Google pauses Gemini’s image generation of people 🤖 | Hohm Energy secures $8m💰

In today’s menu 🥘

💰 Hohm Energy secures $8 million seed funding to address load shedding in South Africa 
🤖 Google pauses Gemini’s image generation of people due to inaccuracies
🙍🏽‍♀️ IFC Announces 100 Women Start-ups to Receive Growth Support Through She Wins Africa

If you haven't subscribed, join over 7,000 people curious about Innovation, New Products, New Technologies in Africa.

💰 INVESTMENTS

Hohm Energy secures $8 million seed funding to address load shedding in South Africa

The South African solar energy firm, Hohm Energy, has successfully secured $8 million in a seed funding round to expand its rooftop solar installation product. This round of funding, led by E3 Capital and 4DX Ventures, is noted as the largest ever seed round raised by a tech startup from South Africa.

Hohm Energy was established in 2021 by founders Tim Ohlsen and Emir Gluhbegovic. The company’s platform offers two distinct services: a digital method for customers to ascertain their properties’ solar energy requirements and an opportunity to avail credit financing for rooftop solar installations. In addition, the platform offers solar installers the ability to design, manage, finance and source solar projects.

Hohm Energy suggests that they have created over 17,000 tailor-made solar rooftop designs, collectively valued at $190 million, and have received $90 million in financing applications intended for the designs’ implementation...…..continue reading

PRODUCT DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS TRAINING
Powered by Tenth Code Media Limited

Embark on a transformative journey into the realm of Product Design with our Fundamentals course. Unveil the essential principles that underpin successful product design, exploring the intersection of creativity and functionality. This comprehensive training is tailored to equip you with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to navigate the dynamic landscape of product design.

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

🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Google pauses Gemini’s image generation of people due to inaccuracies

Google’s Gemini, formerly known as Bard, began offering text-to-image generative features early this month. However users started complaining that it was creating inaccurate historical images of people. It would seem that Gemini is trying to compensate for gender- and racial-representation bias in AI.

For instance, the result of a prompt: “Generate an image of a 1943 German Soldier” by an ‘X’ user, John L., resulted in the image above showing racially diverse Nazi-era German soldiers.

Google has issued a statement saying it is aware that Gemini is offering inaccuracies in some historical image generation depictions. It also announced that it is suspending the image generation of people while working to address the issue.……continue reading

🙍🏽‍♀️ WOMEN STARTUPS

IFC Announces 100 Women Start-ups to Receive Growth Support Through She Wins Africa

Yesterday IFC announced the names of 100 women-led startup owners selected to participate in the She Wins Africa program, an IFC-led initiative that aims to accelerate access to capital for women-led startups across sub-Saharan Africa.

The selected women will participate in comprehensive interventions that will strengthen their companies' investment readiness, include advice and mentorship, and provide access to potential investors, industry leaders, and peers through matchmaking and pitching opportunities across Africa. The initiative is a part of IFC's broader commitment to promote gender equality and empower women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

The 100 participants announced were drawn from almost 3,000 applicants comprised of women entrepreneurs across Africa in sectors ranging from ag-tech, climate-tech, e-commerce, ed-tech, health-tech and fintech etc......…..continue reading

OTHER STORIES

• Global Interest Surges in Worldcoin, Driven by Sam Altman’s Digital ID Project…..read more

• Bayobab, MTN Nigeria land 45,000km ‘2Africa’ subsea cable in Lagos…..read more

• Reasons Behind Starlink’s Suspension of Service to Hundreds of South African Users…..read more

• South African retailers express concern as Chinese e-commerce platforms surge.….read more