YouTube Pays Nigerian Content Creators, Others Over $50bn

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YouTube Pays Nigerian Content Creators, Others Over $50bn

Youtube, the video streaming giant, has revealed that it has paid out more than $50 billion to its creators, artists, and media companies in the last three years.

 

Susan Wojcicki, YouTube’s CEO, revealed this while speaking at the inaugural ‘Made on YouTube’ event.

“When we launched the YouTube Partner Program in 2007, it was revolutionary, and it is still revolutionary today.” Over the last three years, YouTube has paid more than $50 billion to creators, artists, and media companies.

 

That $50 billion has changed the lives of creators all over the world, allowing new voices and stories to be heard. But we’re not finished yet. We made a big bet when we launched the YouTube Partner Program. We only succeed when our creators succeed. And we’re doubling down today.

 

“YouTube’s first-of-its-kind, industry-leading Partner Program changed the game for long-form video,” said YouTube Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan. And now we’re changing the game yet again, this time by allowing Short-form creators to participate and introducing revenue sharing for Shorts.

 

This is the first time revenue sharing for short-form video has been offered at scale on any platform, adding to the ten ways creators can already earn money on YouTube. It will be available to all YPP participants, including new, mobile-first creators joining the program for the first time.”

 

Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, also spoke about the company’s plans for creators.

“Creator Music is the way of the future.” On YouTube, we’re bridging the gap between artists and creators in order to elevate the soundtrack of the creator economy. It’s a win-win-win for artists, songwriters, creators, and fans. Artists now have a new way to get their music out into the world thanks to Creator Music. Fans can now discover music they enjoy on the channels of their favorite creators, and both creators and artists will benefit from new revenue opportunities.”

 

Representatives from the next wave of the creator economy discuss how the recent announcements will affect the broader ecosystem:

 

Marshmello, a producer/DJ, stated that “Creator Music allows us to tap into YouTube’s massive creator community and reach new fans.” Creator Music feels like one of the latest evolutions that makes YouTube such a valuable place for my music and, more importantly, my fans.”

“Over the last three years, YouTube has paid out $50 billion to over 2 million creators, artists, and media companies,” said YouTube creators Colin and Sam. more than any other platform – through its Partner Program That’s $45 million per day. It is $1.9 million per hour, or $528 per second over the last three years.

In order to gain access to YPP, Shorts-focused creators can apply starting in early 2023 if they reach a threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. According to the company, these new partners will receive all of the benefits that YPP provides, including ad monetisation across Shorts and long-form YouTube videos.

This is an addition to the existing criteria, which states that long-form creators can still apply to YPP once they reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours.

 

While YouTube maintains the same level of brand safety for advertisers, creators can select the option that best fits their channel.

 

YouTube will also introduce a new level of YPP with lower requirements to assist creators who are just starting out on YouTube.

 AI-powered Data To Construction Projects, Has Raised $16 million

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 AI-powered Data To Construction Projects, Has Raised $16 million

Disperse, a construction technology company based in the United Kingdom that provides an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform to help project managers track work and collect data from construction sites, has raised $16 million in funding.

Disperse, which was founded in London in 2015, effectively creates a digital version of an entire construction site, including visual snapshots that track the progress of work to help all stakeholders — regardless of location — stay on top of things. For this, someone on the site (for example, a project manager) walks around at regular intervals with a standard 360° camera, and the resulting imagery is fed directly into the Disperse platform, which processes the visuals and applies computer vision techniques to figure out what’s going on.

For example, this can be used to demonstrate the status of a project at a given point in time and resolve disputes about whether a job was completed correctly.

It also automatically identifies potential issues or bottlenecks while they are still manageable.

Disperse, in general, combines drawings, plans, construction schedules, and all of the elements that go into a construction project to help those in charge keep track of everything digitally, reduce risk, and ensure everyone is on the same page.

 

Efficiency
While the trillion-dollar construction industry often gets a bad rap for inefficiency, Disperse founder and CEO Felix Neufeld claims that this is due to a lack of access to digital technology that can truly shift the needle.

