Exponential Africa

Flying cars, air taxis, and flying humans were once a dream and in science fiction novels and movies. Richard Browning has redefined our concept of human flight.

The conversation tonight will focus on the story of the incredible jet suit that Richard has created as a disruptor in the future of travel and mobility. As well as some of the most exciting, most cutting edge technology that is in the market and will be coming soon.

Featuring:

Richard Browning - Founder and Chief Test Pilot of Gravity Industries which designs, builds and flies Jet Suits, pioneering a new era of human flight. The company was founded in March 2017 to challenge the perceived boundaries in human aviation and to inspire others to dare to ask “What if?”.

Emmanuel Ezenwere - Innovator and entrepreneur who is passionate about solving global problems. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arone Aerial Logistics.

This week's episode looks at the future of artificial intelligence and how we can build better humans using AI as well as create smarter companies that enhance and augment our capabilities in the workplace. 

From self-aware and self-replicating software systems and robots that are emerging to autonomous vehicles or predicting Robo advisors, the future is said to be better from the convergence or augmentation of this technology with others.

Featuring:

Dr Vivienne Ming: Professional Mad Scientist. Co-Founder & Executive Chair, Socos Labs. Theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, author, and mother of two. Co-founded with wife Dr Norma Ming, Socos Labs is a mad science incubator dedicated to solving some of the world's most pressing problems. In her free time, Vivienne works to design AI systems to help treat her son's diabetes, predict manic episodes in bipolar sufferers, and reunite orphan refugees with extended family members.

Dr Mark Nasila: FNB Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Mark has a PhD in Mathematical Statistics, an expert in the data science and analytics field. This has placed him in the privileged position of being part of a small community of thought leaders in the data science industry. At FNB, Mark has developed an AI system for the bank to enhance the forensic review process.

In Africa, we have an abundance of sunlight to power our solar future! Every five days, the sun provides the Earth with as much energy as all proven supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas.

This episode has a focus on how we can create new clean energy solutions for South Africa and Africa by thinking differently! We need to come up with new ways to manufacture and produce energy and create an internet of energy so that we can develop a new market for energy that will democratise the industry and create a flourishing new energy economy! How can we create energy abundance for a prosperous future? 

Featuring:

Ramez Naam: Co-Chair for Energy and Environment at Singularity University. An innovation expert and clean energy thought leader, speaker, and investor.

Arash Aazami: Raised in Niger, West Africa. Founder of Kamangir, an R&D agency creating solutions for a quickly digitalising energy landscape.

Michael Heyink: Co-Founder at Yellow. A digital retail platform focused on delivering consumer products like solar home systems to consumers in Africa.

How will the future of work be impacted by this pandemic? We need practical workforce solutions to be implemented to help the immediate challenges for organisations and employees. Join this conversation with leading global experts!
#futureproofAfrica​

Featuring:

Hilda Liswani - Founder and CEO WeBloom
Hilda is an Award-winning sustainable investment professional. WeBloom Africa is a mainstreaming gender-lens fund Investing in Africa.

Valter Adão - Chief Digital & Innovation Officer Deloitte Africa, SingularityU SA Faculty Future of work & Digital Transformation. Recognised as an expert in the fields of disruptive innovation, business re-imagination and emerging technologies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Krista Pawley - Co-Founder & Head of Reputation and Impact SingularityU Canada. Designing experiences and reputation strategies for leaders working at the intersection of innovation and impact to understand, prepare and shape a more sustainable future.

Adetayo Bamiduro - Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, MAX.NG a pioneering mobility platform in sub-Saharan Africa. A leading innovator and global expert on sustainable mobility and digital financial inclusion.

A great migration into virtual worlds is taking place at warp speed. Now is the time for you to explore and discover the opportunities and potential that lie ahead. Virtual and augmented reality tech is the next evolution in computing and is set to disrupt current computing. 

Join the show as we will be looking at this transformative technology to discover new worlds and augment our current reality.

Featuring:
Cathy Hackl - Cathy is a leading female futurist in AR, VR, and AI, LinkedIn recognised her as one of the Top Technology Voices globally. Hackl has worked with brands like UPS, HTC VIVE, Sony Pictures, Magic Leap, and Adobe.

Dimitri Mikhalchuk - Dimitri is the co-founder and chief revenue officer of the Teslasuit. Dimitri is at the top of the most influential people in the field of VR \ AR (according to Evening Standard, UK).

