Technology

Zenith Bank Splashes N53m on Finalists at Zenith Tech Fair 2.0

Published

1 year ago

November 25, 2022

A total sum of N53 million in prize money was won at the end of a keenly contested hackathon session at the Second Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 2.0”, which was held on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The prize money was shared among eleven finalists who emerged from the over 500 contestants that took part in the hackathon, with Ecotutu, a cleantech company making cooling affordable and accessible for businesses, especially in the agricultural sector, emerging as the overall winner and taking home the grand prize of N20 million. This is in addition to a mentorship programme with Seedstars, a company dedicated to implementing high-quality capacity-building programmes for entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

The first runner-up, Foris Labs, an app-based platform that allows students to conduct science experiments individually and in groups interactively via their mobile phones, won N15 million and a mentorship programme with Seedstars, while the second runner-up, Finva, a start-up which helps creditors offer credits at low risk, won N10 million as well as a mentorship programme with Seedstars. Other finalists who took home N1million each include Sanwo, Itinu -Ev, Eduvacity, Green Bii, Zion Robotics, Sono Care, Base, and I grow Africa.

Speaking during the presentation of the prize monies, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, congratulated all the finalists for coming this far in the competition. He reiterated the bank’s readiness to provide all that is necessary to make the budding entrepreneurs succeed. According to him, “all finalists would be enlisted into our incubation lab for grooming and mentorship. Our expectation is that we are going to scale and grow them just like the zenith brand. So, looking at what we have gone through, I can tell you that so much iron has been loaded on fire. The only thing left is to activate the digital talents, tech skills and entrepreneurship that would culminate in a new digital economy for Nigeria”.

Described as a huge success by participants, the two-day Tech Fair featured presentations on the leading technological innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Computing, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Robotics, Big Data, FinTech, Augmented Reality, Data Analytics, 5G and Communication Technologies, with the keynote address, “The Future of Banking: Digital Transformation Journey”, delivered by Brett King, the renowned futurist, bestselling author, award-winning speaker, Founder of Moven and Author of Bank 4.0.

The event also featured a goodwill message by Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank and opening remarks by Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman of Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria. Other eminent IT practitioners from top global brands who also made presentations include; Tarik Alatovic, Senior Partner, McKinsey; Juliet Ehimuan, West Africa Director, Google; Ola Williams, Country Manager, Microsoft Inc.; Andrew Uaboi, Vice President/Head, Visa West Africa; Mrs Rakiya Mohammed, Director of Information Technology, CBN; Chris Lu, Managing Director, Huawei Technologies Nigeria, and Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, amongst others.

The fair featured three panel sessions. The first panel, which examined “The future of payments: what next and how can we get there”, had Prof. Yinka David West of Lagos Business School as the host, with four discussants, including Agada Apochi, Managing Director, UPSL; Olu Akanmu, Managing Director, Opay; Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director, NIBBS; and Kari Tukur, V/P & Head of Products East/West Africa, MasterCard.

The second panel explored the theme “What are the main challenges of digital transformation in the financial industry? How do we solve them?”. It was hosted by Brett King and had four discussants, including Tosin Eniolorunda, Managing Director, TeamApt; Obi Emetarom, Managing Director, Appzone; Dr. Babatunde Obrimah, COO, FintechNGR; and Olugbenga Agboola, Founder/CEO, Flutterwave.

The third panel discussion, titled “Driving the global trade revolution with technology: current transformation trends”, was hosted by Samuel Eze, Founder/CEO, Ourpass, and had five discussants, including Mike Ogbalu III, Managing Director, PAPSS; Akeem Lawal, Divisional CEO, Interswitch; Massimiliano Spalazzi, Country Manager, Jumia; and Dr. Ozoemena Nnaji, Director of Trade & Exchange, CBN.

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Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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E-commerce

Alibaba Faces Rare Downgrade as PDD Surpasses It in Market Value

Published

12 hours ago

December 1, 2023

Investors King

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. received an unusual downgrade from Wall Street on the same day it ceded its position as China’s most valuable e-commerce company to one of its primary competitors.

Morgan Stanley downgraded Alibaba’s American depositary receipts (ADRs) from overweight to equal-weight, concurrently lowering the price target from $110 to $90.

This marks the first downgrade for Alibaba’s US-listed shares since late June, according to Bloomberg data.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley, including Eddy Wang and Gary Yu, expressed concerns about Alibaba’s slower-than-expected turnaround and the uncertainty introduced by the decision to withdraw the spinoff of its cloud business.

In a report dated Thursday, they stated, “brings uncertainty to the value-unlocking from reorganization.”

Simultaneously, Morgan Stanley named PDD Holdings Inc. as its top pick in China’s e-commerce sector, citing its favorable positioning amid the growing trend of consumer price sensitivity.