“I actually believe that this perception or construction of laggards is a misconception,” Neufeld told TechCrunch. “After years of working on projects and with companies in both Europe and the United States, we can unequivocally state that there is no attitude problem — but there is a severe technology problem.” Despite false promises from technology companies, many construction companies and teams are willing to try new solutions and have ended up with more of a burden.

Indeed, Neufeld cited a slew of technologies including workflow, robotics, and BIM (building information modeling) tools as examples of companies investing in the next big thing but failing to deliver.

 

“We see most technology on sites quickly become either fully abandoned or ‘zombie software,’ which means the initiatives are technically still active but are only kept alive for perception or contractual obligations, without fulfilling their functional purpose,” Neufeld said.

 

Other notable players in the space include San Francisco-based OpenSpace, which recently closed a $102 million funding round, and Israel’s Buildots, which recently closed a $60 million funding round. As a result, it is clear that investors are still eager to support the next big construction industry movers and shakers.

 

“I would say that the challenges of the pandemic contributed to driving investment in this space, but the productivity problem is still a massive elephant in the room in one of the world’s largest industries,” Neufeld continued. “Construction accounts for approximately 12% of total GDP and has an impact on almost every other industry that relies on it, but construction productivity has completely stagnated over the last 40 years or so.” It’s a massive problem that won’t be easy to solve.”

FIFA 23 Soundtrack Features “Finesse” By Pheelz And BNXN; “Skelele” By Bad Boy Timz And Olamide

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FIFA 23 Soundtrack Features “Finesse” By Pheelz And BNXN; “Skelele” By Bad Boy Timz And Olamide

With the release of FIFA 23, Afrobeats have officially become a global phenomenon.

FIFA 23, like the previous version of the game, will have two distinct soundtracks: one for the entire game and another designed exclusively for Volta mode.

The soundtrack for FIFA 23 will, as promised, includes more than 100 songs from “a range of global hitmakers” as well as numerous “rising stars”. The collection includes music from 34 countries in total.

 

Bad Boy Timz‘s “Skelele” with Olamide, Koffee‘s “Pull Up,” Pheelz and BNXN‘s “Finesse,” and Seun Kuti‘s “Ku ku Kee Me” with American rapper Black Thought are some of the songs on the playlist.

The cross-cultural “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” track with Davido, Trinidad Cardona, Aisha, and FIFA Sound also got a spot on a five-hour-long Spotify playlist to celebrate the release of the video game.

FIFA 23 will be released on September 27. Check out all the tracks featured in the game below:

 

Pop Cola Growing Stronger One Year After Launch

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Pop Cola Growing Stronger One Year After Launch

One of the key players in Nigeria’s beverage and drinks industry, Mamuda Group – Mamuda Beverages Nigeria Limited, makers of Pop Cola, recently rolled out its drums to celebrate the first-year post-launch anniversary of the iconic beverage brand into the market.

Speaking at the well-attended Pop Cola anniversary celebration event to mark this milestone achievement, which was held at the Amani Event Centre, Kano State, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mamuda Group, Hassan Hammoud, reiterated the company’s total commitment to contributing to the growth and development of Nigeria’s economy. He said, “Today, I am particularly excited about the tremendous progress Pop Cola, one of our iconic beverage brands, is making in the market. I can still vividly recall how it all started one year ago with the official unveiling here in Kano, and ever since then, it has been a success. I have no doubt whatsoever that it is a product, born in Nigeria, whose time has come, and it is here to stay. My greatest joy is that the people love the brand and have wholeheartedly embraced it.”

Hammoud further said, “what we have achieved in a single year is already the desire of many, and I know this is just the beginning for us. The success of Mamuda Beverages and Pop Cola has been nothing short of remarkable.”

“The quest to meet and satisfy the growing consumption needs of our teeming customers who have used our various products at different times and can attest to the quality of our products necessitated the introduction of Pop Cola. So far, we are doing very well in the market and are extremely proud of that. Let me also say, I hold out my hand to join forces with all industrialists, executives, and entrepreneurs so that together we contribute to a bold, beautiful, and prosperous future for our community and nation.

It is our duty to invest locally, support industries that will drive economic recovery, protect local businesses, promote exports, and create a society that’s inclusive, more equitable and suitably skilled for the future” Hammoud remarked.

