Facebook vs. Google: The battle for the future of the Web - Nov. 3, 2011

FORTUNE -- Paul Adams is one of Silicon Valley's most wanted. He's an intellectually minded product designer with square-framed glasses, a thick Irish accent, and a cult following of passionate techies. As one of Google's lead social researchers, he helped dream up the big idea behind the company's new social network, Google+: those flexible circles that let you group friends easily under monikers like "real friends" or "college buddies." He never got to help bring his concept to consumers, though. In a master talent grab last December, Facebook lured him 10 miles east to Palo Alto to help design social advertisements. On his blog, Adams explained, "Google values technology, not social science."

Click on the link below for more information ...... Facebook vs. Google: The battle for the future of the Web - Nov. 3, 2011

By Miguel Helft and Jessi Hempel @FortuneMagazine November 3, 2011: 5:53 AM ET

Oops!! Samsung ad smokes Apple fans

Samsung has a new ad that pokes fun at Apple, and in particular the enthusiastic Apple fans who queue up to buy new iGadgets on day one.
Check it out. What do you think? Enjoy.

Dealfish.com.ng previews new look

Dealfish, the foremost online classifieds company in Nigeria seems to be adapting to the Nigerian environment. It is changing its User Interface in response to the voice of its customers and its understanding of the global market. Since inception, it has been wearing the classic "Blocket" look popularised by other global classified sites like Tablica.pl, leboncoin.fr. The new site is colourful and visually appealing without losing its functionality. Some of the features of the new look include: the instant exposure of sub-categories compared to the current design which hides the sub-categories; an engaging blog which promises to be more interactive.

Dealfish.com.ng has been operating in Nigeria since November 2010 and has been getting a lot of patronage. It is part of the global media giant, Naspers who is responsible for other classified sites like Dubizzle, Tablica, OLX, Kalahariads, Sulit, Otomoto, e.t.c.

Dealfish has been responsible for changing the average Nigerian's attitude to buying and selling online. Within its one year of existence, it has spread the word by engaging in offline and online marketing campaigns. The Dealfish application is available on PC and on mobile. It recently launched its android app which is available in the android market.

Dealfish expects to launch the new User Interface within the next couple of days. Take a sneak peek and let us know what you think..Dealfish New Look

Oracle day 2011 - Lagos Nigeria (November 17, 2011)

Following on from the hugely successful Oracle OpenWorld 2011 event in San Francisco, Oracle is running a series of events in major African, European and Middle Eastern cities, with Lagos slated for showcase of the innovations unveiled in California. The event is to be held on November 17. Venue is Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Oracle Day events, under the headline: "More Expertise. More Innovation. More Insight", will be run in 28 cities across Eastern and Central Europe, Middle East and Africa [EMEA].

Each event will be a powerhouse combination of C-level, functional, and technology tracks, all dedicated to one goal: showing Oracle customers and prospects how the power of simplicity can change IT to a force that drives business innovation.

The event is laden with a lot of activities such as:

·         The latest innovations and success stories in business transformation

·         The latest development in Oracle’s public and private cloud computing solutions

·         New ways of maximizing IT efficiency and driving business value

·         Best practices and case studies on deploying a fully integrated and engineered stack

·         Everything you need to know about fully integrated and open business applications

·         Networking events complete the program. You’ll get a chance to meet with local and regional Oracle experts and peers to discuss how you can transform your business.

Register now or call +2348023335163 or Email salesafricaci_ci@oracle.com for more information.

Telkom S.A reveals that the Multi-Links sale resulted in a net loss of 20bn Naira (ZAR1bn)

Telskom SA revealed two days ago that the sale of Multi-Links in Nigeria would result in a net loss of about 20bn Naira (ZAR1bn). This is considerably higher then the loss the company was originally expecting. The original expected loss was ZAR650 million. Telkom finalised the $10m sale of Mulit-Links to Helios Towers last month. In an earlier blog published in July 2011, "Multi-Links to now go to Helios Towers", it was reported that Telkom was considering the $10m sale after the botched transaction of $52m with Visafone due to the the Court action Helios Towers Instituted against Mulit-Links over claims of broken contracts.

Telkom had bought Multi-Links for $410m in 2007, but lost billions of rand since then due to the unit's weak performance

Africacom begins on the 9th of November 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa

Africacom begins on the 9th of November 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa. It is the largest communications conference and exhibition in the continent gathering together 5,000+ telecoms decision-makers.
This year's edition, themed, Advancing Innovation and Profitability for a Digital Africa, takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Convention Square. Read more about this..... 

Improve your chances of winning up to $15,000 for your idea for Apps4Africa 2011 - Thursday, 10 November 2011

A brainstorming session for the 2011 Apps4Africa competition is to hold at the Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), Lagos Nigeria this Thursday, 10th November 2011.

Apps4Africa is a continent-wide competition for web and mobile software solutions to social challenges in Africa. This year’s contest is focused on Climate Change.

This year's competition brings civil society, NGOs, academia, and private sector organizations together with African technology innovators to develop web and mobile software that address local climate change adaptation challenges.

The winning ideas in each region (West/Central, Southern, and East Africa) will get $25,000 to be distributed as follows:

1st Prize - $15,000
2nd Prize - $7,000
3rd Prize - $3,000

In addition, winners will also have access to additional follow-on opportunities provided by some of the competition partners including IndigoTrust, TED, SpotOne Global Solutions etc in form of additional grant opportunities, local and international publicity, business advisory etc. Other gifts will be announced as soon as new sponsors and partners are confirmed.