PDD, an eight-year-old upstart recognized for its successful Temu marketplace, closed Thursday trading in the US with a market capitalization of approximately $196 billion, surpassing Alibaba’s value for the first time.

PDD has experienced a remarkable 80% surge in value this year, while Alibaba has faced a 15% decline in US trading.

Although Alibaba has been a dominant force in China’s online shopping landscape for over a decade, PDD has managed to attract customers with competitive pricing and expand its reach globally.

Morgan Stanley’s move to downgrade Alibaba and elevate PDD underscores the shifting dynamics within China’s e-commerce sector.

Despite this downgrade, brokers remain predominantly bullish on Alibaba, with 44 buy ratings and eight hold recommendations for its ADRs. In comparison, PDD has 52 buy ratings and three holds.

Startups

Bolt Expels Over 5,000 Drivers in Kenya to Enhance Safety Measures

Published

1 day ago

November 30, 2023

Investors King

Estonian ride-hailing giant Bolt has taken decisive action in Kenya by removing more than 5,000 drivers from its platform over the past six months.

This move comes as part of Bolt’s commitment to bolstering safety and ensuring compliance among its driver partners.

The company, operating in over 15 towns and cities in Kenya, has earmarked KES 20 million ($130,000) for investments in safety-related practices.

The decision to expel drivers follows recent safety concerns raised by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).

Bolt faced scrutiny and was asked to outline its strategy for addressing safety issues, including instances of physical assault on passengers and unauthorized sale of driver accounts.

The NTSA’s directive was a prerequisite for Bolt’s annual license renewal.

Linda Ndungu, Bolt Kenya’s Country Manager, emphasized the company’s commitment to user trust and safety.

Ndungu stated, “We understand the trust our users place in us, and we are taking proactive steps to ensure their well-being during every ride.”

To enhance safety measures, Bolt is implementing internal measures such as random driver selfie checks, providing training for both riders and drivers, and enforcing strict compliance with swift consequences for violations.

Bolt has also introduced improved reporting tools to facilitate the reporting of safety concerns.

Bolt’s move is a response to recent driver dissatisfaction, attributed in part to commission rates exceeding the government’s recommended 18%, including booking fees.

The company aims to address these challenges and reinforce its commitment to safety and compliance within its platform.

Fintech

Fintech Company, Grey, Unveils New Look to Support its Global Expansion Strategy

Published

4 days ago

November 27, 2023

Investors King

Grey, a leading cross-border fintech company, has embarked on a significant global brand rebranding initiative, revealing a fresh logo and website design.

This strategic move aligns with the company’s dynamic plans to expand its footprint in the global market.

The company’s transformation was unveiled on its social media platforms on Monday, November 27, 2023. Grey aims to leverage this fresh identity to reach a broader audience and solidify its international presence. The updated brand assets visually represent Grey’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and global connectivity.

The rebranding initiative follows closely on the heels of Grey celebrating a milestone achievement of surpassing 500,000 users. The company’s rapid growth and expanding user base have spurred this bold step towards rebranding, symbolizing success and underlining its dedication to remaining at the forefront of global fintech innovation. Furthermore, the previous logo was not usable in some foreign markets due to trademark conflicts with another company.

Idee Obong, The CEO and founder of Grey, shared insights into the rationale behind the rebranding, stating, “As we chart our course toward serving a global audience, we recognized the need for trademarks and related processes. We identified similarities with existing marks during this evaluation, prompting a deliberate rebrand. The new logo and website signify our forward trajectory, emphasizing global connectivity and our commitment to creating a more interconnected world. Our focus remains on being people-centric and cultivating a lasting community.”

Grey’s brand evolution is occurring at a crucial juncture for the fintech industry, which is positioned for significant opportunities despite recent economic uncertainties. The fintech sector has faced challenges in the past year; notwithstanding, Grey has rapidly scaled, adeptly responding to the heightened demand for its services.

The company has also established key partnerships across both B2B and B2C sectors across Africa over the past months, solidifying its reputation as a trusted and reliable cross-border payments company.

Femi Aghedo, Co-founder of Grey, emphasized the strategic timing of the brand evolution, stating, “The timing simply felt right to evolve our brand. Our growth and evolution as a business needed to be reflected tangibly. We are dedicated to ongoing innovation, adapting our services to meet the dynamic needs of our customers. Our core mission is to provide seamless and secure cross-border payment solutions, empowering businesses and individuals in the global economy. We eagerly anticipate the future of fintech and the opportunities it presents for us to impact the industry positively.”

Furthermore, customers can expect a more innovative and interconnected user experience when engaging on their platforms. As Grey ventures into this exciting new chapter, the team remains committed to providing cutting-edge and secure cross-border payment solutions, fostering global connectivity, and contributing to the evolving landscape of the fintech industry.