Latest news with #digitalInfrastructure
Zawya
15 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
From start-up to standout: Why investing in techpreneurs is investing in the future?
In May 2025, GoodApp, a South African-born home services platform, was named Start-Up of the Year at the prestigious Intelligent ICT Awards, an honour that not only recognises technical achievement but also affirms the growing momentum behind purpose-driven African innovation. Founded with a bold vision to reimagine how communities' access essential services, GoodApp is quickly becoming a case study in what's possible when local talent meets global ambition. More than just a service marketplace, it is a digital infrastructure layer that connects customers with vetted professionals ranging from electricians and plumbers to beauticians, handymen, massage therapists, and more, all at the tap of a button. At the helm of the company's technological evolution is Prakhar Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer, whose product leadership has enabled the platform to scale rapidly across South Africa's urban hubs. 'We believe technology should be transformational, not just functional,' says Srivastava. 'GoodApp was created to remove friction from everyday life and unlock opportunity for both users and service providers.' The team's journey from a bootstrapped concept to an award-winning platform underscores the broader need for more investment in African tech ecosystems. While recognition is valuable, Srivastava emphasises that startups need more than applause, they need capital, infrastructure, mentorship, and regulatory environments that allow innovation to thrive. Across the continent, a new generation of techpreneurs is building solutions that are locally grounded yet globally scalable. From fintech and agritech to healthtech and edtech, African founders are no longer just responding to problems, they're anticipating them. 'It takes an ecosystem,' notes Srivastava. 'Investors, regulators, customers, and collaborators must come together with a shared belief that tech is not just an industry, but a vehicle for inclusive growth.' GoodApp's rise is a testament to that philosophy. Its platform prioritises trust, quality, and community upliftment, with every service provider undergoing rigorous vetting, background checks, and performance monitoring. Customer ratings and reviews ensure transparency, while technology enables seamless access for users across income levels and geographies. Srivastava concludes: 'As African digital economies continue to expand, platforms like GoodApp show what's possible when ambition meets support – and when startups are given the resources to scale. To policymakers: build frameworks that encourage innovation. To investors: look beyond the spreadsheet – see the vision. To founders: build with purpose, and build for people. Because the next global tech success story won't just come from Silicon Valley. It will come from Soweto, Nairobi, Lagos, or Khayelitsha. And when it does, it will be because someone chose to back an idea that mattered.'
Coin Geek
6 days ago
- Business
- Coin Geek
India bares first AI-based data center park in Chhattisgarh
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... In a significant step toward bolstering India's digital infrastructure, the state of Chhattisgarh in east-central India has launched the foundation for the country's first artificial intelligence (AI)-based data center park. The facility was inaugurated by the state's Chief Minister, Vishnu Deo Sai. The initiative is reportedly projected to generate approximately 2,000 employment opportunities, 500 of which will be direct jobs. It emphasizes the recruitment of local talent. Data centers are vital to AI development and deployment, providing the advanced computing capabilities, vast storage systems, and high-speed connectivity essential for modern AI technologies. The data center industry is rapidly expanding, driven by the growth of digital services and increased demand for robust infrastructure. The Chhattisgarh facility, occupying 5.5 hectares, will be operated by RackBank Datacenters Private Limited. Of this, 2.7 hectares will be designated as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), entirely devoted to AI-oriented services and infrastructure. The project's first phase will begin with an energy capacity of 5 megawatts (MW), with plans to scale up to 150MW. Beyond data storage and management, the park will offer specialized services in AI, financial technology, health technology, defense, and data analysis. The infrastructure will feature GPU-powered high-performance computing systems along with capabilities for real-time data streaming, processing, and AI-driven solutions. The Chief Minister reportedly described the initiative as a foundational step toward ushering in a new era of technological empowerment and economic growth. 