Africa

Inside PopTech's Solar-Powered Bag FLAP: Testing Across Africa

In the fourth installment of our story about a new product collaboration between PopTech, Timbuk2 Designs, and the Portable Light Project, White African's Erik Hersman takes the FLAP prototype to Africa for testing.READ»

• PopTech's Solar-Powered Bag FLAP

16 Inventions That Boost Habitats, Humanity, Health and Happiness

While working to develop products like the Hippo Roller, a water transportation device, Emily Pilloton, founder of the non-profit Project H Design, began collecting examples of similar products that solved social problems. Her recently released book, Design Revolution: 100 Products that Empower People features those findings. Featured here are sixteen examples from the book.READ»

Former Nigerian Capital Gets Eco-City

A proposed energy-efficient satellite village uses the lagoon for cooling in Lagos, Africa's second largest city. READ»

IBM Introduces Linux-based Netbook Software Aimed at Developing World

The netbook sector is one of the hottest spaces in tech, so it’s no surprise that IBM has thrown its hat into the ring with its new Smart Work package. What is surprising is that the computer giant is angling for market share in ...READ»

Tech Award Laureates: Cows to Kilowatts Produces Clean, Waste-Reducing Energy

Each year, the Tech Awards honors innovators who use technology to benefit humanity. This year's winners are a motley crew, ranging from nutrient-rich rice and open-source math software to a slaughterhouse waste-reducing program ...READ»

Measuring GDP by How Bright a Country Is at Night

An economist at Brown University uses a novel technique to gather accurate economic stats on the undeveloped world.READ»

Mobile Clinics, Kenyan Style: On Camelback

To deliver refrigerated medicines to remote parts of Kenya, one group has developed solar-powered mobile clinics, carried by camels.READ»

Can a Wall Made of Solidifed Sand Dunes Stop Desertification?

At the TED Global conference this week, a visionary architect shares his clever solution to stop the highly disruptive effects of encroaching desert on the lives of billions of Africans.READ»

It's Official: World's Largest Solar Pipeline Gets European Backers

T. Boone Pickens scrapped his massive wind power plan, but that doesn't mean hope is lost for other large-scale renewable energy projects. Enter Desertec, a solar pipeline spanning from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe. The ...READ»

Envirofit's $25 Clean-Burning Cooking Stove Is Ready for the Developing World

Envirofit International is already known for its clean-burning cooking stoves, which have been on the market since May 2008. Since then, the stoves have reached 60,000 customers. Over the next five years, these stoves could reduce ...READ»

Google Brings Texting Services to Africa

Many residents of African countries can't afford a computer, but the continent has the world's highest cell phone growth rate, with one-third of the population already owning a mobile phone. That's why Google unveiled its Google ...READ»

Tweaking a Dictator, With a Remarkable Ad Campaign

The Outdoor Grand Prix at Cannes went to a campaign aimed at memorializing Robert Mugabe's corruption.READ»

Desertec: World's Largest Solar Pipeline Charges Ahead

The world's largest and most ambitious solar power initiative, dubbed "Desertec", is pushing ahead on July 13 with a meeting of a 20-firm consortium, including companies like Siemens, Deutsche Bank, and E.on. Companies ...READ»

Solarix Sustainer: A Biodiesel Conversion System for the Survivalist

European biodiesel company Solarix has created what may be a sustainable powerhouse for rural areas: the Sustainer, a "power box" in a 20-foot container frame that converts oil-bearing crops and seeds into edible oil ...READ»

Bono, Beware: Dambisa Moyo on Aid, Microfinance, and the Problem of Celebs in Africa

The Zambian economist and author of the new book "Dead Aid" explains her beef with the U2 frontman, her love for the Chinese, and her high hopes for her home continent.READ»

Questions for Dambisa Moyo

Tweeting Fast Company readers take on the Zambian economist and author of the book "Dead Aid", who talks about making chocolate, fighting AIDS, and her friend Chris HughesREAD»

GlaxoSmithKline Fights Malaria in Africa with Satellites

Malaria kills one million people a year, most of them children in Africa's so-called Malaria Belt (the sub-Saharan region). In partnership with the Gates Foundation, pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline is preparing an ambitious ...READ»

World Water Day

It's been 4,500 years since the Mesopotamian cities of Lagash and Umma battled over irrigation rights. That was the world's first -- and so far only -- full-fledged water war. But UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon warned last year ...READ»

Rwanda to Obama: Emulate George W. Bush, Not Bill Clinton

Why the country's officials say they're taking a wait-and-see approach to the new administrationREAD»

• Special Report: Rwanda Rising

Ericsson, Orange Sending Solar-Powered Cell Coverage to Africa

While many of us struggle to tear ourselves away from computers and cell phones, communities in rural Africa deal with a different problem: lack of communication. Orange Guinea Conakry and Ericcson announced last week a plan ...READ»

Corporate Social Responsibility Legislation On The Way

A new "revolutionary" bill is on the way. One senator has come up with a bill that will compel every company in Nigeria to devote 3.5 per cent of its gross profit to what he terms "corporate social responsibility". - Osebumere OdiaREAD»

DataDyne: EpiSurveyor

Founders: Rose Donna & Joel SelanikioREAD»

• Edward Norton's $9,000,000,000 Housing Project (that's $9 Billion)
• A High Point
• Eureka!: Social Enterprises of the Year
• Do Something: An IPO
• Mercy Corps: The Bank of Banks
• The Academy for Urban School Leadership: A Teacher-Training Residency
• Civic Ventures: Silicon Valley Encore Initiative
• The Institute for OneWorld Health: Not-for-profit Drugmaking
• The Acumen Fund: Portfolio Data Management System
• Husk Power Systems: Rice-Fired Electricity
• Hopelab: Video Games for Health

Starbucks and (RED) Team Up to Combat AIDS in Africa

Last year, Starbucks went red for the holidays, unveiling an attractive red cup, dotted with white snowflakes and sporting the company's logo in green. This year, as the season of good cheer approaches, the chain is taking ...READ»

Africa Technology and Investment Digest 10

Subscribe to Appfrica via E-mail | Appfrica.org A Breakdown of the Costs of Doing Business in Africa The goal of this article is to provide insight for those of you interested in starting businesses in Africa. I’ll break down ...READ»

Africa Technology and Investment Digest 9

Subscribe to Appfrica via E-mail | Appfrica.org The Next 2 Billion: The China/Africa Connection Explored The combined populations of China and the fifty-three countries that make up Africa account for well over 2 billion people or ...READ»