Issue 107: National Interventions

Hi, 

Welcome to Shega Weekly, where we monitor Ethiopia's innovative ecosystem.  Last week we witnessed progress with several national initiatives in the sector either launching or achieving new milestones.From personal data protection law edging closer to becoming a reality to Ethiopia securing free satellite data coverage from China, here are the key highlights.  

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Nation's First Data Protection Bill Moves Closer to Becoming LawThe Council of Ministers has approved the Draft personal data protection proclamation and sent it to the House of Representatives for approval. The bill, which aims to establish the framework for personal data processing and the protection of privacy for the first time in the country, has been in development since 2020.

Ride-Hailing Firm Little Ethiopia Partners With Apollo to Avail Collateral-Free Loans up to 120,000 Birr to DriversRide-hailing service provider Little Ethiopia has partnered with Bank of Abyssinia’s neobanking platform Apollo to avail collateral-free loans of up to 120,000 birr for its drivers. Read more.

Ethiopia Approaches Final Stages of Procuring Securities Trading System from US CompanyThe procurement process for the securities trading platform for Ethiopia’s upcoming stock exchange is reaching its final stage, with Montran, a New York-based financial technology company, poised to secure the contract, stated The Reporter. Read More.

Ethiopia Secures Free Satellite Data Coverage from ChinaEthiopia has reached an agreement with the Chinese government, under which the Chinese government will provide satellite data covering the entire area of Ethiopia for free.According to The Reporter, the satellite images have a 2-meter resolution and would have cost Ethiopia 2.4 billion dollars.  Read more.

Shortlist Launches Africa Climate Careers Network to Connect African Talent, Impact OrganizationsShortlist, a talent advisory firm bridging the gap between African talent and startups, social ventures, and mission-driven organizations, announced the launch of the Africa Climate Careers Network (ACCN), a resource to mobilize talent for the green economy and help professionals launch climate careers. Read more.

Medical Entrepreneurs Victorious in Tech CompetitionMedical entrepreneurs who developed a machine for detecting and treating bone infections emerged victorious in this year's Solve It competition, a nationwide innovation challenge that focuses on young talents. Read more.

Ethiopian Government Goes All-in Startups Through Nest InitiativeThe Ministry of Labor & Skills and the Ministry of Innovation & Technology, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute, UNDP, and KOICA, have unveiled the Next Ethiopian Startup (NEST) initiative, a concentrated national startup ecosystem development effort that aims to support and empower startups as a key driver of Ethiopia’s economy. Read more.

Here is what we've been reading:

The world is becoming more AfricanAfrican streaming services are struggling to compete with Netflix and Prime VideoHow this startup wants to help working professionals find loveIf you are here because someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here to get future newsletters.