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who led other top government functionaries to the Pop Cola one-year anniversary while felicitating with the Chairman and Board of Directors of Mamuda Beverages, lauded the company for their consistency in churning out beverage products that continuously meet the aspiration and consumption needs of the people and in addition to that have also created job opportunities for over 10,000 people. “On behalf of the good people of Kano State, I say well done and keep up the good work.”

Group Strategic Advisor, Mamuda Group, Dr. Nadim Matraji said, “The accomplishments Pop Cola beverage drink has achieved in the last one year is something we are so proud of and intend to sustain the momentum for a long time to come. Presently in the market, Mamuda brand has become a household name in Nigeria and our Pop beverage products are among the best-selling drinks in the Nigerian market, and we hope to maintain that position while keeping an eye on the region”

Popularly referred to as the product of the people the drink comes in different variants of Mamuda Pop Cola, Pop Orange, Bubble Pop, Pop Apple, and Pop Zero all in 60cl and or 35cl respectively other products include Infinite Power Energy drink 50cl and Pop water 75cl.

The event attracted dignitaries from across all spectra of life including top government officials, traditional leaders, captains of industry, diplomats, and the media among several others who graced the occasion.

Mamuda Group Chairman & CEO Hassan Hammoud Celebrating Pop Cola’s first anniversary with family, friends, the host state representatives and well wishers

Mamuda Group Chairman & CEO – Hassan Hammoud, shaking hands with Deputy Governor, Kano State – Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna

Mamuda Group Chairman & CEO Hassan Hammoud with Deputy Governor, Kano State – Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna at Pop Cola 1st Year Anniversary

Fireboy DML performing at the Pop Cola 1st Year Anniversary

MCs of the evening – Nancy Isime and Basket Mouth

Celebrating Pop Cola 1st Year Anniversary in grand style as the cake is being cut

Deputy Governor of Kano State – DR. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna at Pop Cola’s 1st anniversary in home state

L-R Mamuda Group Vice Chairman – Mr. Nemr Hammoud, Ghadco Director Mr. Ahmad Ghaddar, Mamuda Group Chairman & CEO Mr. Hassan Hammoud & Ghadco Director Mr. Abbas Ghaddar

L-R: Mamuda Group Vice Chairman – Mr. Nemr Hammoud, Honorary Consul of France in Kano – Mr. Stephan Malaussene, Honorary Consul of Lebanon in Kano Mr. Khalil Muselmani , Mamuda Group Managing Director Mr. Nasser Hammoud

Mamuda Group Chairman & CEO Mr. Hassan Hammoud presenting award to SUFAYE INVESTMENT LIMITED ranked No. 1 Distributor of the year 2021-2022

Latest US Dollar To Naira Black Market Rates Today, 26th September 2022

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Latest US Dollar To Naira Black Market Rates Today, 26th September 2022

What is the Dollar to Naira Exchange rate at the official CBN rate, aboki fx, and the black market?

How much is the Dollar to Naira exchange rate today, 26th September 2022? You convert your dollar to Naira at these rates, or you convert your dollar to Naira at the most recent, official CBN rate, black market, or parallel market rate.

How Much Is Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today Official Rate?

The official rate today, Friday, September 26, 2022, for 1 dollar to naira = ₦434.83/$1.

According to the data obtained from the FMDQ, where Naira is traded officially, the exchange rate between the naira and the US dollar opened at ₦434.83/$1 on Friday 23rd September, and closed at ₦436.33 to $1.

US Dollar to Naira Black Market Rate Today, 26th September 2022.

Dollar to Naira (USD to NGN) Black Market Exchange Rate Today
Buying Rate 715
Selling Rate 720

Brand Spur Nigeria reports that the US dollar to naira exchange rate changes hourly. The exchange rate fluctuates depending on the volume of dollars available and the demand for it.

This means the exchange rate you buy and sell the dollar could be different hours later (high or low).

AXA BetterMe Weekend comes back on 8 to 9 October

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Free carnival at West Kowloon Cultural District to promote holistic wellness Covering the elements of physical & mental wellness, art and green lifestyle

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – To mark and celebrate the World Mental Health Day on 10 October, AXA Hong Kong and Macau (“AXA”) brings back AXA BetterMe Weekend on 8 to 9 October 2022 at AXA x WONDERLAND @West Kowloon Cultural District, to encourage everyone to live healthily inside out and become a BetterMe. All activities are free of charge and suitable for people of all ages.