'This isn't just a data centre—it's the digital backbone for progress and inclusion,' he remarked. According to government officials, the center will also support agricultural development by providing precise weather predictions and crop management tools. Additionally, it aims to enhance tribal populations' access to education in remote areas. RackBank, which will operate the Chhattisgarh facility, is a leading data center located in Central India. It offers fast and low-latency connectivity across the country, ensuring smooth and efficient business performance. RackBank said it provides scalable solutions for various industries, including real estate, media and video streaming, IT services, and bulk messaging. Its services help businesses manage essential needs like data storage, security, and distribution. RackBank said it supports companies in handling their digital infrastructure and growing their online presence. India's data center market is on a steep upward trajectory. As noted in the 2024–2025 Economic Survey, the market is set to grow from $4.5 billion in 2023 to $11.6 billion by 2032, marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 11%. 'India benefits from lower construction costs, owing to its well-established IT and digitally enabled services ecosystem, as well as relatively affordable real estate with a median of $6.8 million per megawatt (MW) in 2023, compared to $9.17 million in Australia, $12.73 million in Japan, and $11.23 million in Singapore,' the Economic Survey pointed out. India's total colocation data center capacity hit 977MW in 2023, with a year-on-year growth of 105% as 258MW were added during the year. Between 2024 and 2028, another 1.03 gigawatts (GW) is under construction, and an additional 1.29GW is in the planning phase. In another major development, India is on course to host the world's largest data center by capacity. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Group is investing in advanced AI chips from Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and is constructing a massive data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat—the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This upcoming facility is expected to deliver an unprecedented capacity of 3 gigawatts, significantly outpacing the world's largest current data centers, which remain under 1GW in size. In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek's coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI . Watch: 'Disruptive' blockchain can be useful for India title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
DIB signs $150mln murabaha deal with Turkcell to accelerate Türkiye's tech transformation
Strategic deal reflects DIB's expanding role in financing real economies and enabling digital expansion Partnership aligns with DIB's mission to advance sustainable impact through Sharia-compliant finance Dubai, UAE – DIB, the world's first Islamic bank and the largest in the UAE, has signed a USD 150 million Murabaha financing agreement with Turkcell, Türkiye's leading telecommunications and technology services provider. The facility will support Turkcell's ongoing investments in digital infrastructure and further reinforces DIB's commitment to enabling growth in high-potential markets. As one of the most prominent Islamic financial institutions in the GCC, the Bank continues to foster cross-border partnerships that drive sustainable, innovation-led development. Structured as a five-year bullet-term facility, the Sharia-compliant financing will enable Turkcell to advance critical infrastructure in areas such as data centres, cloud technologies, and renewable energy—further solidifying Turkcell's role as a leading force in Türkiye's evolving digital economy. Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group Chief Executive Officer of DIB, commented: 'At DIB, we have long believed that banking goes beyond funding, we drive transformation. This partnership with Turkcell is not merely about leveraging our balance sheet; it is about enabling the organisation to unleash its true potential. Türkiye represents a market with vision, scale, and ambition, an economy investing heavily in the infrastructure of tomorrow, and a natural partner in our cross-border strategy.' Dr. Chilwan added: 'As the UAE's largest Islamic bank, our role increasingly lies in establishing and shaping meaningful connections between geographies, sectors, and the players within. We see Islamic finance as a bridge, one that supports real economies while remaining true to the principles of ethical finance. With this facility, we are supporting a business that understands the future: digital, decentralised, and inclusive essentially, a future that DIB fully believes in.' The deal also strengthens financial and commercial connectivity between the UAE and Türkiye, while offering Turkcell increased access to Islamic financial mechanisms and structures—particularly as it accelerates investment into strategic and sustainability-linked technologies. Dr. Ali Taha Koç, Chief Executive Officer of Turkcell, said: 'As Türkiye advances towards a more digital and data-driven economy, our focus remains on building the infrastructure that supports this evolution. Partnering with a trusted institution like DIB, with its strong regional presence and deep-rooted values, brings both credibility and strategic alignment. This facility is not just timely— it lays a strong foundation for our growth journey in the years ahead.' The agreement was formalised at a high-level signing ceremony in Istanbul, attended by senior leadership from both organisations, led by Dr. Adnan Chilwan and Dr. Ali Taha Koç. This agreement reflects DIB's strategic approach to financing the sectors and institutions shaping the next phase of economic growth. With a clear focus on long-term value, the Bank continues to