Capturing the "next billion users", Tecno and Infinix are winning and regulatory battles everywhere. Here are this week's top headlines on startups, entrepreneurship, innovation and tech around Africa.
The Next Billion Users
Facebook vs Google?
In what would appear to be a direct jab at Google in the battle for "the next billion", Facebook yesterday announced plans to train over 50,000 Nigerians in digital skills and also launch a hub in Lagos by 2018. If this sounds familiar, it's because Google announced a similar commitment in July.
Facebook is however doing things a tiny bit differently. Read more on Techpoint.
All they do is win
Speaking of capturing the "next billion", one of the groups playing an instrumental role is Transsion Holdings, the company that gifted us with Tecno, Infinix and iTel. So it comes as no surprise that so far in 2017, they've outsold everyone in the African mobile phone market. Read more on Techweez.
Content wars
DStv must pay
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has called for local regulators to review rules that enable DStv to broadcast three of its channels for free, despite benefiting commercially. Read more on MyBroadband.
All hands hoay
M-Net, SAFACT, and film producers in South Africa have joined forces to charge local ISPs to curb activities of pirates and copyright infringers in the country. Read more on BusinessTech.
iROKO is now an actual tech company
In his usual tell-all fashion, iROKO chief honcho, Jason Njoku recently published a Medium post where he revealed that the company "shouldn’t have really made it out of 2015". But it was really a post to announce a potentially game-changing feature that will let users share iROKO content between each other without an internet connection. Read more on Jason's Medium.
Acquisitions and funding
MEST comes to Lagos and Cape Town
Last August, the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) -- a Pan-African entrepreneurial training programme, seed fund and incubator originally based in Ghana -- announced Neku Atawodi as its first hire in Nigeria. It may have taken over a year to finalise things but, MEST is now officially operational in Lagos and is launching in Cape Town today. Read more on Ventureburn.
Purple Capital secures $12.5m funding
The name "Purple Capital" (PC) might not ring a bell but, for Nigerians familiar with the city of Lagos, "Maryland Mall" might. PC is the real estate company behind the popular mall and they just recently raised $12.5m from Vantage Capital. Read more on Innovation Village.
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Makro acquires WumDrop
International retail chain company, Makro has acquired a majority stake in WumDrop, a South Africa based last mile delivery startup. The move is intended to help Makro improve delivery times in the country. Read more on Disrupt Africa.
