A safer taxi option in Brazil

Saving languages in Nigeria

And providing basic services to the African population

A Place of Many Dangers: Overall, São Paulo is ranked 24th globally in a crime index developed by Numbeo, which is worse than Damascus and Lagos. When it comes to more violent crime, São Paulo has a 8.4 homicide rate, which is substantially lower than the country average of 23.4. However, London, Moscow, and even Delhi are all substantially lower.

The Rise of the Rich: São Paulo has over 80,000 millionaires. The city is ranked 17th by the number of billionaires. São Paulo state accounts for 75% of the country’s luxury market. Also, Brazil’s adding millionaires faster than any country in the world, and it’s reasonable to assume that most of them are in São Paulo. The point is, there’s enough people for Rhino-like services and the market is sure expanding.

1-on-1 tutoring: Weekly packages start at $18 per session, while a 25-lesson bundle drops to $12 per session.

1-on-2 tutoring: Similarly structured but at a slightly reduced rate per lesson.

The Country of Many Languages: Nigeria is home to over 500 languages, about a quarter of Africa’s total linguistic diversity. For comparison, Europe has around 200 languages.

On the Edge of Extinction: The number of endangered languages in Nigeria is estimated to range from 27 to as high as 172, depending on the source. Take Igbo, for instance, cited as being spoken by 31 million people. Yet, this figure may be outdated, and UNESCO in 2012 even predicted that Igbo could disappear by 2025, though that hasn’t come to pass. Alarming signs of decline remain, however, with one study revealing that only 50% of native Igbo speakers use the language daily. Additionally, cultural dynamics contribute to its vulnerability—examples (one, two) suggest a perception of native languages as less prestigious, with fears of being labeled uneducated.

The Culprits: English’s dominance in education, media, and public life is the main reason many Nigerians point to for the decline of native languages. A study on Yoruba’s diminishing use highlighted several contributing factors: 90% of respondents blamed a preference for Western culture and English, 85.7% pointed to parents neglecting to teach their children the language, 72.8% mentioned job opportunities outside the language-speaking areas, and 65% cited Nigeria’s linguistic diversity itself as a challenge.

The Growth is Just Beggining: Kenya is in the very early stages of EV adoption. In 2021, e-motorcycles had a 0.05% share of total motorbike sales. Just two years later, they account for nearly 4%, with 2,557 units sold.

Government Support: In 2023, the Kenyan government launched an e-mobility program aiming to green the transport system. This year, it aimed for 200,000 electric motorcycle sales, with plans for over 1 million electric vehicles and 3,000 charging/swapping stations in the future.

Saving Money on Gas: E-motorbike owners save 40% on operating costs compared to petrol bikes. Stima’s battery efficiency further increases those savings.

A Huge Market—Kenya’s Taxis: Kenya has 3 million motorbike taxis called boda-boda. So far, just 2,000 drivers have switched to electric, but the market potential is enormous, especially for cost-conscious drivers. Both Uber and Bolt are actively pushing boda-boda electrification.

Hydrobox-as-a-Service: Hydrobox handles everything from design and financing to plant operations, selling electricity to customers.

Hydrobox-as-a-Product: Customers finance and own the plants, while Hydrobox focuses on building and operating the power stations.

Kenya’s Electricity Challenges: Despite 84% of Kenyans having access to electricity, rural areas often remain underserved. Monthly nationwide blackouts disrupt critical infrastructure, with only 15% of connected medical facilities enjoying reliable power. Decentralized mini-grids like Hydrobox offer a promising solution.

Hydropower Potential: Kenya generates 22.1% of its electricity from hydropower, which pales in comparison to neighbors like Ethiopia and Uganda, where the share exceeds 90%. Yet Kenya’s untapped hydropower potential is estimated to be at least 10 times higher than its current capacity.

Expansion to DRC: Hydrobox plans to enter the Democratic Republic of Congo, where nearly all electricity is hydro-generated but access is abysmal—just 19% of the population and only 1% in rural areas have electricity. With DRC’s vast hydro resources, Hydrobox can replicate its Kenya model at a larger scale.

Uganda’s Clean Water Disaster: 81% of people in Uganda lack access to safe drinking water. That’s 38 million people in just one country. There’s “automating customer service flow management” value and “providing people with clean water” value, but for some reason, the former will always raise infinitely more money.

The Price of Water: Urban populations spend 22% of their income on clean water. With an average urban income of $125 per month, that’s $27.50 spent on water. Assuming 22% is a valid stat, Spouts filters could save a household $1,622 over five years. A lot of caveats here, but you get the idea.

Water and the Economy: Poor water supply costs developing countries 1.5% of GDP annually. Another study found that healthcare-acquired infections—i.e., infections caught in healthcare settings—cost Uganda 1.4% of GDP each year.