enable real-world impact by backing businesses that are building the digital, sustainable, and resilient foundations of tomorrow's economies. About DIB: Established in 1975, DIB is the largest Islamic bank in the UAE by assets and a public joint stock company listed on the Dubai Financial Market. Spearheading the evolution of the global Islamic finance industry, DIB is also the world's first full service Islamic bank and amongst the largest Islamic banks in the world. With Group assets now exceeding USD90 billion and market capitalisation of more than USD 14bln, the group operates with a workforce of more than 10,000 employees and around 500 branches in its vast global network across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Serving over 5 million customers across the Group, DIB offers an increasing range of innovative Shariah-compliant products and services to retail, corporate and institutional clients. In addition to being the first and largest Islamic bank in the UAE, DIB has a significant international presence as a torchbearer in promoting Shariah-compliant financial services across a number of markets worldwide. The bank has established DIB Pakistan Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary which is the first Islamic bank in Pakistan to offer Priority & Platinum Banking, The launch of Panin Dubai Syariah Bank in Indonesia early marked DIB's first foray in the Far East, with a stake of nearly 25% stake in the Indonesian bank. Additionally, Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC was given the licence by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to operate its subsidiary, DIB Kenya Ltd. DIB has been designated as D-SIB (Domestic Systemically Important Bank) in UAE. The acquisition of Noor Bank has solidified its position as a leading bank in the global Islamic finance industry. Recently, DIB has successfully acquired minority stake of 25% of T.O.M. Group which provides digital banking services in Türkiye. The bank's ultimate goal is to make Islamic finance the norm, rather than an alternative to conventional banking worldwide. DIB has won a range of accolades that are testament to these efforts across diversified areas, including retail, corporate and investment banking, as well as CSR and consultancy services. DIB has been named the 'Best Islamic Bank' in various prestigious ceremonies marking the bank's leadership position in the Islamic finance sector. As a progressive Islamic financial institution, DIB embraces the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating sustainability into its business by delivering sustainable products and services and by advancing the green and social composition. 2025 marked DIB Golden Jubilee, with a Bold New Vision for the Future to be prepared to meet the challenges ahead and continue building a legacy of success for the years to come. For more information, please visit us at Please follow us on DIB's social channels: For more PR information, please contact:
Malay Mail
25-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Invest or perish: Technology security is the new national currency — Ahmad Ibrahim
MAY 25 — We often talk about GDP, FDI, and natural resources as markers of national strength. But in today's world, technology security has quietly become the new currency of power. Control over critical tech, from semiconductors to AI infrastructure, now shapes not only business competitiveness but national sovereignty and economic resilience. The signs are everywhere. The US-China tech cold war is restricting chip exports and AI investments. The pandemic laid bare our fragile global supply chains. Nations are scrambling to protect their data, digital systems, and infrastructure from cyber threats and technological over-dependence. Yet, in Malaysia, this conversation still feels like a fringe topic, when it should be at the heart of our economic strategy. In the 20th century, nations secured their futures through control of territory, oil, and military alliances. In the 21st century, technology security has become just as critical, if not more so. From semiconductors to artificial intelligence, data infrastructure to satellite systems, technological assets now underpin not only business competitiveness but national sovereignty, economic resilience, and social stability. We are already witnessing the beginnings of a geopolitical reshaping based on technology power. The US-China tech rivalry, restrictions on chip exports, battles over 5G networks, and debates about AI governance are just the opening chapters of what will be a decades-long contest. Yet, in many middle-income nations, including Malaysia, the idea of technology security remains an emerging concept, largely confined to academic or think-tank discussions. It's time we bring this conversation into the policy mainstream. At its core, technology security refers to a nation's ability to develop, access, control, and protect critical technologies essential to its economy, infrastructure, defence, and societal functions. It means ensuring that a country's technological infrastructure and strategic industries are not overly dependent on, vulnerable to, or controlled by external powers. This includes secure control over data infrastructure and digital systems, access to semiconductor supply chains and computing power, local capacity in artificial