BFree secures $3m💰 | Video Spaces now live on 𝕏📲

In today’s menu 🥘

💰 Nigerian Startup Bfree Secures $3million Funding to Facilitate Ethical Debt Recovery for Lenders
🍏 Apple to Unveil Generative Artificial Intelligence Plans Later This Year, Announces CEO Tim Cook
💳 Mastercard and MTN Group Fintech Forge Strategic Partnership to Expand Mobile Money Services Across Africa
📲 Video Spaces are now live on 𝕏
👩🏾‍💻 Opportunities

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💰 INVESTMENTS

Nigerian Startup Bfree Secures $3M Funding to Facilitate Ethical Debt Recovery for Lenders

In a recent fundraising round led by Capria Ventures, Bfree, a Nigerian startup founded in 2020, successfully secured $2.95 million, propelling its total capital raised to $6.5 million. This substantial investment comes as a testament to Bfree's commitment to transforming debt collection by automating ethical processes and introducing innovative strategies.

Addressing the adverse effects of aggressive debt collection practices, Bfree utilizes a self-service portal for debtors to establish repayment plans and deploys conversational AI tools like chatbots and callbots to provide more humane after-sales services. With a rapidly growing clientele that now includes major banks in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, Bfree is poised for expansion, leveraging the newly acquired funds to further revolutionize the debt recovery landscape..…..continue reading

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Start Date - 6th April, 2024 👉🏽 Register Now

🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Apple to Unveil Generative Artificial Intelligence Plans Later This Year, Announces CEO Tim Cook

During Apple’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook announced that the tech giant plans to provide additional details about its generative artificial intelligence (AI) plans later this year. This comes after the company recently decided to discontinue its longstanding initiative to create an autonomous electric car. Instead, Apple will redirect resources towards artificial intelligence (AI).

Cook highlighted the significant investment Apple is making in this area, emphasising the breakthrough potential it holds for users in terms of productivity, problem-solving, and beyond.

While Apple has been slower in deploying generative AI compared to competitors like Microsoft and Google, Cook assured shareholders that AI is already at work behind the scenes in Apple’s products. He mentioned that every Mac powered by Apple Silicon is an exceptionally capable AI machine, asserting that there is currently no better computer for AI on the market....…..continue reading

🔥 PRODUCT ALERT 🔥

Check out this Rollable Concept Phone from Lenovo/Motorola

So this foldable concept device from Lenovo/Motorola was showcased at this year’s 2024 Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain.

Do you think Lenovo/Motorola will actually produce this phone commercially? Let’s take a poll. Vote now!

💵 PAYMENTS

Mastercard and MTN Group Fintech Forge Strategic Partnership to Expand Mobile Money Services Across Africa

In a landmark multi-market agreement, Mastercard and MTN Group Fintech have joined forces to introduce a prepaid virtual card within MTN’s Mobile Money (MoMo) ecosystem. The deal is set to significantly broaden the scope of Mobile Money services across 13 African markets, fostering financial inclusion and providing innovative payment solutions.

Under this collaboration, MTN MoMo users will be equipped with a prepaid virtual card, enabling seamless point-of-sale payments directly from their MoMo wallets. Merchants will also benefit, gaining the capability to accept card payments, thereby enhancing the overall payment experience for both users and businesses....…..continue reading

📲 SOCIAL MEDIA

Video Spaces are now live on 𝕏

Spaces, the live audio feature from X, has introduced a new capability, allowing hosts to activate video during chat sessions. The announcement was made by the platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, with owner/CTO Elon Musk sharing a walkthrough by a user named “Dogedesigner.”

In this latest update, Spaces users will now find a “enable video” option when initiating a new session. Hosts can choose between their phone’s front or back-facing cameras and select either a landscape or vertical view for their video feed.

It’s worth noting that the Video Spaces feature is currently available on the iOS version of the X app, with no confirmation of its availability on Android or the web. Users experimenting with the feature have reported notable lag issues....…..continue reading

👩🏾‍💻OPPORTUNITIES

• Growth4Her Investor Readiness Accelerator Programme Now Accepting Applications. Deadline: March 4, 2024….Apply now

• UNICEF StartUp Lab 2024: Call for Applications from Impactful Ghanaian Startups. Deadline: February 29, 2024…Apply now

• 13th MINT Incubator Programme now accepting applications from Egyptian startups…Apply now