Eye in the sky🛸
Your first memory of seeing a drone may have been in a Hollywood action blockbuster. They used to be rare but have become common in recent times. What was once only used by the military is now being used in civil industries. There are now pocket versions of this smart technology. Drones have progressed from being a device for security architecture to being used in the media and healthcare industry.
Remarkably, this flying robot has also made its way into agriculture, the most significant sector of the African economy. Although its adoption on the continent is still in its early stages, this technology is making life easier for farmers. In this issue of VA Weekly, we explore how an agricultural drone focused company is helping farmers boost their productivity and profit with drone technology.
Adekunle Agbetiloye.
Staff Writer, Ventures Africa
What's new?
This Nigerian farmer is transforming agriculture with drone technology.
Drones are currently leading smart technologies and breaking down barriers in different industries. The innovation is presently used in a variety of civil industries such as health care, e-commerce, and so on. Away from these industries, drone technology is fast becoming a crucial tool in agriculture. Even with its nascent status, its adoption on farms is gradually becoming noticeable in Africa. Read more.
How do we tell when our startups are overvalued?
In 2021, African startups raised over $4 billion across 355 funding deals, about three times what they got in 2020 and 2019. Funding announcements swept the media and that’s a big feat for the ecosystem. It shows that funding is becoming less of a problem for tech founders. But on the other hand, the way we value our startups has become a debate. Read more.
My Pivot Journal: This accountant dropped her consulting ambitions to become a product manager.
Subomi Salami is not your regular woman in tech. You’re unlikely to find her engaging in the many social media conversations about “ecosystems” and other buzzwords. Instead, she spends a lot of her free time visiting new places and vacationing. She holds a full-time role as a product manager in the world’s largest social network, Meta (formerly Facebook), in London, U.K. Read more.
AFEX tops agriculture and commodities list in FT's ranking of fastest growing companies.
AFEX, Nigeria’s leading commodities market player and the country’s first private sector commodities exchange, has secured first place in the Financial Times (FT) ranking of Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies – Agriculture & Commodities category 2022. Despite the challenging business conditions, the company topped the list by demonstrating its revenue growth. Read more.
Zedcrest makes Financial Times fastest-growing companies list 2022.
Africa’s new-age principal investing and financial solutions powerhouse, Zedcrest Group, has been ranked the fastest-growing firm in Nigeria’s financial services sector, the second fastest-growing company in the country and the fifth fastest-growing in Africa in the 2022 Financial Times ranking of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies. Read more.
Our weekly collectibles
When movie icon Marilyn Monroe died at 36 in 1962, her death was ruled a probable suicide. Years later, unheard interviews within her inner circle help piece together her untimely death. Unravel the mystery surrounding Mariyln’s death in the mystery of Marilyn Monroe: the unheard tapes.
Although more people have spoken up about their mental health struggles, there are still misconceptions. In the spirit of mental health awareness month, here are 11 myths about mental health disorders.
You don't have to travel the world to experience different cultural heritage. With technology, you can take a walk through the great wall of china or take pictures in front of the pyramids of Eygpt. Learn how technology is preserving cultural heritage around the world.
While the war between Gen Zs and Millenials seems to be never-ending, here is why the dividing lines between generations might be a figment of our collective imagination in Gen Z only exists in your head.
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“There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.” – Seth Godin
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