Zenvus progresses on OpenIDEO Challenge finding solutions at intersection of peace, prosperity and planet

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May 1, 2017

“How might we address urgent global challenges at the intersections of peace, prosperity, and planet in radically new ways?”. That is the question posed by the organizers at OpenIDEO which looks for the best ideas to find answers.

OpenIDEO partners with leading organizations to drive collaboration, innovation and impact around the world’s toughest problems, through launching challenges, programs and other tailored experiences. Zenvus is competing in the peace, prosperity and planet intersection track.

Zenvus is one of the companies moving to the next round. It was communicated this morning to the Zenvus team.

Congratulations! We’re pleased to share your proposal has been selected for our Shortlist and will progress to the next phase of the BridgeBuilder Challenge! We reviewed 662 proposals, fueled by participation from 185 countries around the world and were amazed by the caliber of this collective community. You should be proud of the important work each of your organizations is doing to solve urgent needs around the world in radically new ways, which we considered exceptional relative to our broader applicant pool.

Sure there is a long way to go on this challenge. But we just want to enjoy that we have made it thus far.

5 Key software for designing and making UAVs and Drones

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Tekedia Editors

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May 1, 2017

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The following software solutions can help you get to speed to making and flying your drones and UAVs.

BRL CAD

BRL-CAD is an open source combinatorial constructive solid geometry (CSG) modelling system. According to its legacy, the US military also used this software to simulate weapon systems for vulnerability and lethality analyses. Interestingly, solid modelling is frequently used in academia and industries apart from defence simulations. This software packs itself with interactive 3D solid geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing support for rendering and geometric analysis. With network-distributed frame buffer support, image- and signal-processing tools, path-tracing and photon mapping support, the software helps simulate realistic images of events.

As an add-on, there is an embedded scripting interface and libraries for robust high-performance geometric representation and analysis in this tool. Some interesting simulations with this software include radiation dose planning, medical visualisation, computer graphics education, CSG concepts and modelling education, and system performance benchmark testing.

Magic VLSI

Magic is an open source EDA tool that directly competes with other commercial tools in providing features for streamlining product design flow. The simplified design rules and circuit structures take manufacturing and designing process a step ahead in time, while the interactive editor and built-in layout rules, circuits, transistors and efficient routing support intuitively assist in last minute modifications and dissolve the complexity involved in the design process. Magic was originally coded to focus on tool command language but, over time, its engineers optimised it to process designs and fabrications.

myNetPCB

If you ever wanted a PCB application that has all the convenient features to support your design, the search would end with myNetPCB. This Java based Windows application helps you create schematic circuits using custom symbols, inserting wires, drawing buses, junctions and connections. The software could be stored on any USB flash drive and launched from the same location, unlike other software that are not portable in a USB. Being a Java application, it enables you to carry your designs anywhere, and plug and play from what has been saved to the utility. The software gives the freedom to import data from XML file format and export the generated design to extensible markup language (XML), portable network graphics (PNG) or joint photographic experts group (JPG) file format. It contains editing options to load symbols of inductor, LCD, diode, ground, resistor, resonator, transistor or jumper, along with the possibility to create user-defined symbols using various drawing tools, such as rectangles, ellipses, arcs, lines, triangles, pins and labels.

IndigoSCADA

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) are dedicated software application programs for process control and real-time data gathering from remote locations to control equipment and conditions. With IndigoSCADA you can capture real-time and historical graphical representation of data in your manufacturing unit.

PX4

This open source package of software introduces you to setting up and flying PX4 drones while learning all that there is about flight control and configurations. With this software, learn how to tune a multicopter, sync flight controller with autopilot software and much more. PX4 ground control station is called QGroundControl, bundled into the package, which is an integral part of the autopilot system. QGroundControl runs on Widows, Linux and other platforms, and gets you started with real-time flight information, fully autonomous missions and drone racing.

By Shanosh Kumar -a BCA graduate from Bangalore University and MBA from Christ University, Bengaluru

2017 West Africa Mobile Awards Finalists

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Tekedia Editors

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May 1, 2017

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The 2017 shortlisted finalists for the second West Africa Mobile Awards (WAMAS), technology awards to recognise the region’s leading mobile and tech companies, have been announced.

An excellent response drew over 150 submissions from across 14 countries. Following the success of last year’s WAMAS, 2017 has produced a vast array of entries from exciting new technologies and services, from startups to established ventures driving progress in West Africa.