This large-scale outdoor carnival marks the first AXA’s event at AXA x WONDERLAND, a newly launched international landmark of art, entertainment and leisure. The carnival will have 5 Experience Zones – “Emotion Zone”, “Art Care Zone”, “Wellness Zone”, “Go Green Zone” and “Fitness Zone” – covering the elements of physical & mental wellness, art and green lifestyle. Through offering a wide range of classes, games and workshops, the event seeks to create an enjoyable moment for all participants to relax and have some fun. Among all zones, the “Art Care 4D Experience Zone”, which is exclusively created by Japanese artist YOSHIROTTEN for AXA, brings scientifically-proven stress-relieving effect to participants by offering moment for eye, body and breathing exercises. Participants can enjoy the art experience while making time for me-time to refocus, relax and rejuvenate through an engaging sensory experience. Apart from the wellness experience activities, very attractive rewards will be given out, including a chance to win up to HKD2,000 travel and leisure vouchers, as well as discounts to purchase plant-based food to encourage participants to build a healthier diet for a better environment.

AXA also understands the importance of fitness in stress management. To promote an active lifestyle, there are 7 sessions of free yoga and dance classes guided by professional instructors from PURE Yoga and PURE Fitness under the themes of “Family Yoga”, “Yoga Strength & Stretch” and “United Dance for Family”. All sessions will be available for registration on Emma by AXA app starting from 9am, 27 September 2022on a first-come, first-served basis.

Last but not least, AXA brand ambassador Sammi Cheng will show up in the opening ceremony on 8 October to cheer up the participants and and bring more excitement to the event.

Terms and conditions apply. For more details on AXA BetterMe Weekend including the transportation arrangement, please visit: https://www.axa.com.hk/en/betterme-weekend

Details of Yoga and Dance classes:

Date

Class

Time (45 minutes / session)

8 October (Sat)

Family Yoga

12:30 – 1:15pm

Yoga Strength & Stretch

3:30 – 4:15pm

United Dance for Family

4:30 – 5:15pm

9 October (Sun)

Yoga Strength & Stretch

1:00 – 1:45pm

United Dance for Family

2:00 – 2:45pm

Yoga Strength & Stretch

3:30 – 4:15pm

Family Yoga

4:30 – 5:15pm

Registration of Yoga / Dance classes
Emma by AXA app (non-customers are welcome to join)
Download Emma by AXA

Hashtag: #AXA

About AXA BetterMe

AXA BetterMe is a holistic wellness platform with a comprehensive suite of programmes and services covering Physical Wellness Support, Mental Wellbeing Support and Health Management. Simply access the AXA BetterMe services through the Emma by AXA app anytime, anywhere.

30 African Startups In Healthcare Supply Chains To Receive Novel Commercialization And Impact Support From Gates Foundation, MSD, WHO-AFRO, Others

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30 African Startups In Healthcare Supply Chains To Receive Novel Commercialization And Impact Support From Gates Foundation, MSD, WHO-AFRO, Others

Investing in Innovation (i3), a pan-African support initiative for African health supply chain start-ups, has announced its first cohort of 30 companies.

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, AUDA-NEPAD, and AmerisourceBergen, i3 unites leading donors, industry, and African institutions to jump-start a new way of doing business to support African-led innovations in health. Selected start-ups will receive a $50,000 grant and support to catalyse growth-driven partnerships with donors, industry and institutions.

The 30 companies selected hail from 14 African countries. Operating in early- and growth-stages, the companies are delivering novel solutions for device and medicines distribution, stock management and financing, authentication, traceability, medical waste management and more  – demonstrating that African-built solutions are poised to help transform access to health products in many ways. 47% of the companies are women-led (which the program defines as having at least one woman with an equity stake and active executive leadership role), and 30% of the companies are operating in Francophone Africa.

Ann Allen, Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation comments “Digitally-enabled, locally-led innovations have huge potential to help address the challenges of access to medicines for historically unserved patients in Africa. We are thrilled to see strong women leaders at the helm of many of these start-ups, as we know innovation ecosystems are strengthened by diversity.”

