Author: Akin Naphtal

Californian Artificial intelligence (AI) chip start-up, SambaNova Systems, has developed a new semiconductor to give its customers access to higher quality AI models at a lower overall cost. SambaNova CEO, Rodrigo Liang, noted that the new chip, named SN40L, “is specifically built for large language models running enterprise applications.” He added that, “we’ve built a full stack that has allowed us to really understand the enterprise use case really well.” Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited currently manufactures the chip for SambaNova. The SN40L chip is designed to run AI models over twice the size of the model used by OpenAI’s…

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and CEVA, a leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies, has announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Cadence to acquire Intrinsix Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of CEVA and a provider of design engineering solutions focused on the U.S. aerospace and defense industry. The purchase will bring Cadence a highly skilled engineering team that has expertise in advanced nodes, radio frequency, mixed-signal and security algorithms. “CEVA’s strength over the years has been in developing and licensing semiconductor IP and software, which has powered more than 16 billion devices to date,”…

The Nigeria Learning Passport platform, which was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and UNICEF to modernise Nigeria’s education system, has reached 500,000 registered users. The widespread use of digital devices has prompted many African countries to join the drive. Besides, business uses, digitalisation has also entered the classrooms, and through the NLP, Nigeria seeks to ensure that its younger generation thrive in the digital ecosystem. The NLP offers courses in computer and agricultural science, mathematics, and biology, among others. The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate, expressed joy at the NLP crossing the 500,000-user landmark, stating…

MTN Nigeria Communications, one of Nigeria’s leading telecommunications companies, has announced a significant development in its pursuit of network enhancement and improved customer experience. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted approval for the transfer and assignment of a 10MHz frequency division duplex (FDD) in the 2.6GHz spectrum band from OpenSkys Services to MTN Nigeria. The effective date for the license transfer is set for September 7, 2023, with a renewal date scheduled for April 16, 2033. This acquisition of additional spectrum is poised to revolutionize MTN Nigeria’s network capabilities and enhance the quality of services provided to its customers…

Blinx, the new digital media hub in the Middle East, has been officially launched to empower Middle Eastern youth with the finest in digital storytelling and news stories, offering fresh perspectives, and connecting Gen Z and Millennials across multiple screens, platforms, and smart devices. Since the announcement of its brand name in March 2023, blinx has emerged as a vibrant hub in the realm of storytelling. Boasting a mission to deliver authentic and genuine narratives, the hub is committed to producing diverse, inclusive, and culturally relevant content that resonates with audiences on a deeper level. Speaking about the launch, Nakhle…

AgTech company, Farm Fayre, has unveiled its sales platform designed to transform the way Irish farmers buy and sell livestock. The platform offers farmers a safe, convenient, transparent, and sustainable ecosystem for the sale and purchase of livestock. The announcement comes ahead of next week’s National Ploughing Championships where Farm Fayre will be exhibiting at the Enterprise Ireland Innovation area alongside 50 companies. Through the platform, sellers list their livestock on the platform along with all essential details, high-quality images and videos. This allows buyers to make fully informed decisions. Sellers set their own pricing levels, with all bids visible…

Google has agreed to pay $155 million to settle allegations by California and private plaintiffs, accusing the company of secretly tracking customers and using their data without consent. Google was accused of profiling users and targeting them with ads even when the location history setting was off, which contradicted the company’s assurances that unwanted ads could be blocked by users. The search engine company’s agreement to the settlements shows that Google deceived people into thinking that they had a say in how it collected and used their personal data, which Californian Attorney, General Rob Bonta believes is unacceptable. He revealed…

Kenya’s President William Ruto has extended business invitations to American technology companies to encourage them to start operations in Kenya, and also set up regional offices in the country. The president made this known while on tour in Silicon Valley, USA on Saturday. He met with a number of tech company CEOs and executives, including Apple’s, Tim Cook, Intel Corporation’s, Patrick Gelsinger, Google’s Chief Financial Officer of Alphabet, Ruth Porat, and Microsoft’s chief operating officer, Brad Smith. President Ruto mentioned to the executives that Kenya has a favourable environment for investments in technology and manufacturing, and that the government was…

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pan-African Initiative for healthcare start-ups, i3, has decided to support a cohort of 29 selected start-ups with $50,000, and also introduce these start-ups to potential customers, and donor agencies. The 29 start-ups were selected across 21 countries. They include those building online pharmacies and telemedicine farms, inventory management services for health centres, supply chain data analytics, and product protection and product visibility solutions. Besides the funds and assistance from the Gates Foundation and its sponsors, namely, Cencora, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Microsoft, and Chemonics, the start-ups will also receive investment benefits from specific organisations…

South Korean battery company, LG Energy Solution Ltd. (LGES) stated on Tuesday that it has raised $1 billion from selling global green bonds, as part of its bid to promote green sources of energy. The $1 billion bond includes a three-year bond of $400 million and a five-year bond of $600 million.Green bonds are debts that are sold in return for proceeds that will be used in green investments. LGES has already revealed that it intends to use the money gained from the sale to invest in global battery manufacturing sites. The investments made from the green bond proceeds will…