This line-up of stories will help you discover the latest happenings around the tech world, today
1. Nigeria launches startup portal to reinforce collaboration
A pivotal step in the realization of the Nigeria Startup Act, the country has unveiled the Startup Support and Engagement Portal.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Nigerian presidency and a coalition of technology industry leaders since May 2021, aims to establish guidelines and frameworks for collaboration between startups and governmental/regulatory entities, fostering growth in the nation’s tech ecosystem.
Having received approval from the Federal Executive Council in December 2021, Senate endorsement in July 2022, and subsequent signing into law by then-President Muhammadu Buhari last October, the Nigeria Startup Act seeks to elevate the country’s startup landscape to a prominent position within Africa.
Central to the ongoing implementation of this legislation is the newly introduced startup portal.
This platform is designed to identify and aggregate Nigerian startups, venture capital firms, hubs, and innovation centers, streamlining engagement and support for key players in the ecosystem.
According to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the portal’s launch marks the initial phase of establishing startup consultative forums.
These forums will play a pivotal role in selecting representatives for the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, fostering dialogue and consensus within Nigeria’s ecosystem.
Trivia: Which of the following is not a type of printer technology?
A. Inkjet
B. Dot-matrix
C. Laser
D. Optical
See answers below
2. Nawah Scientific becomes first African US-FDA accredited startup
Nawah Scientific, a pioneering Egyptian life sciences and biotech startup established in 2015, has become the first African entity to secure accreditation from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its food analysis services.
Functioning as an innovative online platform, Nawah Scientific handles experiment requests, sample collection, and digital result delivery, facilitating high-quality research for scientists worldwide, irrespective of their geographical location or lab facilities.
This recent FDA accreditation for food analysis and safety positions Nawah Scientific as the inaugural African center to attain such recognition, streamlining the analytical process for Egyptian and African companies and eliminating the need to send samples abroad.
Dr. Omar Sakr, the founder and CEO of Nawah Scientific, highlighted the significance of this achievement, noting that FDA accreditation was traditionally exclusive to European companies.
He emphasized that this milestone establishes Nawah Scientific on the global map of laboratories and research centers.
Dr. Sakr also pointed out the potential for collaboration with international organizations, including the UN World Food Programme.
This collaboration holds promise for Egyptian exporters aiming to enter the US market by facilitating sample analysis locally, thus reducing costs and time.
Trivia Answer: Optical
A printer is an output device that prints paper documents. This includes text documents, images, or a combination of both. The two most common types of printers are inkjet and laser printers. Inkjet printers are commonly used by consumers, while laser printers are a typical choice for businesses. Dot matrix printers, which have become increasingly rare, are still used for basic text printing.
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