Econet partners Atlas AI to drive Fourth Industrial Revolution benefits in Africa
Atlas AI – a Silicon Valley tech company that addresses economic data and market intelligence needs in developing countries – and Econet – a diversified pan-African technology, telecoms and renewable energy business organization and a player in digital transformation – announced the partnership at the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Accra, Ghana.
The two organizations said they will collaborate to create opportunities for African businesses and their clients by harnessing AI-generated data insights to drive digital transformation.
The partnership, they said, will enable Econet to expand its digital services using Atlas AI data, while allowing Atlas AI – which generates uniquely actionable data insights using remote sensing and AI – to reach and impact African markets.
Announcing the partnership, Econet founder and Executive Chairman Strive Masiyiwa said: “This important partnership will strengthen our AI capabilities going forward in key business areas for our group, including agritech, Fintech, mobility, logistics and waste management, and will ultimately help us and several other partners in our digital ecosystem, to deliver the rewards and benefits of the 4IR the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the continent of Africa.”
“This partnership will ultimately help us and several other partners in our digital ecosystem, to deliver the rewards and benefits of the 4IR – the Fourth Industrial Revolution – to the continent of Africa,” said Strive Masiyiwa Econet founder and Executive Chairman.
Masiyiwa, who is the out-going Chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) after holding the post for more than 10 years, said technology and AI presented the next frontier for African businesses and policy makers in the quest to address Africa’s food security.
Atlas AI CEO Victoria Coleman said: “We are excited to partner Econet because I believe both our organizations are uniquely aligned in their strategic goals for impact and sustainable development in Africa and the emerging markets. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration that will deliver the benefits of AI and ML to African businesses and to their customers.”
Coleman said Altas AI would draw from its vast expertise and extensive experience on the continent to deliver high-resolution datasets on agricultural productivity, infrastructure, markets, and economic well-being across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Econet already leverages technology and data in the markets it serves to offer platforms that solve the critical African challenges of financial inclusion and food security through its mobile money, mobile insurance and agritech businesses.
The partnership with Atlas AI is expected to grow the digital transformation impact of Econet in the 28 African countries it operates as well as help make joint data sets available to third parties in order to develop an African ecosystem of innovation.