intelligence, biotech, cybersecurity, and renewable energy technology, protection against technological espionage and sabotage, and strategic autonomy in telecommunications and defence systems. But why the growing concern? A nation that lacks technology security faces economic vulnerability through over-dependence on foreign tech firms. It is also exposed to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Not to mention the loss of national sovereignty over data and digital services. The consequence includes the inability to compete in high-value industries like AI, renewable energy, or advanced manufacturing. Inadvertently, it would be left behind in global standard-setting and technology governance frameworks. For developing nations, this risk is amplified by the so-called 'digital colonisation', where a handful of global tech giants dominate data, cloud services, and digital ecosystems in markets they don't reside in. Technology insecurity doesn't just threaten governments. It directly impacts businesses. There are supply chain risks when there is overdependence on a handful of tech providers and foreign infrastructure players. Data sovereignty issues would crop up. Loss of control over sensitive operational and consumer data. Competitive disadvantage would creep in. Inability to access or develop critical tech locally, leaving firms reliant on external sources and vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. Then there are cyber risks. Not to mention increased exposure of financial systems, logistics, and digital platforms to disruptive cyber-attacks. In short, if the nation is tech insecure, so is its business ecosystem. Securing our technology future isn't about shutting the world out. It's about building resilience, diversifying partnerships, and future-proofing national capabilities. Here's what needs to happen. Identify and safeguard strategic tech sectors. Focus on semiconductors, AI, data infrastructure, and renewables. Invest aggressively in indigenous R&D. Create incentives for public-private tech innovation ecosystems. Fortify cybersecurity infrastructure. Protect power grids, financial systems, and data assets. Forge smart international tech alliances. Collaborate selectively to co-develop, co-own, and co- control critical technologies. Nurture tech-ready talent. Prioritise AI, cybersecurity, data science, and advanced manufacturing skills. If Malaysia wants to remain competitive in the coming decades, technology security must become a boardroom, cabinet, and national priority. The nations that control their data, digital infrastructure, and critical technologies will write the rules of the new economy. Those that don't will end up consumers in someone else's digital empire. It's time we decide which side of history we want to be on. * The author is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an associate fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya. He can be reached at [email protected] . ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
AI is driving data centre growth – and it's bringing environmental challenges
There is no company sign out the front and that's deliberate. The nondescript concrete cube, surrounded by high fences and security cameras, is a data centre housing infrastructure which keeps our digital world functioning. The internet can feel like magic: information and services seemingly appear out of thin air and reach us wherever we are. But a vast physical infrastructure of undersea cables, wires and data centres is underpinning everything we do online. At this site near Melbourne's CBD, and a growing number of others like it across the world, data (the information computers interpret) is being stored, processed and distributed by rows of computer servers locked in cages. Security is high because the data belongs to technology companies, financial institutions and government departments — all customers of this Equinix facility according to managing director Guy Danskine. This is one of 18 data centres the global company operates in Australia. "When you woke up this morning … you probably looked at internet banking, you probably checked the weather… you might have watched a show on the bus or the tram. All of that came through, or from, a data centre, probably multiple data centres," Danskine says. Data centres whirr away, critical to so much of our daily lives, yet they don't often make the headlines. But that is starting to change. As the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) unfolds, demand for data centres is expected to increase dramatically. This will bring logistical and environmental challenges because data centres are power hungry creatures. In Australia, Morgan Stanley estimates that data centres are expected to use 8 per cent of the electricity on the country's power grid by 2030. The ABC requested a tour of a "co-location" data centre — where organisations lease space to house their IT equipment in a data centre owned by someone else — to see inside this little-known but increasingly important universe. "Dirt is the enemy of a data centre," the site's senior manager Bruce McNicoll says as he strides along a spotless, dimly lit corridor. Outside the data hall sticky door mats are positioned to capture dirt or dust on people's shoes. When the door to the data hall opens, a burst of air shoots out to keep dust particles away. Dust, dirt, or