Newsletter 01112023

Newsletter 01112023: Google Registry launches new .ing top level domain

INTERNET

Google Registry launches new .ing top level domain

There is a new domain in town and curiously named .ing. Google Registry has launched this new top level domain and you can register .ing domains as part of its Early Access Period (EAP) for “an additional one-time fee”.

We, at Innovation Village, tried some of the domain and they are expensive. We tried requesting for different words from GoDaddy’s domain search to see what .ing domains are available. Think.ing, buy.ing are going for £32, 046/yr, £106,820.04/yr respectively but some are cheap such as bett.ing for £3,204.59/yr.

If you don’t have that much, this fee will go down daily through December 5th. At 17:00 WAT (16:00 UTC) on the same date, .ing domains will officially be publicly available…..Continue reading

INVESTMENTS

Almouneer Raises US$3.6 Million in Seed Round to Revolutionize Healthcare in the MEA Region

Egyptian healthtech startup, Almouneer, a frontrunner in the digital transformation of healthcare in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has proudly announced a seed funding round amassing US$3.6 million. Founded in 2017 by Noha Khater and Rania Kadry, Almouneer is a digital transformation platform to serve patients with chronic diseases. 

The funding will be primarily directed towards the expansion and development of DRU, which is MEA’s inaugural patient-oriented digital platform specializing in lifestyle and diabetes management….Continue reading

The subscription cost is set at €9.99/month for web users, while those on iOS and Android will be charged €12.99/month. Importantly, this fee covers all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts in a user’s Accounts Center, though only until March 1, 2024. Post this date, an extra charge, amounting to €6/month on the web and €8/month on mobile platforms, will be levied for each additional account in the user’s Accounts Center.....…Continue reading

216 Capital invests $423,000 in Tunisia-based fintech My Easy Transfer

The global expanse of the Tunisian diaspora is remarkable. With nearly 2 million Tunisians residing abroad, their influence on the Tunisian economy is palpable. By the close of 2023, remittances from this group are projected to skyrocket to an impressive 10 billion dinars.

Amidst this backdrop, 216 Capital, in its ongoing endeavor to bolster value-creation entities in Tunisia, has proudly announced an investment of 400,000 euros in the Franco-Tunisian fintech startup, My Easy Transfer. This startup is at the forefront of providing safe and efficient money transfer avenues for the Tunisian diaspora….Continue reading

SOCIAL MEDIA

Meta faces scrutiny over Facebook’s alleged spread of Hate Speech in Ethiopian Conflict

Rights organisation, Amnesty International, has raised concerns about Facebook’s alleged role in exacerbating violence during the two-year conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.

In a critical report, Amnesty accuses the social media giant of significantly amplifying the spread of harmful content through its algorithms, asserting that the company inadequately addressed the dissemination of such content.

These allegations present another challenge for Meta, Facebook’s parent company, which has previously denied similar claims...….Continue reading

OTHER STORIES

• Kenya renews Bolt’s operating license after fee suspension. Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has officially renewed Bolt Kenya’s operating license, ending weeks of uncertainty and disputes. Bolt took a proactive step by suspending its 5% booking fee in an effort to resolve the issue.……Continue reading

• Yobante Express enters MENA market, with Asia on the horizon. Yobante Express (YES), Africa’s pioneering logistics technology start-up, announced its strategic alliance with SAPRESS Logistique & Messagerie, a subsidiary of the Edito Group, in a move set to redefine the logistics landscape in the Middle East and North Africa.

  This ground-breaking collaboration will extend YES’s influence into the thriving Moroccan and MENA market while enabling SAPRESS’s entry into the burgeoning Sub-Saharan African market...….Continue reading

• Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup and colorful iMacs just got even faster. At an event with a tagline dubbed “scary fast” which was livestreamed on Monday night, Apple introduced its next-generation family of custom-made processors – the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Pro Max – and along with it, a handful of new computers.…..Continue reading