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New Innovation Trumpets Africa’s Growing Interest in Metaverse
Africa’s first and only Metaverse venue, SodaWorld is a technology platform developed to serve as an entertainment emporium in the Metaverse- a resource through which artists can create new virtual worlds, customise fan engagement, as well as create and sell NFT and merchandise.
SodaWorld was founded by long-time technology and creative industry innovator Mic Balkind during lockdown in 2020. It recently secured investment by Switzerland-based CV VC and was selected as one of just two projects to be featured as a Special Project at the Venice Biennale, Venice VR programme, as part of the Venice Immersive 2022 event.
SodaWorld streams live from its SodaStudio in downtown Johannesburg. SodaStudio is an offline-to-Metaverse high-tech studio that serves as a connection point between creators and the Metaverse.
Balkind, CEO of SodaWorld, has worked within the technology and creative industries for over 20 years.
SodaWorld describes Balkind as “a fore-runner in the broadcast and entertainment industry” and the creator and owner of digital nightlife website JHBLive, an online community of over 120,000 active participants.
The project involves two phases. The first – and current phase – is centred around the construction of basic metaverse functionality, which includes the near-automated production SodaStudio to enable high-quality real time broadcast to the Metaverse.
“We are broadcasting to our Virtual Reality digital twin of the studio in VRCHAT. But in between is where things are interesting. We are busy developing a social layer that will interact between the real world and the virtual.
“Music and especially live performers represent the ability to filter through culture. If there is a band that you really like it is highly likely that if you go to their live performance you will meet like-minded people,” said Balkind.
“Our focus is on how to facilitate interaction between the fans be it in the real world, in VR or online. The social layer is a key to us. We have hacked together a version of this in the studio where we have been practicing what it is like for an artist to feel the people from the outside world in the studio. Phase one has been around experimentation and implementation of our blueprints.”
Phase two is a stand-alone tech stack that will represent the ability for artists and cultural institutions to create virtual worlds and the ability to perform inside of them.
“The system will also include the ability for artists to create tokenomics and for fans to get behind artists’ projects by owning a slice of the initiatives proposed to SodaWorld community persons,” developers added.
SodaWorld said at the moment, artists can submit their band for review.
“We are going to select around up to thirty artists where we partner with them to launch a Metaverse strategy. We will enable the artist to build an audience and perform to them on a regular basis. Also the tools and expertise to develop digital assets and tokenomics,” the platform stated.
According to Balkind, SodaWorld performs the role of a new-world agency that partners with the artist. “Our model is to split proceeds with the artists from projects undertaken in our partnership. It is a sliding scale so the first year where we share 50% and then it slides down to 15%. By year four we take our standard fee of 15% ongoing for the duration of the relationship.Our aim is to raise significantly more investment and to build our tech stack and launch it as a stand-alone offering.”
Olaf Hannemann, Chief Investment Officer and Co-Founder of CV VC said: “CV VC is a blockchain tech early-stage VC headquartered in the world’s most mature blockchain hub, ‘Crypto Valley’, Switzerland. We invest in start-ups who demonstrate a capability to transform the way the world interacts and transacts using blockchain technology.
“The dynamic team at SodaWorld have shown an energy, determination, and industry expertise to do just that for artists and creators. Core to blockchain is its ability to build trust. The entertainment and performance sector need to rebuild trust especially from the creator’s perspective. The SodaWorld platform can achieve this and more, new revenue streams for creators.”
CV Labs Africa MD, Gideon Greaves added:“As the incubation business pillar of CV VC, we at CV Labs Africa are stoked to work with the team at SodaWorld who are building on blockchain to enable artists to monetise immersive fandom.
“Their enriching platform empowers African creators to connect with global audiences via the brave new world known as ’the metaverse’ which in simple terms is an interactive and augmented digital reality world, accessible by fans anytime and anywhere and where fans can actually interact with artists and visa-versa.
“The opportunities are endless. Africa is blessed – it has in its hands a facility – SodaWorld which can facilitate creators access this Metaverse!”
United States (US) House of Representatives has banned WhatsApp from all official devices as a result of data privacy and security concerns.
Harry Coker, acting national cyber security (ONCD) Director confirmed this via a statement issued on Monday, June 23 stating that WhatsApp’s high risk classification is attributed to the messaging app’s ambiguous data protection policies, inadequate encryption for stored data, and other potential security vulnerabilities.
He stated that staff have since been advised to utilize more secure communication platforms, with recommended alternatives including Microsoft Teams, Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime, Signal, and Amazon’s Wickr.
However, Nick Clegg, president of Global Affairs for Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has strongly opposed the ban.
He said, “We disagree with this decision in the strongest possible terms, whatsApp provides a higher level of security than the other approved apps.”
This ban on WhatsApp is not an isolated incident, it follows previous restrictions on other applications, such as TikTok, which was removed from government devices in 2022.
The decision also comes just months after WhatsApp itself confirmed that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had targeted some of its users, including journalists and civil society figures.
MTN Foundation has received accolades from UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
The recognition, presented during a profile courtesy visit by UN Women representatives to MTN Nigeria’s Head Office in Ikoyi, Lagos, acknowledged the Organisation’s profound contributions to advancing women’s empowerment across the nation.
The UN Women delegation, led by Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria, commended MTN and its Foundation for their unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive society where women thrive.