metal filings could harm electronic equipment or clog the fans circulating air and make them run less efficiently, McNicoll says. The data hall — where computer servers are arranged in long narrow rows and kept behind locked cages — is a windowless cavern which is carefully temperature controlled to stop the computers from overheating. The constant whirr of fans circulating cool air, and exhausts sucking the heat produced by the servers out of the hall, creates an endless drone. Data centre buildings are kept cool using air cooling and evaporative cooling. Around the servers air cooling is generally used, but a technology called liquid cooling "where you have the chips sitting on a type of liquid" is also emerging, Danskine says. Powering data centres and ensuring temperature control is energy intensive. McNicoll, an affable Englishman who seems genuinely passionate about the intricacies of the complex system he oversees, excitedly points out the PUE — which stands for power usage effectiveness and is an industry-wide metric used to calculate data centre energy efficiency — which is tracked in real time and displayed on small screens around the building. "Security of energy is a big one for our industry at the moment. I was [recently] in the US. They describe it as an 'energy emergency' over there, in the sense of thinking about AI as a competitive differentiator, you need data centres to do that, and you need a lot of energy," Danskine says. The company is aiming to use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030, Danskine says. But as energy demand increases, continuing to find sustainable supply "is a big challenge for our industry", he says. "There is not enough energy projects developed, announced, funded today that will [meet demand]. So, we need to accelerate that." In the US, where most the world's data centres are located, tech companies are turning to nuclear. Last year, Google and Microsoft signed deals to use nuclear energy to power data centres. "Nuclear is a big part of that conversation [in the US], here it's a bit different in terms of social licence," Danskine says. A recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects data centres will use double the electricity by 2030 — and that's driven by AI. The IEA says around 1.5 per cent of the world's electricity is currently used to power data centres. While it's "a small share of global electricity", the report says, "local impacts are far more pronounced" because data centres tend to be concentrated in certain areas. Gordon Noble, research director with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS , has investigated data centre sustainability. He says: "[The data centre industry] can't scale renewable energy fast enough to meet their demands." Some data centres consume large amounts of water, which they use to cool the servers. Gordon says that in regions experiencing water stress, such as California, the water use of data centres is becoming a concern. Closer to home, The Sydney Morning Herald last year reported on concerns that data centres in Sydney were straining the area's water supply. Innovative technologies which could reduce water use are emerging, Noble says. But managing energy and water use will also become more challenging for data centres in a changing climate, especially where data centres deal with extreme heat days, he says. The increasing demand for green energy to drive AI technology has implications for how quickly Australia can decarbonise, he says. "If all the renewable energy goes into AI, it's not going into decarbonising different parts of the economy." Noble believes we have no concept of scarcity when it comes to data, and this needs to change. "We think we can just have as much data as we want. And I think that economic concept of scarcity needs to become part of the conversation," he says. On the level below the data hall at the Equinix facility in Melbourne is a back-up power system to keep the servers running if the mains power supply fails. There are diesel generators and batteries to bridge the time it takes to get the generators operating. Recently, when a fire in an electric substation cut power to Heathrow airport, closing one of the world's busiest airports for almost a day, the New York Times reported that a nearby data centre relied on its back up power to continue operating: "'The data centre industry is relatively young. They are more attuned to the cost of a catastrophic failure," said Simon Gallagher, the managing director at UK Networks Services, which advises clients on the resilience of their electricity networks told the New York Times. Watching for risks and potential disruptions is a constant task of all the engineers and electricians who keep the critical infrastructure humming, McNicoll says. In a growing industry, finding the right people for the job can be difficult, he says. The size of the data centre industry has already overshot projections of where it would be today, Danskine says. "Nobody could have forecast a couple of things that have really grown pretty dramatically: personal data consumption — just what you can do on your phone now is extraordinarily capable; cloud computing has continued to grow; and now we have this next wave of generative AI in particular, and if this is a cricket match we're in the first couple of overs, this has got a long way to go," he says.