Brian Afande - Brian is the Co-founder and Managing Director of BlackRhino VR, an Extended Reality agency based in Nairobi.

This week we will be discussing the incredible trajectory that 3D printing is on and how can we use it to completely change the way manufacturing, supply chains and distribution is done.

How can we educate our kids to embrace this technology and especially in South Africa and how can we instil a culture of hacking and making cool products?

The global 3D printing market size is estimated to reach USD 34.8 billion by 2024.

Featuring:

Pablos Holman - Pablos is a futurist, inventor, and notorious hacker with a unique view into breaking and building new technologies. He helped create the world’s smallest PC; 3D printers at Makerbot; spaceships with Jeff Bezos;

Petra Rees - South African Founder and CEO of Why Toyz. A 3d printing school teaching kids to embrace this technology! Recognised in 2019 as the Best Edutech Startup in Southern Africa at the SASAwards.

Andre Wegner - Founder and CEO of Authentise, a leader in data-driven process automation software for additive manufacturing. He is also the Chair of Digital Manufacturing at Singularity University in Silicon Valley.

How will robots transform our lives from the way we work, are entertained, educated, and travel? How have robots played an important role to help fight and assist humans during the COVID 19 pandemic? Learn about the latest tech news in Africa.

Exponential Africa LIVE brings you NEW episodes weekly! Covering different #Futureproofsessions that will focus on how to solve some of the challenges we face, covering topics such as leadership, agility, communication, new ways of working, education, energy, water, food security and exponential technologies that will help us thrive in the future and make sure that we #futureproofAfrica.

This show focusses on food security, showcasing different feeding initiatives. How can we develop, design and implement sustainable ways to grow food in the future?

Mark Post - Chief Scientific Officer at Mosa Meat. In 2013 Marc unveiled the world's FIRST hamburger made by growing cow cells, rather than slaughtering an animal.

Andile Ngcobo - Farmer, Consultant, Agribusiness Strategist who is climbing the agriculture ladder. A large-scale commercial farm manager, managing the operations of Tusokuhle Farming in Pietermaritzburg.

Arturo Elizondo - CEO of Clara Foods, a sustainable ingredients company, making the world's most comprehensive egg white substitute. Completely animal-free, far more sustainable, and free of salmonella without compromising the qualities we know and love.

The world's population is growing each day and the current models of producing food will not be sufficient and will have to be redesigned through new ways of farming, alternative ways of culturing meat and using yeast science to grow eggs in a lab without any chickens. 

Watch Exponential Africa on Reimagining Education, an episode not to be missed created by SingularityU South Africa and Mann Made.

Featuring: 

Taddy Blecher - SUSA Faculty on Exponential Education. CEO of the Maharishi Institute & pioneer of South Africa's free tertiary education movement.

Esther Wojcicki - CEO at Global Moonshots In Education. American journalist, educator, and vice-chair of the Creative Commons advisory council. Author of "How to raise successful people."

Jos Dirkx - SUSA Faculty of Exponential Education. CEO and Co-founder Beenova AI. Founder, best-selling author and world-traveller.

A little bit more about the topic of discussion:

Students now have to work online or remotely currently, and many students in developing countries now have to work from home but often lack data and devices to learn on and land up dropping out. What actions can we take now for the short and long term? How can we educate the youth to develop the right skills needed for the future, and what are those skills? How do teachers need to adapt to more of a remote working environment?

Join us for a great conversation on - Agility in a time of crisis. Hosted by Mic Mann Co-CEO of SUSA who will be joined by Ramez Naam, Kim Hulett & Ashley Anthony.

A little more about our guests:

Ramez Naam -Investor and Co-Chair for Energy and Environment at Singularity University at NASA Ames. He speaks around the world on innovation, exponential technology, and disruptive energy technologies.

Kim Hulett - Founder and CEO of Next Biosciences and is passionate about leadership and encouraging people to invest in themselves through a curious mindset of continuous learning. She believes that South Africa’s biggest asset is its people and rich cultural diversity.

Ashley Anthony: Co-founder and CEO of Isazi Consulting. The term Isazi means “quest for thirst” in isiZulu and aptly describes Ashley’s thirst to understand the mathematical levers that control how businesses make money.