Issue 123: IPOs & Donations

Hello,

Here is your weekly recap of Ethiopia's innovative ecosystem!

Prime Minister Unveils Plans to IPO 10 Percent of Ethio Telecom in Capital MarketPrime Minister Abiy Ahmed advances his administration to introduce an initial public offering (IPO) for 10 percent of the state-owned Ethio Telcom through the impending capital market. Read more.

eQub App Vaults to Finals at Mobile World Congress Pitch BattleseQub, a fintech startup aiming to digitize peer-to-peer saving groups and lending circles, has been selected as one of the top finalists for the 4YFN 2024 pitch battle taking place at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. Read more.

Wegagen Bank Launches Mobile AppWegagen Bank launched a new mobile banking application last week. Prior to this, Wegagen had partnered with technology provider HelloCash to provide mobile banking services. Read more.

In Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, an SME Purifies Water Using BonesIn the Ethiopian Rift Valley, many sources of drinking water naturally contain high levels of fluoride, leading to dental fluorosis. One local enterprise is using bones as a defluoridation agent to supply clean water to communities. Read more.

New Data Science Project Launched to Transform Africa's Data Landscape The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) has launched a new data project titled ‘Data Science Without Borders’ (DSWB), intending to transform Africa’s data landscape. The three-year project, launched at the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Addis Ababa, will provide funding for a project worth $5 million that is expected to improve the use of data science techniques in Ethiopia, Senegal, and Cameroon, with plans to expand to other member nations of the African Union. Read more.

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Little Ethiopia Shifts Gear, Introduces Electric Bike-Powered Delivery ServiceRide-hailing service provider Little Ethiopia is expanding its offerings by venturing into delivery services, utilizing a fleet of electric bikes. Read more.

Is Restricting Private Cars in Addis Ababa During Peak Commuting Hours a Viable Solution?Lydia Berhanu, an Analyst at Shega Insights, examines the issue of traffic congestion in Addis Ababa, delving into data sets to explore potential solutions before considering the option of banning private cars during peak hours. Read more.

First Digital Ethiopia Week Set to Take place This weekThe Ministry of Innovation and Technology announced that the first Digital Ethiopia Week will be held from February 26 to March 1, 2024. Read more.

TalentHub Ethiopia Opens Doors for Businesses, ProfessionalsTalentHub Ethiopia, a new online talent-sourcing platform, has commenced operations with the aim of bridging the gap between businesses and skilled professionals in the country.  Read more.

Foundation Launches ‘GoFundMe’ Version for Ethiopian StartupsSynergy Foundation, a Seattle-based non-profit organization, has launched Mella Crowdfunding, a platform designed to address the financial challenges faced by Ethiopian entrepreneurs and startups through donations. Read more.

Here is what we've been reading:

YC-backed Miden has big ambitions in challenging virtual card spaceGoogle Chatbot’s A.I. Images Put People of Color in Nazi-Era UniformsWant to stop livestreaming? That’ll be $42,000If you are here because someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here to get future newsletters.