During the presentation, Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria, expressed profound admiration for MTN’s efforts. “I want to congratulate MTN for all that they have been doing,” Eyong stated, her voice resonating with appreciation. “And I want to congratulate MTN Foundation specifically, because they are leaving things better than they met them especially with their Mother and Child Initiatives.” Her remarks highlighted MTN’s focused impact, suggesting a significant improvement in the landscape of women’s empowerment due to the company’s interventions.
Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, received the award and further elaborated on the company’s broader commitment to societal upliftment through women’s empowerment. ” Our Y’ellopreneur program targeted at Female entrepreneurs is about creating access for our Female Entrepreneurs – access to skills, capital and markets. Our commitment is to contribute to the success of women – led businesses in Nigeria.
This focus on economic empowerment through skills development directly benefits women seeking to improve their livelihoods. This recognition comes as MTN Nigeria continues to champion various programmes aimed at uplifting women, from promoting gender diversity within its corporate structure to supporting women-led businesses and initiatives.
The company’s alignment with global best practices, including its recent signing on to the United Nations Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), further solidifies its position as a leader in corporate social responsibility and gender equality advocacy.
The award serves as a testament to MTN Nigeria’s strategic and impactful investments in creating a more equitable future for Nigerian women.
Google today announced the selection of 15 promising tech startups for its Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa Class 9 program. These innovative startups, hailing from Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa, are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to address significant challenges across diverse sectors, including fintech, agritech, healthtech, and professional services.
In an era where startups are at the forefront of solving critical challenges across Africa, these innovators often face significant hurdles to scale their operations, particularly in securing essential support, mentorship, and funding. Programs like the Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa play a crucial role in providing these opportunities, enabling tech founders and innovators to amplify their impact. By bringing together Google’s extensive resources, including cutting-edge AI technologies and a global network of experts, the program aims to equip these startups to not only thrive but also lead in addressing both local and global challenges in this AI era.
The selection follows a highly competitive application process that began in April 2025 , drawing nearly 1,500 applications from across the continent. This cohort underscores Google’s deep commitment to fostering Africa’s vibrant tech ecosystem and supporting startups in their growth journey.
“African startups are at the forefront of solving critical challenges across the continent, and their work with AI is truly transformative,” said Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa at Google. “This program reflects our belief that AI can be transformative when shaped by those who understand the context deeply. We are incredibly excited to support these founders who are building for impact and helping to shape an inclusive AI ecosystem across Africa.”
Over the next three months, the selected startups will participate in a hybrid accelerator program (June 23rd to August 22nd, 2025). Participants will receive dedicated technical mentorship from experienced Google engineers and industry experts , up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits , and strategic support in AI implementation, product leadership, and business growth. They will also gain access to a global network of investors, partners, and collaborators, amplifying their reach and impact.
Since its inception in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program has supported 153 startups from 17 African countries. Collectively, these alumni have raised over $300 million in funding and created more than 3,500 jobs. Google has directly contributed $5 million through a combination of equity-free funding and product credits to support these founders.
The Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa Class 9 cohort includes:
AFRIKABAL (Rwanda): A blockchain and AI-powered platform helping farmers, buyers, and logistics firms trade crops securely and transparently.
Apexloads (Kenya): A logistics SaaS platform helping African freight brokers, forwarders, and transporters move cargo faster with verified partners.
E-doc Online (Nigeria): Simplifies compliance and credit checks by analyzing real-time banking data, enabling faster onboarding and smarter lending decisions.
GoNomad (Nigeria): Enables businesses to start and run global entities, and solopreneurs to professionally invoice and get paid globally like a local.
Midddleman (Nigeria): An intelligent sourcing and payment platform helping African businesses import and pay for goods from China faster, safer, and cheaper.
Myltura (Nigeria): An AI-powered digital health platform enabling remote care, test access, and seamless health data management in Africa.
Pastel (Nigeria): Offers Enterprise AI solutions, inc. AI based fraud detection and anti-money laundering solutions to financial institutions in Africa.
Rapid Human AI (South Africa): An end-to-end AI design-thinking platform that turns ideas into code in days, cutting development time by 80%.
Regulon (Ghana): An AI-powered compliance and onboarding platform designed to simplify regulatory processes for businesses across Africa and the EMEA region.
Scandium (Nigeria): An AI Quality Assurance suite that helps teams ship bug-free software faster with end-to-end test automation and test ops tooling.
Shamba Records (Kenya): An AI-powered platform that empowers 50,000+ African farmers with smart credit, market access, and climate-resilient, data-driven agriculture.
Smartel Agri Tech (Rwanda): Helps smallholder farmers in the Global South get ahead of crop pests and diseases early using AI-powered, solar-driven devices and SMS alerts.
TOLBI (Senegal): Leverages AI and satellite imagery to empower sustainable agriculture across Africa, providing precise crop yield forecasts.
YeneHealth (Ethiopia): An AI-driven digital health web, and mobile app streamlining access to affordable, reliable, quality medications & health care services.
Zerone Analytiqs (Ghana): A transformative two-pronged solution to the data scarcity in Africa, We are revolutionizing how data is sourced, analyzed, and utilized for decisions.
For further information and updates, visit the Google Africa Blog or follow @GoogleAfrica on social media.
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