ICANN opens application for new gTLD support programme - ITREALMS

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The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened calls for the next round of Applicant Support Programme (ASP), as part of the larger New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program, reports ITREALMS. 

The ASP, ITREALMS gathered, provides financial and non-financial assistance to qualified, eligible entities who plan to apply for a new gTLD.

FirstBank's FMAP 3rd application round closes today - ITREALMS

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First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider has confirmed that its call for participation in the third season of its FirstBank Management Associate Programme (FMAP) would close today, Thursday, March 23, 2023, reports ITREALMS.

Interested participants, ITREALMS gathered, are required to submit their application.

Innovation fund by GSMA closes application, Thursday 19 - ITREALMS

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The Innovation Fund call for application by the Global System for Mobile Association (GSMA) is set to close by tomorrow, January 19, 2023, reports ITREALMS.

The fund which was opened on Thursday 24 November, 2022 was set up in anticipation to improve responses to humanitarian crises.

U.S. Consulate seeks application for 2021 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs - ITREALMS

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The United States of American (USA) Consulate-General in Lagos is partnering Ascend Studios Foundation to implement the 2021 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), reports ITREALMS.

AWE is a U.S. government-led initiative that supports women entrepreneurs around the world, now in its third year.

Google seeks application for 2nd Launchpad Accelerator Africa - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Google has opened applications for Class 2 of its Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme reports ITRealms.

Also, Google announced it is extending the program to include startups from a further 12 African countries.

This, ITRealms gathered, means it is now accepting applications from startups in 18 countries across the continent including Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Cameroon, Botswana, Sénégal, Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria and the existing six - Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda . Interested startups can apply here: https://developers.google.com/startups/regional/

Applications for Class 2 will close on 8 July.  To qualify, startups have to be a technology startup, based in Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting the African market, and have raised seed funding. Google additionally considers the problem the startup is trying to solve, how it creates value for users, and how it addresses a real challenge for its home city, country or Africa broadly.

As applications for Class 2 will open at midnight tonight, Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa Class 1 is graduating today in Lagos.

“The three month programme has connected the 12 participating startups with more than 20 teams from Google as well as 40 mentors from nine countries including India, the UK, USA and Jamaica. Each has received $10 000 in an equity-free cash grant, and between them they have raised over $7 million. The startups have directly created 132 jobs and impacted 4.5 million users,” says Folagbade Olatunji-david, head of startup success and services, Launchpad Accelerator Africa, Google.

Launchpad Accelerator Africa was announced less than a year ago by Google CEO Sundar Pichai at Google for Nigeria on 27 July. In terms of his announcement, the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme will provide African startups with over $3 million in equity-free support, working space, and access to expert advisers from Google, Silicon Valley, and Africa over the next three years. Participants receive travel and PR support during each three-month program.

“We are humbled to be part of the success stories of these 12 startups, and as individuals we have learned great lessons from their dedication, focus and drive. The companies will now go on to be part of the global Launchpad Alumni network, joining over 100 companies from 40 countries across 5 continents,” Olatunji-David declare.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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ICANN grants 3 RAAs data retention waivers

ITRealms:

At least, three accredited registrars of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) have been granted their application for data retention waivers, reports ITRealms.

“ICANN hereby grants Registrar a limited waiver from compliance with certain provisions of the 2013 RAA, ….” ICANN declared in a official statement made available to ITRealms.

These applicants, ITRealms gathered include CSL Computer Service Langenbach GmbH, Belgium-based Register NV dba Register.eu, and Online SAS.

Also, ITRealms gathered that their application submitted to ICANN was in pursuant to Section 3 of the Data Retention Specification of the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) which provides that if a registrar is subject to the same applicable law that gave rise to ICANN's request to grant a previous data retention waiver under the 2013 RAA, a registrar may request that ICANN grant a similar waiver, which request shall be approved by ICANN, unless ICANN provides Registrar with a reasonable justification for not approving such request.

