BlueInvest – a European Commission initiative launched in 2019 with the aim of acceleratig new ocean-based technologies and solutions that unlock innovation and investment opportunities in the sustainable blue economy – is set to host BlueInvest Africa 2024. Scheduled to take place in Kenya on July 3-4, 2024, BlueInvest Africa is specifically targeted at registered African businesses already engaged in various sectors of the blue economy, including start-ups. It also aims to engage African Small, Micro, and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) officially established in an African country that possess innovative ideas with potential for further commercial development within the African market. At this second iteration of BlueInvest…
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Adeoluwa – the Nigerian-born, Montreal (Quebec)-grown and Regina (Saskatchewan)-based Afropop singer – has surfaced with a cinematic new single “4,5,6.” Defined by a sleek guitar riff and heartfelt lyricism, “4,5,6” is an ultrasmooth ballad in the same irresistible love-struck vein of early 2000s R&B. Influenced by a wide variety of artists ranging from Tina Turner to Adekunle Gold to Stevie Wonder, ADEOLUWA refers to his unique, genre-bending sound as experimental Afro-fusion. The result is a musical style that transcends borders and a deeply personal, high energy stage presence that has earned him the nickname “The Greatest Showman” within the DIY…
(L): Kevin Conroy (CEO &Co-founder, Bature Brewery, Nigeria) 📸 @KevinConroy Kevin Conroy (CEO &Co-founder, Bature Brewery) has announced that Bature Brewery – Nigeria’s first craft brewery – will be expanding by scaling its production by 500%, and positioning its taproom for an increase in space and experiences. Bature Brewery took off from the nation’s capital, Abuja, in 2017 and now operates a brewery and taproom from Victoria Island in Lagos. Team Bature Brewery 📸 @KevinConroy Says Conroy: “Bature Brewery has been a start-up in an economy dominated by large corporates; it has been a journey of passion, dedicated to crafting…
Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi (Saudi Minister of Commerce) Saudi Arabia has introduced six new visa types, known as ‘Premium Residency products,’ to attract skilled professionals and investments to enhance the country’s status as a global hub. Interested parties can apply directly through the government’s online portal. The Premium Residency program has six categories, each with different requirements and durations: Entrepreneur Business Investor Property Investor Privileged Residency Established Talent Exceptional Competence All categories of applicants will reap the following benefits: Residency in Saudi Arabia, including for parents, spouses, and children under the age of 25 Freedom to move between facilities…
Christian H. Kaelin (Chairman, Henley & Partners) Global leader in residence and citizenship by investment, Henley & Partners, have released the global 2024 Henley Passport Index, in which an unprecedented six countries share the top spot with visa-free access to a record-breaking number of destinations. Four EU member states — France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — join Japan and Singapore in boasting the most powerful passports in the world, with their citizens able to visit an astonishing 194 destinations out of 227 around the globe visa-free. The two Asian nations have dominated 1st place on the index (which ranks all the…
Bruce Nsereko Lule (General Partner, Seedstars) Seedstars Africa Ventures has received a $30 million capital commitment from EIB Global, an arm of the European Investment Bank, which becomes the first major institutional investment for its first Pan-African venture capital fund. The new commitment follows a $8 million investment from the fund’s anchor investor French private equity firm LBO France. The fund targets to close at between $80 million and $100 million to back seed and series A startups, and offer follow-on funding up to Series B, bridging an extensive capital gap, and supporting startups beyond accelerator programs. The VC firm’s…
Jack Ma (Founder, Alibaba) Leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce and part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC), Alibaba.com, is set to launch its latest Smart Assistant features powered by artificial intelligence (AI) at CES in Las Vegas, NV from January 9-12, 2024. The Smart Assistant, an AI-powered global sourcing tool, is an intuitive personal guide to sourcing that helps small business owners discover new opportunities, stay up-to-date on trends, seamlessly track orders and more in a single, efficient touchpoint. It caters to both newcomers and seasoned entrepreneurs in the dynamic world of global commerce. First announced at CES and coming…
Travel writer, Alexandrea Sumuel: “Discover the Top 10 cities in Spain for digital nomads” Spain has launched a new visa program catering to digital nomads who seek to blend their remote work arrangements with travel. This program allows non-resident freelancers and remote workers to immerse themselves in Spanish culture, architecture, cuisine, and nightlife while staying connected to their jobs. According to the VisaGuide Digital Nomad Index – a comprehensive listing that evaluates and ranks countries based on their suitability for digital nomads – Spain is the top country for digital nomads, with a score of 4.50. Spain is followed by…
British entrepreneur, Mustafa Suleymen (Co-Founder, Inflection AI) The 10 richest British AI entrepreneurs now have a combined net worth of more than £2.3 billion ($3 billion), according to new analysis by the UK’s Evening Standard, in a sign that the UK’s growing artificial intelligence industry is set to generate huge wealth for the economy. The Evening Standard Tech Rich List is a ranking of the top 100 wealthiest British founders and directors of tech companies, first published in March 2023 to highlight the growth in entrepreneurial tech talent in the UK. The wealth estimate models use real-time market data to keep…
Kingsley Madu (Founder, Expedier) 📸cbc.ca Nothing prepared Kingsley Madu for what he had to deal with when he emigrated to Canada in 2019. From the moment he and his family landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, he was faced with financial struggles. While he had money, he didn’t have any credit. When their plane landed in Canada, Madu said he couldn’t even book an Uber to drive his family and their luggage to a hotel because he didn’t have a Canadian credit card. Madu ended up paying cash for a limousine. After arriving at the hotel, he was told that without a credit card, he would…