The selected companies are, in alphabetical order: Chekkit Technologies, Disrupt Pharma Tech Africa (Medsaf), DrugStoc Ehub Limited, Erith Health Services, Gricd, LifeBank, Lifestores Healthcare, OneHealth, ClinicPesa, Damu Sasa, The Pathology Network, Negus Med, Signalytic,

Viebeg Technologies, Zuri Health, Xetova, Cure Bionics, DeepEcho, Dr Sett, Infiuss Health Limited, Medevice, Meditect, Sobrus, Valorigo, Azanza Health, Appy Saude, Aviro Health, Contro, VaxiGlobal, Zinacare.

Dr Abdullahi Sheriff, Associate Vice President of Global Market Access at MSD noted “The innovation represented by the start-ups selected is inspiring. At MSD, we are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with these leading innovators through i3, to help transform health care supply chains and improve access to medicines across Africa.”

i3 is coordinated by Salient Advisory, SCIDaR, and SouthBridge A&I and is operationalized by leading technology hubs across the continent: CCHub for West Africa, Startupbootcamp for Southern Africa, IMPACT Lab for North and French-speaking Africa, and Villgro Africa for East Africa. These hubs are responsible for the selection process and the follow-up of the startups throughout the program

Efosa Ojomo, Director, Global Prosperity at the Clayton Christensen Institute, and member of the i3 Steering Committee also commented:

“i3’s focus on African ingenuity is long overdue – supporting locally-led, market-creating innovations to scale will equip the continent to achieve health gains, generate prosperity and weather future crises.”

Prashant Yadav, Senior Fellow, Centre for Global Development, and INSEAD Professor who is  Chair of the i3 Steering Committee also commented:

“The breadth of innovation represented by the cohort of companies selected is confirming that data-driven innovations can play an important role in rapidly improving the resilience of African health supply chains.”

Kowry Energy Commissions Decentralised Solar Energy Solutions In Senegal, Nigeria And Mali

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Kowry Energy Commissions Decentralised Solar Energy Solutions In Senegal, Nigeria And Mali

Kowry Energy a sustainability-driven energy service provider focused on power provision across Sub-Saharan Africa, is proud to announce the successful commissioning of four decentralized solar energy systems in Senegal, Nigeria and Mali within 16months of the company’s incorporation.

Kowry Energy provides efficient and affordable hybrid energy systems that strengthen and empower communities and businesses. The analysis of the data provided by these digitized systems can provide solutions to drive demand management while accelerating the growth of local economies.

The successfully commissioned projects are the first of several forming portfolios in each country that will be realized within three years.

Senegal:

Kowry Energy designed a 10 kWp PV decentralized solar energy system with battery storage for Sud Solar Systems to provide access to green and affordable electricity to two public buildings and seven micro-enterprises within the community of Bani in Southern Senegal. The system was designed to support income-generating activities to unlock the community’s economic potential.

Nigeria:

On behalf of Proserve Energy Services, Kowry Energy designed two 286 kWp PV solar energy systems for a plastic recycling plant and a food processing plant in Abuja, replacing 50% and almost 100%, respectively, of demand mainly from diesel generators. The rooftop-mounted solar systems collectively reduce CO2 emissions by 208,521kg per annum.

Mali:

In Djine, an agriculture hub in the cotton belt of Mali, Kowry Energy designed a 69 kWp PV hybrid energy system with battery storage and a backup generator for Access Energie. The project will provide reliable electricity to 3,000 residents, 40 businesses and ten public buildings.

Ndiarka Mbodji, CEO & Founder of Kowry Energy, said, “Countries across Africa have resiliently emerged from the pandemic and now face the uncertainty and challenges brought about by climate change, food and water insecurity. We have worked closely with our customers to remove unnecessary barriers to business growth in the local communities they serve; reliable and affordable clean electricity is the backbone of any economy, from which ever-lasting societal foundations can be built, and development can be sustainable.

These inaugural projects prove our concept and demonstrate the demand for our unique offering. We look forward to deepening our relationship with our customers and partners in West Africa and to expanding our reach across Africa”.