Registrar's Waiver Request (RWR) ITRealms equally cites the previous data retention waiver granted by ICANN to NameWeb BVBA, on the basis of its contention that compliance with the data collection and/or retention requirements of the Data Retention Specification in the 2013 RAA violates applicable law in Belgium; Ovh SAS, MailClub SAS, and Gandi SAS in France as well as RegistryGate, ingenit & Co. KG, and 1APl in Germany.

ITRealms reports that applicant registrars and aforementioned earlier beneficiaries were domiciled in Belgium, France and Germany subject to laws of the affected countries; whereas ICANN has determined that it is appropriate to grant Registrars data retention waiver similar to the waiver previously granted to Messrs NameWeb BVBA, Ovh SAS, MailClub SAS, Gandi SAS, RegistryGate, ingenit & Co. KG, and 1APl among others.

ITRealms further reports that ICANN granted the applicant Registrars limited waivers from compliance with certain provisions of the 2013 RAA based on three-point stipulated terms, comprising that:

1.            ICANN agrees that, following Registrar's execution of the 2013 RAA, for purposes of assessing Registrar's compliance with the data retention requirement of Paragraph 1.1 of the Data Retention Specification in the 2013 RAA, the period of "two additional years" in Paragraph 1.1 of the Data Retention Specification will be deemed modified to "one additional year."

2.            In all other respects the terms of the Data Retention Specification will remain AS-IS. The waiver granted to Registrar applies only to the post-sponsorship period of retention of the data listed in the Paragraphs 1.1.1 through 1.1.8 inclusive of the Data Retention Specification, and it does not constitute a waiver of any other provisions of the 2013 RAA or other ICANN policies applicable to registrars. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing in this waiver limits Registrar's obligation to comply with Consensus Policies or Temporary Policies developed and adopted in accordance with ICANN's Bylaws ("ICANN Policies") or limits Registrar's obligation to comply with any amendment, supplement or modification of the 2013 RAA approved and adopted in accordance with the terms of the 2013 RAA ("RAA Amendments"). In the event of any inconsistency between this waiver and the terms of any ICANN Policy or RAA Amendment, the terms of the ICANN Policy or RAA Amendment will control.

3.            The waiver granted to Registrar shall remain in effect for the duration of the term of the 2013 RAAsigned by Registrar.

ITRealms further reports that ICANN noted that the provisions of Section 3 of the Specification will apply to similar waivers requested by other registrars that are located in the affected countries and subject to the laws of these countries.

 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +ICANNnews @RAAs

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Palmchat enters Nigeria app market

ITRealms:

Palmchat, a multi-media messenger that enables friends to connect across all platforms, and make new friends in diverse fun-filled and exciting ways, has entered Nigerian application (app) market, reports ITRealms.

Head, Public Relations, Transision Holdings, Mounir Boukali, told ITRealms that Palmchat, which is an app currently trending in the social application space is expected to transform and create a major swept in the history of instant messaging technology. 

It is also predicted that all outdated Instant Messenger (IM) will be clearly phased out by social media apps that are more engaging, personal and comes with interesting features.

“Having used all the social application platforms we can find around, one can only ask for more and this is what Palmchat offers everyone; a cool new face of social instant messaging, personal and group chatting,” Boukali said.

The Head PR stressed that Palmchat offers really different features from those already in use. Pointing out that users’ could join any chat room of their choice, discussing a range of issues, from sports to romance, and even get discounts from online stores. 

“It enables you to share your cool pictures, music and recordings with your friends, getting in touch with them in private messaging” Boukali said.

Using location based services, Boukali said, Palmchat helps users link-up with friends within their neighbourhoods. 

He further told ITRealms in a press statement, “The ‘shake-shake’ feature gives you that instant experience. One new person pops up every time you shake your phone, and with this cute sound, a new contact is added” he explained.

ITRealms recalls that Palmchat is the IM app everyone should connect to experience instant messaging in a new way. The sign-ups have increased in thousands in recent times with millions of people coming unto the platform.   

 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 

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