Series shows innovative and technological side of African countries

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“What story do we choose to tell?” The rhetorical question by Sandy Alibo, founder of a Ghanaian skate teaching startup, summarizes the focus given by the 6th season of “Expresso Futuro”, a series produced by Futura channel and presented by Ronaldo Lemos, columnist for Sheet🇧🇷

The new wave of episodes of the technology program is dedicated to shaking stereotypes and investigating what is innovative in African countries such as Mozambique, Kenya and Ghana.

In these territories, marked by recent civil wars and turbulent independence processes, poverty and lack of infrastructure begin to give way to creativity and innovation.

Projects created on the continent include marketplaces for articles from traditional tribes, data mapping for the prevention of natural disasters and even the production of cassava-based beer. In addition, the series shows that digital money transfers, such as Pix in Brazil, have existed in the region for some time.

In certain places, the way of dealing with technology is less bureaucratic and camouflages itself in the landscape. For example, in Kenya, a country where the wi-fi connection reaches the poorest slums, part of the capital’s public transport is carried out by the so-called “matatus”, buses that are cyberpunk versions of the traditional circulars.

From the outside, these vehicles are customized with stickers, paint, graffiti and accessories. Inside, free internet, huge televisions and powerful speakers make going to work a kind of walk.

Furthermore, the matatus serve as a public square on wheels, according to one of the passengers interviewed —she says that, because of the relaxed atmosphere, people are encouraged to talk to each other.

Of course, this is not a technique that moves billions of dollars and solves the country’s problems. But it is still a social innovation that appropriates foreign symbols to embody everyday life.

But there are also initiatives that really draw the attention of the market. “Expresso Futuro” shows that Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, in addition to being the scene of an urban transformation, is called the Silicon Savannah, in reference to the region of the United States where the most valuable companies in the world are headquartered.

The nickname is not free. The city is home to, in addition to multinational offices, startup incubators that may become the first unicorns —companies whose market value reaches US$ 1 billion— in East Africa.

William Tsoli, coordinator of iHub, a startup incubator in the Kenyan capital, explains that innovation in the country today is divided into three fronts. Fintechs, because part of the population still does not have a bank account, logistics, due to the lack of a centralized address system in different regions, and health.

He cites as an example Neurolab, a startup that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze X-ray exams. However, despite the mood of optimism, Tsoli says he misses public support.

“We have some government support, but not as much as we would like. Much of the investment in the Kenyan innovation ecosystem comes from international investors. That’s great, but foreigners have their own interests and goals, and those priorities may not align with those of innovators. “, said.

“If we had more government support, it would be better because it would encourage local solutions by local innovators, rather than relying on a foreign investor who might decide to explore other markets or sectors that are not relevant to us.”

The relations between Brazil and Africa are also tangent to the episodes of the season. Fred Swaniker, CEO of the African Leadership Group, says there is opportunity for trade and investment between the two regions. For this to happen, however, it is necessary to increase cultural exchange.

For example, the Brazilian presence in Mozambique, which also speaks Portuguese, goes unnoticed —in the streets of the capital, Chinese and Indian brands share advertising spaces.

“Often, innovations made in developed countries have different realities than those of emerging countries, such as African countries and Brazil. We need to collaborate with each other, after all, there are solutions in Africa that can work in Brazil”, he explains.

Swaniker claims that the wealth of the continent is not in gold, diamonds or minerals, but in the population. This is because the average age of Africans is 19 years old, while in Europe it is 43, and in the United States, 38.

“Africa has a marketing problem. Most people, when they think of the continent, think of famine, wars, children dying of hunger. [principal serviço de computação em nuvem] was developed in South Africa,” he said.

Other episodes of the series also present community cultures, the artistic production of large urban centers, Afrofuturism and the history of Mozambique.

One of the highlights of this country is the Gorongosa National Park, a conservation area that combines nature preservation with support to local communities through basic services such as health and education.

In the second episode, the park promotes a marathon with 2,500 participants from the region. During the course, the presenter of the series, Ronaldo Lemos, says that he was overtaken by an athlete who was running backwards – which served as a metaphor for the development of the region.

“It’s a young, creative continent, which is running in an unconventional way, but is being able to overtake a lot of people,” he said.

where to watch🇧🇷 “Expresso Futuro” airs on the Futura channel and is available on Globoplay, open to non-subscribers.

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