A Successful EV Charging Hong Kong Brand is Entering Malaysia

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Cornerstone Technologies has covered 7,800 Private Residential EV Charging Parking Spaces and over 1,500 Public EV Charging Parking Spaces, now expanding to Europe and Asia.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – Cornerstone Technologies, a leading innovator in EV Charging Total Solutions originated in Hong Kong, is now entering Malaysia. Its entry has been marked by a number of DC chargers which have been scheduled to be ready by the end of this year. After enjoying the success in Hong Kong, Cornerstone Technologies is excited to tap into Malaysian market, confident to bring the same success to this place.

EV Charging Total Solution

Cornerstone Technologies has a strong in-house R&D team, developing one-stop EV charging solutions including award-winning chargers and software backend system to support the smooth running of the entire EV Charging System.

Cornerstone Technologies has both AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct Current) chargers that are Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)-compliant. With the connected platform, Charge Point Operators (CPO) and EV drivers can have access to real-time charging information and other access features to give them peace of mind and flexibility. Cornerstone Technologies have received the world’s prestigious design awards “Good Design” by The Chicago Athenaeum and ‘IF Design” award from Germany for their innovative smart chargers. Recently, Cornerstone Technologies is expanding beyond its home market, Hong Kong, and starting to tap into Switzerland, France, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Chief Executive Officer of Cornerstone Technologies, Mr. Vincent Yip stated his confidence in making Cornerstone EV charger to be the no.1 EV Charging solution provider and the most trusted brand for EV owners in Asia. “Given the immense experience in EV Charging and established technology platform, we are excited about the opportunity in Asia, there’s plenty of potential in Malaysia and the neighboring countries, we welcome corporations that are interested in investing for their property, we keep our arms open for a joint-venture and partnership possibility” Mr. Yip further commented.

Extensive Job References with Governments and Private Sectors

In the home-market, Hong Kong, Cornerstone Technologies has become tier 1 EV charging total solution provider for the Government. Thousands of EV charging points have been deployed supported with sophisticated CPO system. There are many “first’ technological solutions that have been developed by Cornerstone Technologies, among others: Load Management System to enable more EV chargers to be installed without having to increase electricity load, Integrated Parking System, a cashless and contactless billing system that integrates parking and charging fees into one, EVCSS (Electric Vehicle Charger Smart System) to monitor 1,800 EV chargers under various brands spread across 70 government car parks. The partnership with one of the corporations in Cambodia is also underway, more details on the operation for this market will be released soon.

Besides deploying EV chargers at thousands of residential parking spaces, Cornerstone Technologies has supplied ultra-fast 200kW DC chargers to one of Asia’s biggest public bus operators, KMB (Kowloon Motor Bus) supported with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to manage the fleet.

Charge Point Operation (CPO) System

The “Cornerstone Go” CPO system completes with a Central Management System for data monitoring and reporting, Load Management System to regulate the electricity load within one car park for efficiency usage of electricity, as well as Payment System and Mobile App for a remote start and stop charging. These are crucial features for a successful charge point operator to thrive in this business. The development of the “Cornerstone Go” CPO System is intricate, however; the concept for EV owners is simple: just “Go” charge anywhere.

The transition from conventional vehicles to Electric Vehicles is imminent, therefore; the development and deployment of EV chargers must be accelerated. Currently, there is a big shortage of EV chargers everywhere in the world, the growth of electric vehicle production outpaced EV chargers deployment.

Whether you are a Property Developer, Fleet Management, Gas Stations Operator, Hotels, Super Markets or any Chain Stores, Government as well as individuals who are interested to find out how EV chargers can benefit your property, you are encouraged to email: info-intl@cstl.com.hk

Please visit Cornerstone Technologies at EVMAsia’22 September 27-29, booth number 2065, Hall 6, Level 2 at MITEC. One of the EV charging experts from Cornerstone Technologies, Mr. Vincent Chung is here to answer your questions.