The shortlisted finalists by category are as follows:

Best App

JORG Technologies, MyAds Global, PayWithCapture, ScholarX, Sliide Airtime

Commerce & Retail

BrowseDotCom, BuyOverChat Technologies, Dress Me Outlet, Jiji.ng, OLX

FinTech

Bincom ICT Solution, Flutterwave, GoodWealth, Mahindra Comviva, Piggybank Nigeria

Mobile Education

Alassaut.com, iConcepts, Opportunity Space, Optiweb Communications, Solutech.edu.sn

Mobile Innovation

Eskimi, MallforAfrica, Optiweb Communications, Sliide Airtime, VAS2Nets Technologies

Mobile Marketing Campaign

Bloom Interactive, Cloomify, Tecno Mobile, The Guardian, Unilever

Social Impact

Dimagi, Human Network International, Mahindra Comviva, MOBicure, MTN Nigeria

Social, News & Entertainment

BattaBox, Bloom Interactive, Media Navigation, Optiweb Communications, The Guardian

Outstanding Industry Achievement

Faith Adesemowo, Omobola Johnson, Rebecca Enonchong, Ugo Okoye, Vytautas Paukstys

Young Gun of the Year Award

Andrew Airelobhegbe (ogaVenue), Corbyn Munnik (Sliide Airtime), Iyin Aboyeji (Flutterwave), Lum-Neh Angela (Opportunity Space), Odionye Confidence (Beat Traffik)

All shortlisted companies will be celebrated and the winners announced during an awards gala party on the evening of Thursday, 18th May at Rooftop Lagos with over 150 mobile industry executives, international media, investors, prestigious judges and sponsors.

African entrepreneurs, you could win $100,000 in this startup competition

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Tekedia Editors

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May 1, 2017

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The Hello Tomorrow Challenge is a global startup competition for promising early-stage projects and startups using science and technology to solve the world’s issues. It offers equity-free funding, high-visibility and has a solid network of partners. The Challenge consists of 10 tracks:

DATA & AI
ENERGY TRANSITION
ENVIRONMENT
FOOD & AGRICULTURE
WELLBEING
HEALTHCARE
INDUSTRY 4.0
NEW MATERIALS
MOBILITY
AEROSPACE

Top projects from around the world will have a chance to attend Hello Tomorrow Summit (3rd edition), on October 26th-27th in Paris.

Benefits:

Compete for prizes of €15k (track prizes) to €100k (first prize),
Get global media coverage
Interact with sector-specific and invite-only investors (Index, Flagship, Y Combinator etc.), top industry executives (Google[x], NASA, Roche etc.), and fellow founders.

Eligibility criteria:

Your activity is based on a new technology or an innovative application of an existing technology
You have a proof of concept, a prototype, a scientific validation of your claim, or are in the process of producing one
Your team is composed of two full-time-equivalents or more
Your project is not part of a larger company
You foresee an economically viable application on the market within 15 years
Your project would have a wide impact on the industry you target, and on society or the environment in general

Judging criteria:

Technological innovation: The project must develop a product/service based on a new technology or an innovative application of an existing technology
Potential impact: The project must have the potential to make a substantial long-term impact on business and/or society
Leadership and team: The team must exhibit visionary leadership with the capabilities to drive the project towards success
Economic viability: The project should have well-formulated plans for developments and goals, and a sustainable business model

Applications:

Applications are free
Applications are open until June 1st

APPLY HERE

Nigerian minister asks Diaspora citizens to return to become naira billionaires but there is a problem

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Tekedia Editors

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April 30, 2017

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The Federal Government has called on Nigerians in the Diaspora to return home and seize the various economic opportunities to make billions of naira.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, made the call at an investment forum organised in New York by his ministry for Nigerians in the U.S.

Mr. Onu explained that various investment opportunities currently existed and were waiting for them at home, challenging them to take it before they were given to foreigners.

The former governor of Abia from 1992 to 1993, informed the Diaspora Nigerians that various research products with opportunities to yield billions of naira, were waiting for them at home.

“We are asking you to come and be billionaires. That is what we are asking you, not millionaires. Come and make billions.

“We will give you products of research at nothing or little cost to you because it would be nice for the agency that has done this research to get some little returns.

“It would also be nice for the scientists, engineers who were involved in doing this research just to get something, that’s all but it would be very small.

“So, we give it (research products) to you, knowing that you will keep the money in Nigeria, you will help employ Nigerians and you will help to grow our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“That is our interest; that is the reason why we are here,” the minister said.

Mr. Onu explained that the agencies under the ministry had already developed the research products through various stages of tests and trials.

We are asking Nigerians in the Diaspora that, think home, come and take the researches that we have done, he said.

“We have taken them to a level where you can now immediately convert them into products, make money out of it; that is the message.”

But here are some comments from Nigerians on this across the social media:

“Funny plea. We have more than 3 US industries willing to launch productions in Nigeria that require uninterrupted power generation. The plans have been shelved until the cost of power generation makes sense”
“Be billionaire without electricity, roads, reliable telephone networks and corruption? I guess that was how Singapore did it!”
“Come home and be billionaires with out a corresponding Job to show for the Billion. That is why all are thief. Only Money counts but not how you get it. It is better to say come Home to steal Billion.”

Perhaps someone should tell the minister that Nigerians that left the country will not have to be preached to return when they see the opportunities. Just as they saw the opportunities in their new homes, they do know when Nigeria is ready for them. They are risk takers and will surely return when it makes sense. With no light and dynamic political system, coming home is not that easy.

Zenvus progresses on OpenIDEO Challenge finding solutions at intersection of peace, prosperity and planet

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