Business and Investment

The Solve IT Experience

By Heldana Michael

For an outsider, Solve IT is just work for the iCog team and another tech competition for the participants. Yet, Solve IT is a lot more. I want you to imagine a place where you meet new people, spend days and nights with these people, visit mind-blowing sites, and create a tech-savvy network. An environment where you improve on who you are as a person and help others improve as well. A place where laughter and memories are never-ending. Now imagine all of this coming together into one place: that is Solve IT.

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Problem Solving? You mean Solve IT?

By Heldana Michael

Several projects. One competition. Multiple winners. These three phrases describe exactly what Solve IT 2019 is. Solve IT goes above and beyond than being another competition for start-ups. It is a chance for the youthful competitors to work on their personal growth, make new friendships, and improve their community.

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Extra, extra! Solve IT 2019 is Here

By Heldana Michael

Solve IT 2019 is coming to its end, and the Grand Finale is approaching. The Solve IT 2019 team along with its partners– the U.S. Embassy and JICA– is super busy with last-minute preparations for the August 17, 2019 closing. Everyone is looking forward to the finale, yet everyone is shunning it anxiously.

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Ethiopia’s tech startups are ready to run the world, but the internet keeps getting blocked

By Abdi Latif Dahir

Getnet Assefa shuffled uneasily in his office seat and wondered aloud why he couldn’t connect to the internet on his laptop.

It was mid-morning on Tuesday (June 11), and even though he didn’t know it yet, it was the beginning of the latest days-long internet cutoff. Authorities in Ethiopia disrupted connectivity nationwide to prevent students from cheating in national exams. Social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram were restricted, SMS text messaging disabled, leaving banks, businesses and tech startups left in a quandary.

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The city where innovation is driven By necessity

By Thomas Lewton

“I am young, ambitious and ready to transform my country, Ethiopia,” Selam Wondim announces to a conference room packed with high-profile executives and politicians in one of Addis Ababa’s most prestigious hotels. Read More

Ethiopia’s Long March

By Hruy Tsegaye

Towards Sustainable Tech Markets

In Ethiopia, it is customary to confuse technology as a by-product of development. Unfortunately, it is not only the average Joe or Jane who holds this erroneous belief, but most government officials and policymakers along with administrators in the public universities. Yet, technology is a tool for development.

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Optimism amid challenges for IT innovators in Ethiopia

By Brook Abdu

They are in their early twenties and passionate about technology. They say they would love to invent from day in, day out; a dream they crave to live. Rediet Berhanu, Yonas Woldegebriel, and Nebiyu Ahmed were competing in ‘Solve It!’ IT competition challenge organized by the US Embassy in Addis Ababa in partnership with iCog Labs and Humanity Plus.

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Journey to Paris: Afrobytes and the Rise of African Industry

By Hruy Tsegaye

When one is travelling to Paris for business, in one of the high tourist months, there isn’t much to write about the wonderful city. In a foolish attempt to cover all the attractions, you will run like a crazy dog yet unfortunately Paris is not just big, Paris is just like ‘Quanta Firfir’ hiding countless good stuff behind her common veil. Eventually, the business traveller will give up settling on the common sites. I was the very same business traveller who gave up after The Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles and Le Marias.

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