Hashtag: #CornerstoneTechnologies

About Cornerstone Technologies

Founded in 2016, Cornerstone Technologies (Stock Code: 8391) is a leading innovator for EV Charging Total Solution in Hong Kong. We are the catalyst for a cleaner, brighter tomorrow. Harnessing the power of high-quality, reliable technology for everyone, we help fast track you toward a better future. For more information, please visit

Manulife joins hands with St. James’ Settlement to help improve primary school students’ financial literacy

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  • Multi-year “Go Paperless Education Aid Program” utilizes virtual reality and fintech to provide over 10,000 training hours for more than 600 under-resourced students
  • New survey reveals kids’ misconceptions about digital wallets and lack of knowledge about savings

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – Manulife Hong Kong today announced the full launch of its “FinKids Academy” program in conjunction with its community partner St. James’ Settlement (SJS), an initiative that uses innovative technology to help under-resourced children improve their financial literacy, technology know-how and skills to be ready for the hybrid financial world of the future.

The “FinKids Academy” program runs under Manulife’s “Go Paperless Education Aid Program” and follows a successful pilot that ran between March and May this year. The program will benefit more than 600 primary school students from 24 local schools providing more than 10,000 learning hours in total.

The program aims to support the children by equipping them with essential skills and knowledge through 10 in-depth workshops that cover topics such as fintech, basic coding, digital money, budgeting, the metaverse and more. Immersive STEM field trips and inter-school sharing sessions will also take place to provide them with a unique and impactful learning experience.

“Driving inclusive economic opportunities is a key part of Manulife’s Impact Agenda to create a more even playing field for all. We strive to bring long-term positive impact to the community by leveraging our expertise and network to raise the standard of financial literacy,” said Calvin Chiu, Manulife’s Head of Asia Retirement. “With the continuous support of SJS, Manulife hopes to continue promoting children’s understanding of financial concepts with the use of emerging technologies, helping them to make better financial decisions in the future.”

The launch is accompanied by the release of a new survey that reveals misconceptions about digital wallets and a lack of awareness about the importance of saving among Hong Kong’s younger generation. The survey was distributed in June by SJS, with the results based on interviews with 325 primary school students.

Nearly a quarter of the students thought their money will never be used up (23%), and 18% said they believed their parents’ income will not change after retirement. In addition, over half (57%) are not sure about how much they spent on average in a month. Close to two-thirds (62%) said they are not sure about the balance of their digital wallet and a third (33%) did not even know where the money in their digital wallet comes from.

In addition, the survey indicates a need to educate the students about the importance of savings for the future. Close to a third (29%) said they do not know how to save money. More than a half said their parents have not talked to them about their retirement plan (57%) and their source of income after retirement (57%).

Josephine Lee, Chief Executive Officer of St. James’ Settlement, said: “We can see there’s a clear need to help the next generation develop their financial literacy if they are to smoothly navigate the hybrid world without undue risk or loss. We look forward to continuing our work with Manulife to benefit the wider community and prepare young people to be able to manage financially in the future.”

C.C.C. Chuen Yuen First Primary School was one of first schools to join the pilot in March, along with Ching Chung Hau Po Woon Primary School. Commenting on the pilot phase of the program earlier this year, Zhow Wong Ying, student at C.C.C. Chuen Yuen First Primary School, said: “I looked forward to the lessons because they were very inspiring and a lot of fun, particularly the virtual reality activities. I learned about why and how to save money, and am trying to do that with my pocket money.”

Hashtag: #Manulife

About Manulife Hong Kong

Manulife Hong Kong, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited. As a member of the Manulife group of companies, Manulife Hong Kong offers a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individual and corporate customers in Hong Kong and Macau.

About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33 million customers. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

About St. James’ Settlement
Founded by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall of the Anglican Church in 1949, St. James’ Settlement began as a club for boys and girls in a temple in Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai. Our first centre outside Wanchai (named Central and Western District Elderly Community Centre) was established in 1990. Since then, different service centres have been developed and most of them are located along the north coast of Hong Kong Island, from The Belcher’s in Western to Hing Wah Estate in Chai Wan. In recent years, in view of the society’s ever changing needs, we have opened service centres in Kowloon and the New Territories. To date, our 73 service points are in operation across Hong Kong. By the end of September 2021, we have over 1,800 staff members to provide a vast range of high quality services for people of different ages and needs. In the past year, around 1,000 volunteers have helped in different service units.

In 2020-2021, St. James’ Settlement served more than 2.2 million person-times, and our target beneficiaries include children, teenagers, families, the elderly and people with disabilities. We provide a broad spectrum of services ranging from community support to residential care.

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