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Microsoft

Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

By Lyndsey Gilpin March 16, 2014, 6:35 PM PDT

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Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Africa's growing startup scene

Image: iHub

Africa's growing startup scene

The startup scene in Africa is rapidly expanding, and young innovators are harnessing new technology to solve Africa-specific problems in revolutionary ways.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: iHub
Nairobi_matatu.jpg
Nairobi_matatu.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Fridah Oyaro's six hour commute

Image: Build Africa/Flickr

Fridah Oyaro's six hour commute

Fridah Oyaro took a six-hour round trip bus ride five days a week for more than a year to attend school for computer science education in Nairobi, Kenya. The Matatu is Kenya’s public bus system. 

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Build Africa/Flickr
africa-fridah1.jpg
africa-fridah1.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Fridah Oyaro, Akirachix graduate

Image: Fridah Oyaro

Fridah Oyaro, Akirachix graduate

Fridah Oyaro, 20, is one of the most successful graduates of Akirachix, a year-long computer science education program for girls who cannot afford four-year university.


READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Fridah Oyaro
africa-Mawingu School.jpg
africa-Mawingu School.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

White space broadband for schools

Image: Microsoft

White space broadband for schools

The Mawingu project in Kenya uses White Space for broadband wireless internet, benefits a local school as well as a hospital and county government office.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
africa-Egypt App Factory.jpg
africa-Egypt App Factory.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Egypt's App Factory

Image: Microsoft

Egypt's App Factory

Egypt’s App Factory has created nearly 400 apps in the last year since its launch as part of Microsoft 4Afrika.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
africa-ihub.jpg
africa-ihub.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

iHub innovators

Image: iHub

iHub innovators

The iHub in Nairobi is one of Microsoft 4Afrika’s five partner innovation hubs across Africa.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: iHub
africa-iHub Kenya.jpg
africa-iHub Kenya.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

iHub, a community tech space

Image: iHub

iHub, a community tech space

Nairobi’s iHub is the nerve center for the technology community. It is an open space for entrepreneurs, hackers, developers, and investors.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: iHub
africa-ihub-employees.jpg
africa-ihub-employees.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

iHub founders and employees

Image: iHub

iHub founders and employees

“The serendipity of the iHub and its most powerful value is that you never know who you’re going to meet,” said Erik Hersman, co-founder of iHub. “This is how startups find co-founders and investors find investees.”

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: iHub
africa-ihub2.jpg
africa-ihub2.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Working at the iHub

Image: iHub

Working at the iHub

The iHub in Nairobi is one of Microsoft 4Afrika’s five partner innovation hubs across Africa.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: iHub
akirachix.jpg
akirachix.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

First day of class at Akirachix

Image: Akirachix

First day of class at Akirachix

Girls work on their first day of class at Akirachix. Akirachix is a year-long program for girls, mostly from Kenyan slums, who cannot afford four-year university. They learn computer science, business, entrepreneurship, and graphic design. 

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Akirachix
africa-4Afrika Youth Devices.jpg
africa-4Afrika Youth Devices.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Smart devices for African youth

Image: Microsoft

Smart devices for African youth

Microsoft’s youth device program in Kenya launched in February 2014 in partnership with Intel Corporation, the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA) and other local partners.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
africa-huaweiphone.jpg
africa-huaweiphone.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Huawei 4Afrika phone

Image: Microsoft

Huawei 4Afrika phone

The phone has a 4-inch 400×800 display, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, cameras, a 1950 mAh battery with 420 hours of life, and 4GB of storage.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
marieme jamme.jpg
marieme jamme.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Marieme Jamme, Microsoft 4Afrika Advisory Council

Image: Ju0161ran Maaswinkel

Marieme Jamme, Microsoft 4Afrika Advisory Council

“The reason I joined was because when you are a pioneer in what you do and you are known in Africa, sometimes you need to be part of the conversation,” said Marieme Jamme, member of Microsoft 4Afrika’s Advisory Council. “If I exclude myself from the debate of what Microsoft is doing, then the mistakes will not be resolved.” 

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Ju0161ran Maaswinkel
africa-openingtablets.jpg
africa-openingtablets.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Tablets for African schools

Image: Microsoft

Tablets for African schools

By 2016, Microsoft wants to get tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of African youth as part of their affordable access plan.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
africa-4Afrika Interns.jpg
africa-4Afrika Interns.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Microsft 4Afrika interns

Image: Microsoft

Microsft 4Afrika interns

 As part of the Youth4Afrika program, 70 interns from across sub-Saharan Africa were selected to spend a year learning skills at Microsoft.

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
africa-whitespace.jpg
africa-whitespace.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Wireless connectivity in Africa

Image: Microsoft

Wireless connectivity in Africa

The service that uses White Space broadband is called “Mawingu,” Kiswahili for “cloud.” The first deployment uses “White Space” broadband, which is the unused portion of wireless frequencies in television spectrum after the migration from analog to digital TV. 

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
africa-computer-fire.jpg
africa-computer-fire.jpg
Photos: Africa’s emerging tech scene and the innovators behind it

Bringing Africa online

Image: Microsoft

Bringing Africa online

“Right now the biggest problem is infrastructure, whether it’s power and energy or actual cable, it’s just not the same level in these countries as it is in the U.S. and Europe,” said Erik Hersman, co-founder of iHub. 

READ: 

–Microsoft’s redemption song in Africa: Catalyzing grassroots tech revolutions on the world’s least connected continent

–The world’s unlikely leader in mobile payments: Kenya

Image: Microsoft
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By Lyndsey Gilpin
Lyndsey Gilpin is a former Staff Writer for TechRepublic, covering sustainability and entrepreneurship. She's co-author of the book Follow the Geeks.
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