This Climate Challenge centers around several strategic themes that coincide with policy decisions that will be debated and decided upon by world leaders at the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) conference in Durban, South Africa.

Click on the video below to listen to a special message from last year’s winner......

The brainstorming session at the CcHub will enable climate change experts interact with technologists to think up creative tools and ideas to build for the competition

Date: Thursday 10th of November 2011
Where: CcHUB 6th Floor, 294, Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
Time: From 5pm to 8pm

Register here

2011 "The Youth Stakeholders Forum" powered by Lagos State Ignite and AGDC

The Ignite Enterprise and Employability Project (IEEP) is an initiative of the Fashola-led administration in Lagos State – in collaboration with Afterschool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC) – to proffer a lasting solution to youth unemployment by creating an enabling environment which ignites an enterprise culture and optimal professional performance amongst youth in Lagos state.

Recognizing our youth as the greatest asset of the Nigerian nation, the Governor initiated this project as an avenue to socialize with and provide the resources, structures and level-playing grounds that the youths domiciled in the State need to express themselves through entrepreneurial, career or vocational pursuits. The program will incorporate the formal and informal means of instruction while achieving its aims of sparking the fire of sustainable enterprise and excellent job performance in the Nigerian youths.

Ready to be part of this event? Click on the link......http://www.lagosignite.com/

Funding Entrepreneurs for innovation business: Innovation Against Poverty (IAP) offers small grants of up to €20,000 and large grants of between €20,000 and €200,000

Innovations Against Poverty is designed for companies which are based or operate in a poor country. The programme functions as a risk sharing mechanism for sustainable business ventures (commercial companies or market oriented organisations) which have a strong potential to reduce poverty.

First, the  programme focuses on smaller organisations which have a wealth of good ideas with great potential, but need the support of their business strategy and resources to penetrate new markets.

Second, Innovations Against Poverty also seeks to work with larger companies, to help support the development of “inclusive business” models for these markets, which expands opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged in developing countries. Such business models can engage the poor as employees, suppliers, distributors and consumers.

Companies can be active in all sectors where innovation leads to poverty reduction, from agriculture and infrastructure to health and education. The only exceptions are companies involved in arms, tobacco and gambling industries.

Companies can apply for financial support from two different modules aimed at different stages of the innovation and development path.

• Small Grants

Innovations Against Poverty can provide a matching grant (maximum 50% of total project- cost) up to € 20,000 for the purpose of exploring an innovation or a new market. The grant can be used for travel and pre-feasibility studies, stakeholder needs assessments, or for net- working with local organistions.

Applicants compete for available grant resources twice a year.

• Large Grants

Innovations Against Poverty can provide a matching grant (maximum 50%) between € 20,000 and € 200,000 to a company for the purpose of undertaking a project aimed at – a new product, service, system, business model or a concept ready to be put to market test, or adaptation of existing products to be affordable and accessible by the poor. Applicants compete for available grant resources twice a year in this case as well.

The next deadline for applications to Innovations Against Poverty is 25 November this year. Find out more about how to apply here and visit the IAP webpages for further information and latest news. 

The Business Innovation Facility

I heard about the Business Innovation Facility for the first time when Mrs Ibukun Awosika of "The Chair Centre" talked about the Furniture Village project at the last concluded "The Platform" organised by the Covenant Christian Centre on the 1st of October 2011 in Lagos, Nigeria. I was pleased when I heard about this project and decided to learn more about the people behind the project.

Firstly, the Furniture Village project or The Furniture Makers Village Ltd. (FVL) is a Nigerian start up company, promoted by the Chair Centre Ltd, aiming to set up a local furniture manufacturing cluster that combines workshop units, factory spaces, housing for entrepreneurs, employees and their families, large-scale manufacturing facilities as well as a retail unit for business-to-business and business-to-consumer sales at one location.

Through the creation of this industry ‘ecosystem’ FVL will benefit individual craftsmen (known as ‘carpenters’ in Nigeria) along with small and medium enterprises by giving them access to infrastructure, equipment and markets. With businesses from different sectors (e.g. property, furniture manufacturing, retail and services) relocating to the village, FVL will benefit from profits through long term leases and ground rents. Businesses will benefit from direct access to their suppliers and customers. Manufacturers, for example, can optimise the use of their production facilities to increase productivity which will ultimately result in growth of their businesses.

You can learn more about the project at http://businessinnovationfacility.org/page/furniture-village-nigeria

Now back to the Business Innovation Facility.... Who are they or What is it?

The Business Innovation Facility helps the development and uptake of inclusive business models by companies in developing countries. The term inclusive business refers to profitable core business activity that also expands opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged.

The Facility works in two ways:

1. Advisory support and facilitation. The Facility supports companies that are developing inclusive business projects in Bangladesh, India, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia. In these 5 countries the Facility helps companies directly by facilitating the process of developing inclusive business, brokering partnerships, signposting to other sources of support, and/or sharing the cost of consultancy support. To find out more visit How the Facility can support your company.

2. Information exchange and insight. To help practitioners of inclusive business in any country, this Practitioner Hub provides a gateway to the latest information, insights from peers, good practice, useful resources, and lessons learnt about developing and implementing inclusive business. To find out more visit What you can find on this Hub

The Business Innovation Facility is funded by the UK Department for International Development and was designed as a 3 year project (2010-2013) to pilot this new approach to supporting the role of business in the development of low income countries.

So I do believe that people should take advantage of this facility and increase the success of their business ventures. Go to the site and learn more about this initiative.