech world, today

1. Okra Solar secures $12M investment

Okra Solar, a startup with a vision of transforming global energy access, has announced securing a $12 million in Series A funding.

This investment, according to the startup, underscores the pressing need to address the energy disparity in developing regions where access to electricity remains a daunting challenge.

The Series A funding round was led by One Ventures and witnessed substantial participation from renowned entities, including FMO, Susquehanna Private Equity Investments LLP, Autodesk Foundation, and King Philanthropies.

According to the team, $7.85 million was raised through equity financing, reflecting investors’ unwavering confidence in Okra Solar’s vision and potential.

At the core of Okra Solar’s mission lies its groundbreaking mesh-based solar solution, which reimagines the distribution of energy.

Investors have committed substantial capital to Okra Solar for several compelling reasons.

By ensuring that off-grid populations gain access to essential services like lighting, cooking, and water pumping, Okra Solar is actively improving living conditions for millions of people.

Okra Solar’s technology circumvents these inefficiencies by directly addressing the needs of local communities.

Founded in 2016, Okra Solar is a startup on a mission to revolutionize energy access.

The company’s mesh-based solar solution prioritizes last-mile electrification, aiming to bring clean, efficient, and cost-effective electricity to those who need it most.

Tech Trivia: What is the purpose of the TLS protocol?

A. It accesses email messages from a remote mail server.

B. It synchronizes a computer’s system clock with a time server.

C. It encrypts data transfers over a network to protect privacy.

D. It assigns IP addresses to other computers on a local network.

Answer: see end of post

2. Snapchat launches teen safety features

Snapchat, the popular social media platform, has launched a series of enhanced safety features designed to discourage interactions between teenagers and strangers on its app.

These changes come after years of scrutiny, with lawmakers and officials questioning Snapchat’s ability to keep teens safe while using the platform.

The new restrictions primarily target the accounts of users aged 13 to 17 on the app.

In 2022, Snapchat initiated measures to limit the visibility of teenagers’ accounts in its “Quick Add” recommendations, reducing the likelihood of strangers discovering young users on the platform.

Building upon these safety enhancements, Snapchat has now increased the criteria for users to appear in search and suggested accounts.

The number of mutual friends required has been raised, making it more challenging for strangers to connect with teenagers on the app.

Snapchat is also taking proactive steps to address concerns of parents regarding their teenagers’ use of the platform.

3. GAM3S.GG closes $2 Million seed round

GAM3S.GG, previously known as Polkastarter Gaming, has closed a $2 million seed funding round, led by Mechanism Capital and featuring participation from major venture and angel investors.

This fundraising coincides with a rebrand of the project to align with its new vision.

The impressive list of investors includes Polygon, Double Peak, ArkStream Capital, LD Capital, ROK Capital, Hyperithm, Snackclub, Emurgo Ventures, Eden Ventures, Mix Marvel Ventures, 4SV, CommonWealth Capital, Venly Ventures, TKX Capital, SkyVision Capital, Compute Ventures, MarketAcross, and several angel investors in the Web3 gaming space.

The seed round funds will be used to scale and expand the GAM3S.GG gaming superapp, often referred to as the “IGN for Web3.”

The platform currently offers curated Web3 gaming content, with listings of over 200 games across 15 chains and a user base of over 60,000 gamers, making it the largest hub for Web3 gamers since its launch in November 2022.

Web3 gaming, a rapidly emerging trend in the gaming industry, has attracted significant interest from major players.

As companies like Zynga and Ubisoft explore Web3-native games, a growing wave of new gamers is entering the space.

GAM3S.GG positions itself as the gateway for both newcomers and experienced gamers to explore the possibilities of blockchain-powered games.

Trivia answer: It encrypts data transfers over a network to protect privacy.

Stands for “Transport Layer Security.” TLS is a data encryption technology that provides secure data transfers. It encrypts (or scrambles) all data sent from one system to another. Any third party that attempts to “eavesdrop” on the transfer will be unable to recognize the data.

TLS can encrypt data transfers over any network, from a small local area network to the Internet. Secure websites, for example, use TLS to deliver website content over HTTPS. Email protocols, such as IMAP and SMTP, also support TLS.

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