Tech for Good

2022-06-09 07:13:25 Those who live in Africa will soon see a lot of drones above their heads. Wingcopter will deploy 12000 of them across the continent

Wingcopter startup announced building a massive delivery network. It will span 49 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Drone delivery is still not widely used. The main questions are efficacy, air traffic congestion, and regulation. Such tech can make more sense in remote areas, where traditional delivery is limited or absent. In Africa, such a rollout will allow people to get access to medicines, lab samples, and other key medical supplies.

A strong social impact will also come from food delivery. With the potential food crisis on the African continent, drones can help deliver food to where it is needed most. That is, especially in areas with weak infrastructure. And those additionally affected by droughts and other plagues.

Wingcopter 198 is the startup's primary product. It is a large fixed-winged drone capable of transporting 13 pounds (6 kg) of payload up to 68 miles (109 km).

Pilots control Wingcopters remotely and can track 10 systems at once. The drone can carry 3 boxes and deliver to multiple locations in a single flight.

The first drone fleet will start working in Q1 2023. Will be happy to get feedback from those living in Africa.

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#drones #startups Open / Comment

2022-06-07 07:52:18 A new gig economy platform to help event and venue photographers up their game: the story of the Smiler app.

An Amsterdam, Netherlands-based Smiler app comes up with a new venue and event photography approach.

Freelance photographers use the app to attend events. They can sell their work attached to the specific venue. Customers may buy photos right at the event or later online.

A photographer shares a QR code with clients to connect to their photos. Customers can then review the photoshoot and buy online with a credit card. Both digital copies and high-quality prints are available. Smiler can ship the latter worldwide for free (the price embeds the shipping cost, to be exact).

There are already 9000 photographers on the platform. And it is not for professionals only. Freelancers and photo enthusiasts wanting to earn with their passion also become Smilers.

Smiler partner venues now include Manchester City Football Club, Paris's Montparnasse Tower, ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo, and the Tower of London.

The startup has recently raised $8 million. They plan to use the funds to expand across the UK, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Italy.

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I won't mind, and there are no hard feelings.

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#apps #gigeconomy #photo Open / Comment

2022-06-03 08:51:30 A secret bonus for those who read my content carefully is inside. Open / Comment

2022-06-02 06:50:32 “Wait a minute. Wait a minute Doc, are you telling me you built a time machine out of a DeLorean?

DeLorean showed the Alpha5 concept - an electric version of the car from "Back to the Future".

This is a new version of the DMC-12 produced from 1981 to 1983. The car became popular thanks to the movie "Back to the Future". Marty, the main character was driving it to travel through time.

The official presentation will be in August 2022. Production will start in 2024 in Italy. Alpha5 will have a limited series: 88 cars only. The reference is to 88 mph - the speed Marty had to speed up to jump in time.

Some tech specs:
0-60 mph (96 kph) in 3.4 seconds
top speed - 150 mph (241 kph)
Range - 300 miles (483 km).

Italdesign created the original car, so it developed the Alpha 5. The car retained the “seagull doors” opening upwards. Yet, otherwise, it differs from the DMC-12, e.g. it became a four-seater.

The price of the car is still unknown. In the future, DeLorean also plans to launch a V8-powered sports coupe and an electric SUV.

Does anyone also feel like traveling into the future with this car?

#EV

Photos are here (don't miss) Open / Comment

2022-06-01 06:56:38 Vegan leather from cactus

Let's have a little break from longer-form content and enjoy a short and well-made video.

Adrian and Marte are two Mexican guys making a huge impact on the textile industry's sustainability. Meet Desserto, an innovative vegan leather made from cactus leaves. Here is what's good about it:

Cactus requires almost no water to grow,
It survives in areas not suitable for any other crops,
The mature leaves are cut and used without damaging the plant,
Desserto requires no toxic chemicals to produce,
No cows are dying for you to have a cool-looking leather jacket,
The product has a 10-year life span.

The startup is already on fire having iconic collaborations with such brands as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Adidas, Givenchy, H&M, and others.

#sustainability #startups Open / Comment

2022-05-30 13:35:50 Earn several thousand dollars per day by moving. Is the new move-to-earn StepN app financially sustainable or is it a financial pyramid?

The idea
StepN is a blockchain app that lets users walk and run to earn tokens. Users may then exchange the tokens for real money.

Since its launch in December, the app accumulated 2 to 3 million active users per month. With tens of thousands of new users joining the app every day, the developers had to limit the number of daily registrations.

How it works
To start earning by logging daily mileage, users have to buy a pair of virtual shoes first. At least 12 Solana coins or around $500 at the current market rate.

The digital shoes are in the form of NFT. You can sell them later but it is not a trivial amount for every casual player anyway.

