N. M.

New beginnings are always extra extra scary, yet it also seems that I am ever always willing to begin again.

Exactly 4 years ago, I had just landed at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York; my little life packed in 3 bags, on my way to join the United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Independent Evaluation Office in Manhattan; as part of the inaugural UNDP Graduate Programme. A journey that was to forever change my trajectory in the most beautiful ways.

Fast forward 4 years later: I have built incredible community [this is my #1], I hold two Masters Degrees, I have worked with Microsoft, and I have incorporated both my companies and non-profits in 3 countries. We are building exciting tech [software and hardware] products that I most keen to see through.

This summer, I am particularly excited to have 3 Michigan State University students working with us this summer at Q2 Systems. This week, Braden and I are taking on , and we are having a BLAST doing it!

I met Braden when I spoke at TEDxMSU — he was my student liaison, and he shared with me that he wants to be an entrepreneur.

And what better way to learn about tech entrepreneurship than working with a startup?

I am quite thrilled for Q2 to be incubated at Newlab in Detroit, and I know it is [still] just a beginning. Excited for the strides of the next 4. 📊📈🤖🩵

P.S. if you'd like to join us at Q2, here's your chance: q2corporation.com/devs

Over the past few months, my students from the Malawi University of Science and Technology (Ndata) [MUST] working with the Kwathu Kollective have been developing agricultural technology systems, including AI-assisted crop detection and farming operations simulation and planning tools.

As part of this work, they wish to better understand how farmers are actually making decisions on the ground today, rather than building purely from assumptions.

The student team has launched a baseline study focused on farming operations, decision-making, and agricultural technology adoption.

If you are involved in farming, or know farming households, we would deeply appreciate your participation and support in sharing the survey within your networks.

We are especially hoping to gather diverse insights from across multiple African countries so the solutions being developed can become more continentally relevant.

A link to the survey:

Farmer Survey – Technology Commercialization Research - Kwathu Smart Innovation Farms KSIF Farmer Survey – Smart Farming Research in Malawi The Kwathu Kollective initiative is conducting a research study to better understand how farmers make decisions, the challenges they face, and how digital tools can support better farming outcomes.

Three Degrees Hot 🎓📜

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀:

𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤—
Business Administration
Entrepreneurship
Economics
Demography

𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩—
Marketing Management
Business Analytics
Digital Transformation
Women’s Empowerment

𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨—
Computer Science
Applied Engineering
Business Development
Supply Chain Management

𝙀𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥—

𝟭. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀

Media Production
Data Visualization
Knowledge Management
Learning Management Systems

𝟮. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

Simulation Building
Robotics
Artificial Intelligence

10 years [2016 - 2026] lived fully and truly

Go Green forever Michigan State University! 💚💚💚

3 Year Reflection: byntha.com/mba

Heart is a different kind of full this week.

2,000 applicants.
10 fellows selected.
6 countries represented.
A 130yr old network.
[+ A residency at Lake Como.]

Very delighted to be making for humanity with the
Rockefeller Foundation 🌍🧡

A few words about what Kwathu Kollective is working on through Kwathu Smart Innovation Farms: byntha.com/big-bet

Founder of Ntha Foundation, an education trust committed to empowering African youth through creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, Nthanda Manduwi has made the list of the first 10 Africa Big Bets Fellows

A press statement from The Rockefeller Foundation says the list, selected from diverse pool of nominees from the Big Bets Network and external partners are set to participate in a five month intensive programme designed to elevate their innovative solutions for advancing energy access and food security among others.

William Asiko, Senior Vice President , Africa Regional Office, The Rockefeller Foundation says this year's Big Bets Fellows reflect the strength of African leadership in tackling some of today's most pressing challenges.

The Rockefeller Foundation launched the inaugural class of Africa Big Bets Fellows during its second annual AfricaXchange in Kenya recently.

Apart from Malawi, the other fellows are from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania.

Reported by Sam Banda Jnr