Over time, users need to accumulate new kicks to level up. The usual return on investment requires about a month. Then users can start generating income of up to several thousand dollars per day. It depends on their level, activeness, and the current price of StepN tokens.

Is it sustainable?
Critics question the sustainability of the play-to-earn game model. To maintain it, the game should be addictive to prevent users from cashing out. Or, StepN has to attract new users who buy in and replace those cashing out. Some experts even compare such a model with a financial pyramid.

StepN proposes a twofold solution to sustainability. For one, it’s working on a price stabilization mechanism. The team ensures the cost of its coins is always at a rate that the shoes are affordable for new users. At the same time, it's not so cheap that existing users lack the incentives to create new shoes.

I do not believe in get-rich-fast schemes. The return will stabilize over time. The question is whether it will be attractive enough for new users to come in.

The future
Huang, the StepN founder, argues that besides earning money in the early stage, the real benefit of StepN is its fitness component. Users become accustomed to staying active. They will continue to walk or run regardless of financial rewards.

StepN raised $5 million from Sequoia Capital, one of the most reputable venture funds. It’s generating $3-$5 million in net profit from trading fees a day and earns up to $100 million every month.

The current crypto downturn may slow down the app's growth. Yet, the founders are optimistic in this regard. They say, now the bubble is bursting, their shoes will become more affordable. And they believe their app will survive as it has a real use case.

Now it's your turn
I'd be happy to know your thoughts. Have you tried StepN? What is your experience with the app? If not, would you consider risking a few hundred bucks to try?

#apps #startups Open / Comment

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#promo (please see also the post above) Open / Comment

2022-05-26 10:26:41 If you want more freedom, please consider this opportunity to start a tech career

You don't know that before I started writing about tech, I've got 15+ years of background in finance.

Working in consulting and industry, I made my way from an intern in a Big4 audit company to CFO and later CEO of an industrial holding.

Two years ago, despite "making it" as a corporate, I gave up my high-paying 9 to 5 office job. Why?

I wanted freedom.

For me, freedom is not about doing nothing. It is about living where I want to live and having more control over my working schedule. My office job was not a good fit for that.

So I completely switched to remote work and started several freelance projects. Now I live in a place where I am happy. I have the privilege of choosing my clients. I work three times fewer hours while earning the same amount as in the office job.

Why am I telling you all this?

Nowadays is the time when remote working has never been easier. And tech is the industry where such an approach is the new norm.

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#promo Open / Comment

2022-05-25 11:26:52 How to become a property owner if you have only $100: Arrived startup

The idea
Arrived is a US-based startup that offers its clients to invest in lease properties for as little as $100.

You buy a share in a house and get rental proceeds. The idea of fractional real estate ownership is not new. Yet, Arrived is making it as easy as possible. Clients can download an app, register, and become property owners in under 4 minutes.

Investment amounts range from $100 to $15000 per house. You don't need to be an accredited investor to become a property owner.

How it works
Arrived acts as an asset manager. It partners with property management companies to find renters and manage operations.

Investors receive income as quarterly dividends. Their passive income includes rental proceeds and property price appreciation. When Arrived sells the house, its co-owners receive a share in the sale price.

How much you can earn?
The annual dividend yield reported in Q3 2021 was from 5.95% to 7.54%.

The company charges you an annual management fee of 1%. Second, Arrived Homes will charge 8% of the rent for property management at each home.

Pros and cons
Diversification is good. If you invest a significant amount, you may divide it between several properties. Thus, reducing your risk.

Easy to start. Passive quarterly income

Low minimum investment

Not for short-term investments. The average investment term is 5-7 years. Until then, you cannot redeem your share. The startup is working on developing a secondary market, but there are no guarantees.

For now, the choice of houses is limited by 102 properties. And they are all sold out

Questions for you
1. Do you like such a post format?
2. What are your first thoughts on the Arrived business model? Open / Comment

2022-05-19 10:23:52 Fun, money waste, or a profitable business idea?
A robot turning a dull wall into an interactive canvas

Here is a cool Scribit robot that automatically draws on the wall.

The smartphone app has a library of 1000+ free, ready-to-use drawings. You can also upload your own drawing or a photo to the online converter tool. Then send it to your wall.

The developer says the robot can easily erase the drawing if needed.

The device costs 450 euros. It may use four different color markers simultaneously. The 48 markers kit price is 76 euros. If your arms grow from the right place, you can probably use standard cheap markers and save tons of money.

I imagine this thing is used for fun during interactive streams or parties. Business owners may apply Scribit for wall decoration in bars, cafes, etc.

Another idea would be to buy this thing and offer it as a service to the same business owners.

What are your thoughts? Is it a THING or money waste?

Website

#robotics #businessidea Open / Comment